Shifting sales models highlight the need for comprehensive technology solutions

Cashmanager | 8 years ago

If you’re a small-business owner looking to anticipate the next technological changes in the sales game, you could be interested to know that the latest release from Gartner has highlighted inflexibility of a sales model as the biggest barrier to business innovation. According to the release, the failure of businesses to stay on top of changes within their industry, and the lack of adaptation to include these changes in day-to-day processes, is one of the key factors that will change the market in the future. Buyers are now more in control than ever, and relying on older models of sale will see your business get left behind. The technologically enabled consumer of today is now more reliant on their own research, the internet and peer reviews on social media when making their product decisions, rather than the efforts of a dedicated sales team. Vice president of Gartner and distinguished analyst Tiffani Bova said in an August 5 statement that reinventing the sales model while still retaining a customer base and net profits will be the biggest barrier to innovation in the coming years. "The existing ways of selling, based on specific segments, high-touch, often face-to-face sales, with a select few channels and heavy investments in lead generation marketing, are beginning to be less effective as people's buying behaviour changes, and the expectations of IT shift," said Ms Bova. "The key to moving forward is to take a customer-centered approach and adopt sales models that support customers' new buying processes, rather than fight against them." Due to the changing buying behaviour of consumers in the 21st century, ensuring that you have the latest software to cope with less face-to-face, more decentralised sales is imperative. For example, ensuring you have an adequate CRM and business accounting software system will help you to remain on top of your businesses processes as you and your company head into the future.