Adapting to The Virtual Sales Climate: Empowering Sales Teams

Back in January and February of 2020, multinational companies such as Microsoft and Twitter were investing in resources to encourage remote work for both environmental and financial purposes. And the spread of the virus, combined with travel restrictions and other related factors, has helped to accelerate the trend on the global scale.

The year 2020 saw a considerable decline in on-site sales meetings. This was due to a combination of the challenges triggered by COVID-19, and ongoing pre-pandemic societal and technological trends. Buyer-seller communications have mostly become remote, and companies face new challenges to meet the needs of their off-site employees.

CEOS, CMOs and CSOs must devise strategies to empower their sales teams to succeed in this new climate. The right kind of technology such as SugarCRM and Salesforce Sales Cloud can facilitate the virtual buyer-seller interactions and enhance employees’ performance.

The shift to virtual engagement

Back in January and February of 2020, multinational companies such as Microsoft and Twitter were investing in resources to encourage remote work for both environmental and financial purposes. And the spread of the virus, combined with travel restrictions and other related factors, has helped to accelerate the trend on the global scale. What used to be focused teams of sales employees and on-site buyers, is now dispersed communities across various regions and areas.

In fact, it is highly probable that on-site sales meetings will become a premium offering even after the pandemic is over. According to Forrester’s Q2 2020 US PandemicEX Survey 2, International corporations, tech giants and multinational firms such as Facebook, Microsoft and Twitter are currently taking steps to facilitate a permanent remote work model for their employees.

Adaptation and adjustment to perform virtual sales interactions

As more companies adapt to remote work models, technological innovations such as digital tools and devices will help facilitate virtual sales interactions. Two of the pioneer sectors in introducing digital trends to empower their employees are the medical and  pharmaceutical sectors. For instance, tech and device representatives are currently conducting online educational sessions and leveraging augmented reality to help medical staff integrate the new technologies and tools in their workplace.

Another important factor that calls for adaptation to virtual sales interactions is the Millennial influence. According to Forrester, one third of the US workforce is made up of Millenials, a figure that is estimated to rise up to 45% by 2028. Millennials are often tech savvy and drawn towards work-from-home models. These so-called ‘digital natives’ are adept at adjusting to newer models and developing attractive virtual sales strategies.

Adaptation and adjustment to perform virtual sales interactions

As more companies adapt to remote work models, technological innovations such as digital tools and devices will help facilitate virtual sales interactions. Two of the pioneer sectors in introducing digital trends to empower their employees are the medical and  pharmaceutical sectors. For instance, tech and device representatives are currently conducting online educational sessions and leveraging augmented reality to help medical staff integrate the new technologies and tools in their workplace.

Another important factor that calls for adaptation to virtual sales interactions is the Millennial influence. According to Forrester, one third of the US workforce is made up of Millenials, a figure that is estimated to rise up to 45% by 2028. Millennials are often tech savvy and drawn towards work-from-home models. These so-called ‘digital natives’ are adept at adjusting to newer models and developing attractive virtual sales strategies.

The key role of technology

Software programs such as SugarCRM and Salesforce Sales Cloud will be essential in transitioning from the old to newer models of sales. By providing the employees with new capabilities and improving the virtual sales environment, these digital solutions help empower the sales teams and augment their service.

SugarCRM is a highly flexible Customer Relationship Management (CRM) platform that provides an intuitive user experience and a broad ecosystem of integrations. It is fully customisable and allows businesses to create their own, personalised approach to building strong sales teams to engage with their customers.

Salesforce Sales Cloud is another CRM solution that provides in-depth customer insights and work-from-home capabilities. The software includes tools for sales force automation, contact management, sales forecasting and productivity. Information is made easily and quickly available. Intuitive access to well-structure data leads to higher performance for customer acquisition and interaction in the virtual environment. These technological capabilities are prerequisite to successful sales operations and business interactions in a touchless economy.

redk has been a CRM expert for more than 15 years and is well equipped to integrate its use into businesses facing the constant change of the business world today. The company has developed a close working relationship with a position on the SugarCRM Partner Advisory board as well as working with Salesforce as a strategic technology. Through constant collaboration, both redk and these leading tech vendors create innovative digital solutions, which empower buyers and sellers to grow more confident in virtual sales.

Despite initial concerns regarding the decline of on-site sales, 2020 has witnessed the rise of a new model of buyer-seller interactions, which is highly compatible with online work environments and remote working trends.

Accordingly, the new sales teams consist of technologically empowered employees with higher knowledge and flexibility, ready to triumph in the new virtual climate. Through continuous adaptation and alignment with sustainable modalities, this success will continue into the future.