As any experienced angler will tell you, there is a delicate science behind a successful expedition. Casting the line without researching the spot or the right type of bait reduces the process to luck rather than skill, while leaving the rod unattended is simply asking for disappointment. Successful sales in a digital landscape are subject to a similar science.
The digitalisation of the world has led to a strange phenomenon occurring in the sales sector. The increased connectivity has effectively demolished many of the international trade barriers we faced previously. This enables businesses to sell products or services on a larger scale, with greater ease and without borders, to customers with whom they can quickly build a relationship.
However, many businesses are simply not doing this. Whereas high street retail is blessed with face to face contact between sales advisor and customer, ecommerce suffers from a lack of valuable communication. This creates a number of problems that, while easy enough to overcome with the right approach, can lead to a dreaded dip in sales because the prospective fish just aren’t biting.
Frequently unanswered questions
One of the perks of high-street shopping is that, if you have a question about a product, there is always somebody available to offer advice. They may irritate some of us by asking how they can help us upon setting foot in the store, but if you wanted to know if a product met your specific requirements, they would be the first port of call.
If a customer has a question about a product or service while browsing a website though, there’s usually no immediate help at hand to steer them in the right direction. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) segments on websites may help, but if their particular question isn’t there then a warm lead can quickly turn cold. If their only option is to email, the response could take hours or even days — by which point the interest has gone or been fulfilled elsewhere.
Issues such as this can be avoided through the implementation of live chat software. More than just a way for people to communicate with their friends on social media, live chat can establish a quick and easy connection between a curious customer and a sales representative who can advise accordingly.
This might not necessarily be a sale — it could be that the product does not meet their specific demands. The important thing is the communication and the ability for the sales team to direct potential leads, which helps to build better customer relationships and a positive public perception in the process.
Gauging interest
There’s a fine line between helping and hassling, which is one that many customers feel sales advisors cross all too often. Electronically, this becomes even more frequent if a company doesn’t do its research beforehand.
Just like the fisherman who casts his line into unknown waters and is disappointed with a low catch-rate, businesses who approach customers without an informed approach will not get the outcome they want. Live chat is a tool for connecting with interested customers or those in need, but to identify them in the first place requires accurate analytics.
If somebody has visited your website regularly and often browses the same product range, access to and analysis of this data would identify them as a prospect likely to convert. In fact, many businesses report, on average, a 20 percent increase in conversion rates with such analytics. However, without this data there is a strong possibility that managers will fail to notice the trend and let an easy catch swim away.
Cold to the touch
Of course, one of the biggest reasons for a slump in sales is that it feels too mechanical. In the digital age, the human touch has become even more important and customers respond well to recognising that there is a person on the other side of a live chat box.
Humans are social creatures that crave interaction, so by employing techniques that can create a sales experience tailored to them and offer real-time support, businesses can improve customer satisfaction while also driving sales. A comprehensive business automation software suite, such as that developed by Parker Software, can equip managers with these techniques and allow for a sustainable sales strategy of mutual happiness. With proper implementation, it can make getting sales as stress-free as fishing.
By Howard Williams, Marketing Director of Parker Software
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