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Sales Automation Solutions Improve Digital Selling Processes

Telemarketing Software Featured Article

Sales Automation Solutions Improve Digital Selling Processes
 
October 31, 2016

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  By Tracey E. Schelmetic, TMCnet Contributor
 


Once upon a time, when it came to high price tag (News - Alert) sales, face-to-face sales meetings were mandatory. As company travel budgets have been trimmed and digital collaboration technologies have improved, however, the idea of sales transactions “without a handshake” has become more acceptable.


With more sales being done through virtual channels, however, sellers are under more pressure to make the most of their other tools. Today, the cost of leads is on the rise and sales teams need to be flawless with their follow-up contacts. To automate the follow-up process and ensure nothing gets dropped or forgotten, more sales organizations are turning to queue-based automation systems that help them make faster initial contact with leads than traditional list-based systems. Instead of running off of a simple list and taking two days to reach out, a sales pro using a queue-based system is prompted to contact the lead within 30 minutes, according to a recent blog post by VanillaSoft’s Genie Parker.

“An increase in call volume between the two systems is drastic,” she wrote. “A queue-based system allows for an average of three times more calls per hour.”

During an interview with Andy Paul’s podcast Accelerate, VanillaSoft CEO David Hood noted that, even without a face-to-face meeting, inside sales professionals are better positioned to complete the entire sales process via phone, SMS, Web demos and other virtual forms of communication. The technology they use to do so, however, is crucial, and queue-based systems are more effective in driving sales reps to be persistent, making cadence automation key.

“Inside sales has taken over a good chunk of what can be handled remotely,” said Hood, noting that it’s quality conversions that lead to success in sales.

To succeed with inside sales or telemarketing, however, sales representatives need to be adaptable in the sales process. Old-fashioned methods of “being adaptable” don’t necessarily work in digital commuications, and inside sales reps are often less experienced than road-based reps. Automation systems are what can make a big difference in how follow-ups of leads are handled. Time-consuming but rote tasks – think dialing telephone numbers, setting appointments, sending sales enablement materials – can be more automated, freeing sales reps up to do a better job of actually selling.

These automation solutions can also help managers better understand how reps are spending their time, and which tasks they’re focusing on. In this way, it’s easier to calculate performance metrics and isolate the activities that lead to sales and improve upon them. Successful sellers are very conscious of the time involved with each task from their end and the buyers’ side, and a good automation solution can save time and tasks for everyone involved in the sales process.

Customers have become comfortable with companies through their digital presence today, but people still want to know there are real people behind the brand, and automation can help sales reps focus on building those real human relationships while taking care of the tasks that have traditionally wasted time and effort. 




Edited by Alicia Young

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