The new roles of sales reps

I admit, whenever I hear someone mention the word ‘sales rep’ to me I just think of all the things that could possibly go wrong. I imagine the prospective customer dropping the phone on my ear and having the door banged in my face, ultimately leading to customers not buying the product and of course all of this resulting in me not reaching my target.

The question of their relevance also pops up in my head. Many might still ask whether it is still necessary for businesses to employ sales reps in this era of social media marketing, online advertising and e-commerce websites.

Well, I will be answering some of these questions that we might have regarding sales reps in our century.

Functions of a sales rep

A sales rep is expected to promote, sell or secure orders from the current and future customers through a relationship based approach. They should demonstrate the services and products to the customers, assisting them in choosing the best suited for their needs.

The function of what they do may not have changed, but the manner and approach in which they do it has had to change. This all due to how informed the 21st century customer has become. We know that by the time you meet up with a sales person nowadays, you would have probably educated yourself about the different options and other deals that are out there. The 21st century customers are informed customers, but even though we may be informed the sales rep is still relevant

The value of a sales rep

Sales reps are a direct line of contact between your business and its new or existing customers. Using a sales rep offers your business several benefits, including the following:

Product Demonstration – Many customers like to see, feel, and hold a product before they buy it. Although online shopping has become increasingly popular, the value of a sales demonstration shouldn't be ignored.

Customer Relationships – Sales reps do more than just sell products – they achieve many of their sales from repeat business, which involves maintaining good relationships with the customer base. Dynamic sales reps also network on a regular basis to attract new customers and useful contacts for the business.

The Human Touch – No matter how convenient online sales may be, there is no substitute for the human touch in many transactions. Many customers prefer dealing with another person rather than a website, especially the older generation of customers who aren’t always that comfortable with technology.

What the new sales rep can do to stand out

• Maximise every communication with the customer: Whether through phone, email, face to face or even tweet them for that matter.

• Make sure all communications are clear and concise: Customers are always in a hurry, and hardly have time for anything so the more concise and clear the information is the better.

• Be open and transparent with them: Respect that the customer can find out anything they want to know about you, so do not waste their time by being vague. You might lose them, and in the process gain a negative reputation through word of mouth.

So, now that we have covered what the functions are and what would make them stand out from the rest of the sales reps, let us look at what needs the customer expects from the new sales rep.

Needs to be fulfilled for the customer by the new sales rep

Personal accountability for customers’ needs

The customer expects the sales person to be personally committed to the successful outcome of the deal, they don’t want the sales person to just close the deal and run, they have to be available for the ‘after sales’ services as well. This indicates that they take them seriously and regard them as important.

Solve problems

Customers no longer want to buy products or services which don’t solve their problems. They require a sales person to recognise, prescribe and resolve their problems through the products and services they sell.

Be creative in responding to customer’s needs

Customers expect sales people to be innovative when bringing them fresh ideas to solving their problems. Creativity is a major source of value in today’s salesperson.

Be easily accessible

The customer expects the sales person to be available 24/7. Sales people are expected to be constantly connected and within reach, whenever and wherever they need help.

After all has been said, remember: “Everyone lives by selling something.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson