MAIN INSIGHT 47
Karthik Suresh
DIRECTOR OF CONSULTING, INNOVATION & MARKETING
Can the global pandemic be credited with the rise of customer-centric business?
Being customer-centric is not a new concept. Businesses have successfully been taking advantage of this approach long before the pandemic. But the pandemic did close the gap between businesses and their customers, even if they were already customer-centric. Previously, it would have been very unusual for an engineer to attend a sales meeting alongside a salesperson. This meant that nobody who actually 'does the work' would be involved until the deal was closed.
During the pandemic, we all became very used to video calls and digital conversations, which made it much easier to bring wider stakeholders into the conversation. This created a far more authentic customer-centric experience as the customer could now share their needs and challenges directly with engineers and developers. This allows them to develop solutions directly for that customer. Moving forwards, buyers still expect these more engaging, co-creation-focused sales experiences. The days of pitching with a generic offering are now behind us.
Will digital sales processes make human involvement redundant?
Even if a sales process is fully digital, human beings still have a crucial role to play. Yes you can go to an online marketplace and buy a pen or a boat, but how did you find that marketplace and what made you confident enough to make the purchase? There is a human being who has made sure that you can find what you’re looking for, and are then able to purchase it seamlessly. They've researched your buying journey and used the marketing mix to ensure that you receive the right information at the right time. Machines and tools are becoming far more intelligent, but they will always need human understanding and insight to reach their full potential.
For enterprise and strategic sales, there is a higher requirement for human involvement. A customer may have an idea of what they want to achieve strategically, but are not sure how to get there. To develop this into a solution, the vendor needs to bring relevant experts into the conversation and really clarify their needs. The sales process becomes a collaborative one to work out the right approach and ultimately to co-create the solution.
Machines and tools are becoming far more intelligent, but they will always need human understanding and insight to reach their full potential.
Using digital technologies can help create a more engaging sales experience for your prospects and is well worth the investment.
What technology should businesses need to invest in to create digital sales journeys?
Every business needs a robust marketing technology stack. A good place to start are tools that help you understand your prospective customers' challenges and where they are trying to find those answers. This insight will allow you to create valuable content for them and make it discoverable in the places they spend time online. Over time the right tools will allow you to become more refined and smarter with your efforts, by segmenting your market and creating different approaches for those segments.
From there, your next priority will be tools that support engagement and conversation. If a prospect knows they have a problem but aren't sure what the solution is, how can you make it easy for them to get in touch with you and start a conversation? Not every prospect will want a physical meeting or workshop to explore their challenges with you, so you must offer a video conference option too. There are great collaboration tools available now, such as live digital whiteboards that video call participants can use simultaneously. Using digital technologies can help create a more engaging sales experience for your prospects and is well worth the investment.
Ameresco is an independent, renewable energy company that is building a sustainable future with public organisations and private enterprise throughout North America and the United Kingdom. Through energy audits, innovative engineering, utility-scale solar farms and deep energy retrofits, Ameresco applies forward-thinking technology to the challenges of controlling emissions, enhancing energy security and shifting toward clean, renewable sources of power.
