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With the period of informal zoom attire coming to an end, do we reach for the suit once again or try something different? I have noticed the discussion being mentioned in hushed voices, but as often with fashion choices, many are waiting for others to take the lead.
A good starting point for such a discussion can be to dust off your old work attire policy and to not change anything too drastically. I like to consider three tiers of attire, suit with a tie, suit without a tie and smart casual. Moving only one tier either way could be considered a sensible approach.
Another consideration could be the stage of the sales cycle you are at with a customer. As we all know, first impressions can mean everything, so starting off smart and becoming more casual or meeting their policy through the sales cycle could be an appropriate tactic.
To try and simplify the process for my team, I came up with three golden rules:
To Zoom or not to Zoom? That is the question. As with many topics, the answer probably lies somewhere in between.
Zoom has become so integrated into many business processes it almost feels like the default choice of contact. Recent research by Jobber (2020) gives us a reminder of the importance of face-to-face contact to build and maintain those relationships. However, the convenience of Zoom and efficiency of time for both you and the customer can make it a valid alternative.
This is another opportunity to learn and understand your customers wishes and decide accordingly. Zoom isn’t for everyone and identifying customers who respond better to in person meetings could be the difference between a sale or a rejection. For those customers who do prefer zoom, a previous newsletter offers tips to develop remote selling skills.
Asking customers for their preference can be difficult. Adopting a standard policy can simplify this process. For example, first meetings always being in person with any follow-ups on Zoom can be a good starting point. Furthermore, those instances where customers would prefer the opposite offer you a good opportunity to prove you’re adaptable to their needs. This also allows you to influence their choice depending on your own preference, particularly handy if you’re trying to avoid that long commute!
On the subject of Zoom and video, Dan Wardle proposes 4 quick and easy tips to improve the use of video in your sales cycle. Latest research has shown a 93% year-on-year increase in businesses using video for sales and customer engagement, highlighting the need for comprehensive knowledge in the area.
For a slightly different medium of information, this podcast by two experts from McKinsey, dives into changing consumer behaviour and how to respond to customers’ new needs and preferences. Their focus on the best ways to understand where consumers are and where they’re headed could help you stay one step ahead of the competition.
The customer success role originated in the USA and is catching on rapidly here. Their core responsibility is customer retention, an objective that is often desired but not given sufficient attention.
Their work starts once the deal is closed by ensuring the customer fully understands the product and their needs are being met. The top reason for low customer retention is customers not understanding the product and not obtaining value from it. Customer onboarding by the customer success manager can avoid both outcomes. It can also provide opportunity to upsell once a strong relationship is built which is useful for those of you with complementary products. Embed and expand may already be well known stages of your sales process and the responsibility of account managers. Customer success executives are focused purely on this so depending on the size of your business, there may be value in prioritising such a role.
This article by Natarajan provides more detail about the customer success role and hopefully it helps you stay one step ahead.
Watch this space. Our sister company Kojoacademy, is providing sales management content to Emerald Works on-line learning for businesses through the launch of an all-new resource for small businesses. The product goes live in September, and we will update you on how you can subscribe in our next newsletter.
We are also excited to have a recent graduate helping the team and gaining experience in the world of sales. Nick joins our team of highly experienced consultants who will hope to get the best out of him, just as we do for our customers.
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