In the past, sales nearly always hinged on the direct interaction between the customer and a representative of the company. Sales rep would call or visit you, and show you their line of products. They helped you understand their products and how to use them. The Sales rep explained why their products were of the best value, or the best solution to meet your particular needs. 

Now, however, as technology progresses, more and more transactions are being done independently. Customers research products themselves, order what they want online, and have products delivered to their door.  They have not spoken or interacted with a person directly.  As this happens, it would seem that customers are moving further away from companies’ influence. So the question is: “how do you continue to nurture sales without talking to your customers?” Here are a few ways: 

• Make Information Readily Available. If your customers are going to go looking for information about your product or company on their own, make sure that they can find what they are seeking. Take stock of the most common information that customers want to know, and place it on your website in a clear, organized, and easily searchable manner.  Your customers will be very satisfied, even proud, when their need to find info by themselves is successfully met. In addition to detailed product information, consider putting up an FAQ page that answers common questions, clearly and succinctly. When customers can’t access the information they need quickly and easily, they move on to another website where they can. 

• Coordinate Self-Service with Assisted Service. When customers have a more specialized question or issue, and do need to contact your company directly, ensure catering to that need too. Please ensure that assisted service is as easy and readily available as the information for self-service—and in the same places. Have contact links on every page of your site, so that if the customers can’t find what they’re looking for, asking about it is just as easy. Many websites even include chat platforms, which connect instantly a customer to a representative who can help them 

• Understand the Benefits. Why is it advantageous for you to move away from direct contact with customers? There are two main reasons. The first is that it’s less costly. Allowing customers to find their answers for themselves takes much less time and money on your part than fielding, searching for answer and responding to phone calls and e-mails. The second benefit is that Self-Service and Assisted Service respond to the want of the customer to choose their own method of obtaining information. Giving the choice and responsibility to the customers for finding and researching products allows them to at times can make them feel really proud of themselves and satisfied.  It also personalizes their experience in a way that fit their own preferences. These can include anything from shopping via mobile device to finding a brick and mortar store location where they can pick up their order. Provide your customers with options and flexibility in terms of how they engage with your brand.  In choosing the experience that best meets their needs, they will become your best customers.

We’re in the middle of a paradigm shift in terms of sales. If you don’t shift with it, you’ll be left behind. On the one hand, that means major changes for the way your company does business, which can be difficult to implement. On the other hand, though, technology is opening up possibilities that a few years ago were inconceivable. You may not be interacting with your customers directly anymore, but you have the opportunity to engage them in all new ways, that satisfy your customers and prospects. And create new enriched  experiences.

Learn how to build customer experiences that agents, customers and shareholders will all love: