The corona crisis will most likely change the way people live together and socialize in the long term. Digitisation acts as a kind of propellant for this change. Despite everything, COVID-19 has made it clear that sales work can also be more effective.
Max Frisch provided a nice definition of the crisis situation: „A crisis is a productive state. You just have to take away the taste of disaster.“ There is something in this definition that many companies overlook: The approach to solving a problem. A crisis is a difficult situation, a turning point in a development, a decision-making situation that is also reflected in the sales organizations. But like all previous crises, the COVID-19 disaster will pass. Over time, a new growth boom will be triggered, based on the changed preferences of customers.
A look into the future?
For some companies, short-term survival is currently the only thing on the agenda. A look into the future? Unimaginable. Other companies, on the other hand, still have some reserves and are considering how to position themselves after the crisis. At least it may be certain for most companies by now that a return to normal pre-crisis normality does not seem to be an option in the future.
COVID-19 as a chance for a new way of thinking
In many places the approach of burying one’s head in the sand when making such a change is widespread. However, it is better to refrain from doing so, as the consequences of the crisis will be felt for a long time to come. Therefore, sales organisations should see the corona crisis as an opportunity and rethink their traditional approach, as COVID-19 has shown that sales can work more effectively.
Sales in times of crisis
Many traditional sales measures and instruments were no longer enforceable due to contact restrictions and posed great challenges for sales: Strong cost pressure, sales slumps, cancellations, lost trips to customers, unstable financial situation of customers, etc. are often among the problems that numerous companies have been confronted with in the past weeks and months. For this reason, many of our client companies are now looking at their sales organisation in more detail than before the Corona crisis. A particular focus is on the sales generated by telesales in recent months. However, it is not only past sales, but also the sales potential and sales expectations that determine the value of a customer.
Customer Value Prediction and Potential Forecast
The Customer Value Prediction (CVP) developed by Dastani Consulting is able to forecast the sales of each customer for a certain period of time. This sales forecast is derived from the past orders of each customer. Our Share-of-Wallet Prediction is also able to show the full potential of a customer. Not the location of a customer on the sales route planning is of interest, but rather the probability and amount of a successful customer deal. This means that sales employees should take a potential-oriented approach when approaching customers.
The Value Predictions make it clear which customers are worth visiting in person after the Corona crisis. According to our analyses, customers with low sales potential and low sales expectations will in future be assigned to telesales instead of personal visits. In contrast, sales capacity should be expanded to include customers with high sales potential and high sales expectations. These customers will have to be serviced even more intensively in future.
Target Group Predict: Acquisition and exploitation of potential
Our intelligent process Target Group Predict is able to evaluate the sales potential of inactive customers and to acquire more inactive addresses that actually have a high growth potential. The sales capacity saved (through telesales) can thus be used for acquisition and potential exploitation.
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