Sales Trends: What You Need To Know About What is Changing

According to research by Gartner, ‘80% of B2B sales interactions between a supplier and customer will occur in digital channels by 2025.’

If the global pandemic has shown us anything, it’s that face-to-face meetings are by no means a necessity when it comes to success in sales.

Buyers across the globe are now interacting with both vendors and sellers via digital means, and it is a phenomenon that shows no signs of abating any time soon. Forrester has recently gone so far as to claim that this particular trend will govern how both sellers and vendors interact with their customers over the next three to five years.

Companies must harness insights from AI technologies if they are to continue providing buyers with the service and personalisation they seek today. And as consumer behaviour continues to shift, sales teams need to implement better strategies to navigate what’s now considered normal.

According to Forrester, there are four main areas that govern whether or not businesses will succeed in this ever-changing environment.

Diverse buyer communities

The next few years will see members of both the Gen Z and Millennial generations break into positions of leadership across the global spectrum.

Forrester predicts that this shift in leadership will give their preferences and needs a heightened level of importance when it comes to the purchase process.

In Forrester’s words, ‘Companies must accelerate digital methods of engagement, make references easily obtainable and allow buyers to experience suppliers’ values’.

As a result, this will make the B2B buyer community more digital-first and value driven.

Touchless economy

The shift to remote working will undoubtedly impact the relationship between buyers and sellers.  Both parties are likely to seek out innovative and more efficient ways to both discover new products and close deals.

Forrester argues that the virtual engagement skills many sales employees have been forced to acquire since the pandemic began will prove key in reaping long term sales benefits.

‘In a touchless economy, sellers and buyers will find safer and more efficient ways to learn about solutions, build trust and close deals’, according to the report.

Ultimately, in order for B2B sellers to assure themselves of success, they must use newer CRM technology to build relationships with their customers while also developing a certain level of trust through solely virtual means, seeing as only 12% of workers are reported to want to return to the office.

Buyer expectations

It’s no secret that digital buyers’ expectations have increased over the past few years. They now expect instantaneous, fuss-free service across the board.

Today’s technological advancements have significantly enhanced sellers’ ability to collect data in order to customise responses and engage in fast, fluid and personalised conversations.

Digital and virtual exchanges are both important parts of the customer journey, but they aren’t areas your organisation has to navigate alone. With over 15 years of experience in consultation, we at redk are here to help you implement the right tools and strategies for digital and virtual success.

As a result, buyers now demand more intuitive buying experiences, forcing sellers to spend time and resources on researching customer demands and preferences.

The Forrester report argues that these innovations have the capability to turn even the most average of sales reps into star players, therefore boosting the potential of the sales team as a whole.

Smarter tools

New AI-enhanced sales tools embedded in the CRM applications now have the ability to offer sellers valuable insights into buyer information, and can even go so far as to provide insights in real time based on live conversations.

Research carried out by Forrester has revealed that 57% of B2B sales leaders plan to make deeper investments in sales tools with AI and automation – and with good reason.

This forward-thinking technology can go so far as to offer sellers recommendations that are able to take customer conversations to the next level and boost company sales figures.

Customer experience and sales performance optimisation are both central to our market-leading methodologies and capabilities in the CRM space. The changes in place may seem quick, but they are manageable with the right tools and strategies. With over a decade of experience in consulting and CRM software implementation, we at redk are here to help you to adjust to new sales trends and guide you through any bumps in the road along the way. Reach out today.