Investing in sales training is essential if you want to enjoy success as a business. In the United States, billions are spent annually on sales training. There is a widespread belief that anyone can sell, therefore there is little or no investment in sales training in some organizations. A paradigm shift and attitude change is needed towards sales training because it is what generates revenue. Whether you are a manufacturer of tangible goods or a provider of an intangible service, enough sales must be recorded for the business to continue operating. It means that it would be irresponsible to hire sales people and allow them to “get by” on the assumption that they know what they are doing. Let’s explore some reasons why it is important to invest in sales training with a special emphasis on the service industry. As we focus on the service industry, we need to broaden our definition of vendor to include whatever the company’s relationship with its customers. They interact with the customer and how they handle the customer has a huge impact on the customer’s purchase decision.
1. Skilled salespeople ensure sales success, goodwill, and customer satisfaction because they connect better with customers, know the company and its products, are trustworthy, and are credible. This credibility makes it easier for the customer, especially in the case of intangible products that cannot be touched, felt, smelled, etc. People buy from you before they buy the product.
2. The business environment is extremely competitive. It’s “dog eat dog” and sometimes there is little differentiation in terms of the products on offer, eg financial services, hospitality. Therefore, a high caliber sales force can be a source of differentiation and competitive advantage.
3. There are many skills in demand in today’s sales situation and there is a need to continuously equip your staff with, for example, communication skills, information technology skills, problem solving, emotional intelligence and administrative skills, to name a few. . You can’t assume your gear is equipped without investing in them.
4. Sellers can better adjust their thinking to the company culture, brand values and project an image aligned with what their brand stands for. I remember when I used to work for a certain courier company that was the market leader at the time. We felt that this sense of pride and confidence in the company’s products instilled in everyone, from the courier, to the salesperson, to the executive. It was the result of constant training.
5. Skilled salespeople can more easily build trust and credibility with customers. Tangible products are generally considered easier to sell because you can demonstrate features and benefits and can “show and tell.” The customer knows exactly what the product is like before buying it and it is easier to compare it. What makes a service harder to sell is the fact that it is intangible, so trust and credibility become very important. Most sales training programs deal specifically with this topic.
6. Most people would be better off if they knew better. I don’t think anyone sets out to get up in the morning to go to work to be unproductive. John Maxwell says, “Good leaders set up their followers for success, while bad leaders set them up for failure. Deliberate training is important because not everyone with a brilliant resume will perform on the job. sales targets to achieve, therefore, training gives tools to produce good results in perpetuity.
7. The service industry relies heavily on brand image and perceptions. It is important to ensure that all customer-facing staff project the right image. I worked at a courier company where the business manager who had strong experience in the hospitality industry insisted that whenever sales conferences or any other scheduled sales training workshop or seminar were held, the service agents the customer, the operations staff, and even the credit controller who managed customer service. accounts participated. The results speak for themselves
8. One of the biggest challenges I faced in my early years as a salesperson was overcoming objections. Customers today are better equipped with information about products, including the ones you’re selling. Train and equip your staff to be ahead of the game in skillfully overcoming objections and closing more sales.
9. For new recruits, the training makes them adapt to the new role, absorb the product knowledge and start working smoothly.
10. One of the main things service companies need to focus on is providing a pleasant customer experience, handling customer complaints, and handling difficult and demanding customers, taking corrective action when things go wrong. You are judged based on the perception you create about your product and at the point of consumption, where the customer is delighted or disappointed. It is necessary to invest a lot of time, energy and resources to ensure that you win every time in the satisfaction of your customers.
In conclusion, I believe that training should be continuous after the induction that occurs when one enters the company. I recommend that the training be done monthly if possible. Whether it’s a Friday afternoon workshop, conference or in-house training, make it happen. While technology has made it possible to benefit from a plethora of online courses, interactive videos, white papers, and e-books, it’s not a replacement for the good old training workshop. It’s an opportunity for team building, bonding between colleagues, and time away from the office that’s good for the team. Develop a training calendar budget. I recommend that you invest in sales training for your team.