Forrester Research, Inc., reported findings from a new, summarized in a report titled How B2B Sellers Win in the Age of the Customer. Sellers using what the study calls an evolved selling model had better results, which the report attributed to four key factors. They are:
- the ability to assemble and present content from various online sources on the fly
- the seller’s ability to capture input from the buyer to guide the discussion
- the seller’s ability to pull specific data in real time from an internal database such as a customer relationship management system typically accessed via the web
- the ability to capture and analyze how specific content or interactions affect sales results within a company’s existing CRM platform
Source: B2B e-Commerce World, October 19, 2016.
‘Unfortunately, most of today’s sales forces are ill-equipped to sell in a dynamic, insights-driven and non-linear fashion,’ Mary Shea, principal analyst at Forrester Research, said at the conference. ‘B2B sellers need to be armed with a new type of selling solution that enables them to be nimble and engaging in their customer interactions.’
INSIGHTS: Animal health distributors and manufacturers have considerable real-time data available to help customers make decisions. Purchase histories are now at hand through on-line tools to supplement (often poor) reporting tools at the practice level. Using simple A, B, C analyses and applying forecasting and trend methods is relatively easy for sales personnel to learn and use.
The easiest results will include removing SKU duplications, proper stocking/reorder quantities and reduction in total replenishment orders when a forecasted quantity is ordered instead of the common zero-on-hand method. The most successful reps already use data-backed insights to discuss replenishment needs with their customers.