Fit for the future with valantic
Future of Sales
As B2B interactions shift online, companies must adapt to new expectations. Meeting customers where they are, akin to local stores, becomes crucial. The focus is on increased online selling and communication, aligning with evolving buyer-seller dynamics.
valantic knows: It has never been more important to digitally engage with customers. Welcome to the “Future of Sales”!
Sales of the future What is the "Future of Sales"?
According to a study published by Gartner, an explosive increase in digital interaction between customers and companies is expected in the next five years. The “Future of Sales” concept takes this development into account in many ways. It includes:
- the establishment of future-proof technologies that best support people in their work – in sales, for instance
- the continuous transformation of the sales strategy from a salesperson perspective to a consumer perspective
- digital-first engagement with customers, i.e. the evolution from analog to (hyper-)automated sales and customer contact
People, processes and technology: According to Gartner, it is these three areas that are combined in the “Future of Sales” concept. The result is three phenomena: digital scalability, hyper-automation, and artificial intelligence – all of which ultimately contribute to the sales of the future.
Solutions for the "Future of Sales”
5 facts that speak for themselves
- B2B customers’ trust in salespeople is declining sharply.
- 33 % of buyers would like to make a purchase without contacting sales staff.
- Companies meet their customers less and less in face-to-face interactions. At the same time, more and more prospects are obtaining information online.
- 60 % of companies will switch from experience and intuition in sales to a data-driven sales strategy.
- 80 % of B2B contacts between sellers and buyers will happen through a digital channel by 2025.
What do all of these numbers by Gartner tell us? It pays to invest in digital sales sooner rather than later!
Future of Sales – challenges
Driving the digital transformation
Even though we at valantic are already dealing with the topic every day: For many companies, the “Future of Sales” is still uncharted territory. This is exactly why our tech geeks will tackle the challenges of digital transformation together with you. Important in this context:
- You need to find the right digital communication channels to reach your customers. This means that you as a company generally have to make various digital sales channels available at the same time.
- Investing in digitalization alone is not the be-all-end-all solution. The entire company must be transformed with regard to a digital future in order to achieve long-term success.
- Change management: Sales employees should be comprehensively prepared and trained for this new approach to distribution and sales.
Who will benefit from the sales of the future? Advantages & benefits in a nutshell
Accelerate, scale and focus – the “Future of Sales” concept encompasses all this and more. But what advantages does it offer companies and consumers? You’ll find out now!
Benefits for companies
The “Future of Sales” also facilitates standardized, digital processes that can be adapted to local conditions and the market at the same time.
Apart from that, the following three benefits of the “Future of Sales” are worth highlighting:
If you want to engage with customers in new ways – and do so over and over again – you should use the possibilities offered by digitalization to do so. The result: more leads and opportunities for new business. In terms of customer loyalty, existing relationships can be intensively cultivated.
Companies can quickly react to changes in the digital environment or to changing customer needs and adapt their offers accordingly. Uncertainties regarding production volumes and market developments can be reduced through integrated planning scenarios along a transparent value chain. This allows for optimized yields. In addition, offers can be managed in a targeted manner, and customers can be informed transparently.
Systematic and digitally supported analyses open up completely new possibilities in the acquisition of new customers. Utilizing digital support, you receive corresponding reports at the touch of a button, from which concrete measures can be derived. The result: higher sales and better margins.
Benefits for end consumers:
- more in-depth support from the sales team increases customer satisfaction and makes your company a reliable partner
- accessibility via all channels: more flexibility, faster response times and perfectly tailored offers
- continuous customer journey: Customers always have the feeling that their individual needs are being met optimally.
An important digression The interplay between IT and sales
IT is a key factor in the success of the “Future of Sales” concept. But let’s perhaps take a step back and start with the basics: The sales strategy and the digitalization strategy (including the area of information technology, or IT for short) together make up a digital sales strategy. It comprises six target areas:
Sales goals in digitalization
- manage business
- win orders
- drive growth
- work effectively
- retain customers
- leverage change
These goals are implemented on the basis of the value proposition of sales and the implementation options regarding IT. The decisive factor here is where the initiative for digitalization comes from. A decision on this should be made jointly by the Sales and IT departments and written down in the digital sales strategy.
Ongoing coordination ensures that potentials can be fully exploited. It is also important that the success of the sales strategy can be tracked and measured. For this purpose, appropriate key figures must be defined. Furthermore, many sales employees are skeptical about digitalization. For a successful digital sales strategy, any doubts and reservations should definitely be resolved – and valantic will help you with this!
Want to learn more about the topic? We are happy to provide you with additional information about the sales of the future …
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