The war has imposed sanctions on the world. in Ukraine and a rise in shipping costs, manufacturing delays in China and a frenzied demand triggered due to the epidemic, the worldwide supply chain chaos is getting worse. This has brought about a new set of issues which have salespeople pondering whether they are able to continue selling in the face of the ongoing customers’ discontent.
We believe that they are able to however, only if they have an agile and resilient mindset to overcome the concerns of customers.
What is this mindset like? And how do salespeople improve their skills?
Two Keys To Sales Success
in their new book Agile and Resilient Selling Leadership in the new Normal, Russ Sharer and Michelle Richardson outline ways that salespeople can keep selling even in the face of global supply chain problems. The entire book revolves around enhancing two fundamental qualities that a salesperson should possess that is trust and worth.
The LinkedIn study found that just 32% of consumers consider salespeople as trustworthy. However, an astonishing 88% of those polled said they’d only buy an item after trust had been earned.We consider confidence in sales the point at which the customer is convinced that a salesperson’s credibility is assured and trustworthy, and puts the interests of the customer over their own in the selling process. This is a huge gap to be filled.
Value is based on the ability of the salesperson to create trust, and it is assessed when industry guidelines and guidance is offered. In many cases, salespeople offer so minimal value that customers could take them away by the help of a Google search.
Sellers can withstand challenging market conditions by establishing trust and valuation using the following suggestions.
Be Transparent
If orders are delayed, customers must be kept informed all the process. This includes informing customers on a regular basis the specifics of the delivery schedule of your company, as well as the delivery date and time. If a business does not have an automated system in place to offer this service, it is on the salesperson’s shoulders to have all the necessary information available.
Customers who are experiencing delays in delivery should be looking for alternatives that can be discovered by conducting a thorough inquiry or market research to better understand their customers’ current needs and their actual needs. We recently worked with a client who accomplished the same thing by asking a client “what alternatives can we explore?” The salesperson earned immense respect for having to sacrifice a portion of his order in order to meet his client’s urgent needs.
Communicate Proactively
We have observed that the top salespeople understand that tough customer questions can be avoided completely by letting answers be known prior to the time a customer is able they have to inquire. It’s better to create expectations around the potential problems that could occur after the order is made, rather than calling customers with unanticipated negative news, or worse, having to explain what happened when they contact to make a complaint.
Don’t forget that today’s sellers don’t have a price war They’re engaged in the war of delivery. Price will always be a factor however delivery is more important when resources aren’t sufficient in order to get products from one point to B.
Talk Candidly About Price Increases
Everybody is seeing price hikes. Being the one to speak with confidence regarding the price hikes as well as the reasons behind them and the value that you can add will increase the confidence.
Sometimes, orders aren’t delayed however, the cost needs to be raised in order to prevent the seller from losing money. The sad truth of the matter is that many customers are used to price hikes. Customers who have to deal with the aftermath of supply chain issues on the buyer’s side are becoming more and more insensitive. Just telling that they are being honest about the price and the steps your business is taking to compensate will help a lot.
Retain Top Talent
A customer told us that his sales rep who was the top performer this year resigned from his position to work at Home Depot, because products are either available or they’re not. Another customer told us that his receptionist for twenty years left because she was sick of the abuse she received from her customers.
They are seeking people who can step in and tackle problems or figure out ways to provide them the abilities they require to tackle the issues they’re faced with.
Closing Thoughts
Salespeople need to be aware that their customers have a an extremely difficult task to complete. Imagine yourself in their shoes and try all you can to alleviate the pressure they’re experiencing. Trust and confidence are the key to long-term sales success However, trust can take the hit when a company cannot keep its word. Sometimes , the best thing option is to to make sure that your trust personally remains positive.
If your business is suffering from problems with its supply chain and your competitors are suffering too. The businesses that have their act together first will succeed in the end. If you’re transparent and communicate regularly, speak openly about price hikes, and strive to keep the top employees, your company will always emerge in the top position no matter what’s happening on the world scene.
