For a long time, many businesses relied on marketing as their sole means of driving sales. It was then up to the customers to decide which products best fit their needs. However, businesses soon discovered that they had a way of influencing potential customers’ perceptions of their brand and company.
Well-trained workforce
Having a well-trained workforce is almost a prerequisite for success. That is why some companies arrange training workshops for their employees every few years. A majority of the workshops provide courses in sales training that equip employees with relevant skills that impact the profit-making ability of a business. Employees are expected to master the skills of identifying potential clients, capturing them, and then earning their loyalty. The biggest percentage of any company’s profits arise from repeat purchases by loyal customers. This makes it necessary to ensure that any customer that purchases your company’s product develops a preference for it. The sales and marketing teams are expected to work together with the aim of identifying effective means of maintaining their current clients while winning over new ones.
Product development
As seasons change, the tastes and preferences of customers also change. This means that a company is also expected to upgrade its products to adapt them to the changing customer needs. Hence, a packaged product sold in the 20th century may differ in use and appearance from that sold in the 21st century. The changes may involve the actual product content or how it is packaged. Those companies that are reluctant to adapt their products to the new market requirements often risk losing their market share and dominance to their competitors. For instance, manufacturers abandoned the use of metallic packages in favour of plastic ones which seemed to be preferred by many customers. Currently, due to the environmental conservation campaign, many manufacturers have been forced to switch their packaging materials from plastic to other environmentally friendly ones.
Customer service
Customer service continues to be a significant pillar of any company’s success. It plays a vital role in shaping the customers’ perception toward a business. Currently, many businesses are investing considerable resources in the recruitment and training of exceptional receptionists and customer service teams. Company representatives are expected to exhibit exemplary etiquette when dealing with customers. The use of foul language must be avoided at all costs. This is especially true in the age of smartphones and social media, where such altercations may be recorded and uploaded to the Internet. This may result in a public relations nightmare for the involved company. On the other hand, any good gestures are also applauded in a similar effort. Customer service is, therefore, an effective channel through which business may earn their clients’ loyalty.
At the end of any financial year, the amount of revenue raked in by a given business will depend on the resources invested in driving their sales. As such, businesses must be willing to invest considerable resources toward the recruitment and continuous training of an effective sales team. They must also continuously adapt their products to the currently dynamic customer preferences.
