Succeeding at the digital transformation of sales

Online purchases have long since joined the habits of many individuals. The Covid-19 crisis has accelerated the trend and extended it to a vast majority of sectors, including B2B. According to a McKinsey survey in the United States, almost all decision makers expect that the remote commercial relationships brought by the crisis are here to stay. And three quarters of them consider that this new approach is at least as effective as the previous one.

Beyond the use of remote interaction tools, it is the nature of the commercial relationship itself that is evolving. Indeed, customers increasingly expect to be able to do remote purchases easily, with a few clicks, with as little contact with a salesperson as possible. An increasing number of professional purchasers want to manage their purchasing processes in full autonomy, maturing their project through information available online. According to McKinsey, less than 30% of them prefer face-to-face meetings to identify and select a solution. And if the majority wishes to have at least a remote contact, a quarter of the purchasers prefer using only online information and transactions.

Answering these expectations often requires a complete revision of the marketing and sales processes. Marketing, traditionally tasked with raising interest and identifying commercial tracks before handing over to the sales force, has seen its mission broadened to accompany the clients throughout their purchasing journeys. It is no longer about solely making the offering known, but also about providing prospects with an as fluid as possible purchasing experience. As for salespeople, they see their role evolve: from being the quasi owners of the relationship with the prospect, they become the partners of marketing to optimize a purchasing journey that includes successive handovers between the two teams. Thus, not only the processes evolve, but also the jobs and the interactions between teams.

How can you evolve your sales practices in the digital age?

In this synopsis:
– Holding a sales meeting remotely
– Successfully shifting to sales digitalization
– Involving top management in business development