Data sets can help sales managers develop an understanding of the best sales methods, particular product specifications to highlight, and even what days of the week and times of day are most effective for their particular sales team members.
When it comes to retail sales, there is no doubt that sales calls—both inbound and outbound—are a major part of a team’s success. And while in-person sales are also a key factor in a sales manager’s effectiveness, calls, both in the initial and interim stages of the sales process, are a huge touchpoint between the retail brand and the customer. In fact, 92% of customer interactions happen over the phone, according to The Brevet Group.
These phone conversations, as opposed to other forms of communication like email blasts and social media marketing, are the best way to offer personalized service to clients–but only 26% of sales respondents in one study report doing a good job at tailoring their message according to Forbes. This remains a big opportunity to hone pitches and increase sales revenues and successes when properly managed. Training techniques, such as how to be nimble within a conversation to respond in a personalized way, can greatly increase this poignancy.
Even further, person-to-person phone calls offer a chance for immediate, real-time feedback from the client to the brand, as well as relationship building that’s rooted in trust. To allow these to occur, a salesperson should dedicate individualized time to each call; according to a McKinsey analysis, “High-performing sales reps spend 22 percent more time with customers—and customers often prefer that time to be spent remotely.” In other words? Take the time for a phone call, and good results will ensue.
But it’s not just any call that makes such a difference. Research shows that calls powered by an understanding of data analytics are exponentially more effective than those that are based on salesperson personality and product knowledge alone. Data has the power to help tailor experiences and drive loyalty that leads directly to increased revenue.
In fact, one example cited in UCToday.com reported a 30.4% increase in customer retention when utilizing data [[**Mentions competitive product]]. Data sets can help sales managers develop an understanding of the best sales methods, particular product specifications to highlight, and even what days of the week and times of day are most effective for their particular sales team members.
By empowering their salespeople with such information, managers are giving them the tools to create concrete increases in sales revenues. According to McKinsey: “Companies that refine their sales strategies based on sales-behavior insights have seen an average improvement in sales productivity of 20 percent. Additionally, they benefit from an ability to bring new reps up to speed faster. Although communication with customers will always involve a large measure of intuition and emotional ingenuity, bringing science to this art is an essential part of creating a modern sales organization.”
