The time of the sales representatives is not the time of the buyers.

Sales reps have the power to help buyers achieve their goals, and buyers need the advice of sales reps throughout the buying process. A buyer doesn’t sit at his desk one day and spontaneously realise that his business needs a solution that is immediately available. According to a Gartner study, 77% of companies rate their purchasing experience as extremely complex.

Buyers often have a long way to go to find the solution to their problems. With the support of an expert, they are more likely to find the solution that will help them meet or exceed their goals. However, salespeople must be prepared to play this role.

However, this long purchasing process rarely fits into the schedule of sales representatives who often work in a hurry: they have to respect quotas, which often leads them to give up their expert position by not taking the necessary time to listen.

The purchasing process is regular and cautious from one stage to the next: sales representatives still need to have the time and tools necessary to support the buyer at each stage.

You can find this post on LinkedIn