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OPINION
SOFTLY, SOFTLY … When the going gets tough, the tough get selling – but, asks Paul Farley, despite the temptation to drive sales at any cost, is the UK furniture industry leaving the hard-sell techniques of yesterday behind?
NOBODY WANTS TO BE SOLD TO, THEY WANT TO BE LISTENED TO
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Sports car, designer suit, bombshell blonde – the American dream? Cinema once glorified the uncompromising moneymaker, but by the time Gordon Gekko appeared in 1987, the glamour had started to fade, and the market was clearly ready for a more nuanced approach to sales. In retail today, shady commission tickets and emotional chicanery have been all-but replaced by a public face that’s more friendly, honest and informative. While stores will generally discount particular lines to incentivise sales, a good salesperson will strive to sell the customer what’s right for their needs – even if that’s not immediately in the shop’s best interests. Precisely what shoppers want – be it prioritising convenience, value, quality, or something else – remains the million-dollar question. But good service underpins every business relationship. Today’s consumers expect to be listened to, informed and respected, not steamrollered into submission. This means salespeople should increasingly show, and not tell – but they, in turn, need the right incentives, structures and tools to do the job.
“The whole sales industry and process has changed to a softer sell,” says Rhenus Home Delivery’s Gav Boden. “Nobody wants to be sold to – they want to be listened to, understood and offered a solution to their requirements.” Achievable? According to Land of Beds’ Mike Murray, the soft-selling approach requires more complex targeting and reward systems, but it’s crucial to ensuring repeat business. “We incentivise all staff on sales and customer service metrics,” he says. “Salespeople are driven by money, but they also innately want to do a good job and offer customers great service. You really need get this part of your business strategy right if you want to win and create loyal customers.” Various sales training specialists assist the frontline effort, creating sales frameworks (business-specific KPIs) and helping optimise the effectiveness of any personal interactions. The balance of incentives varies depending on the business. Some reward individual achievement, while others incentivise collective efforts. Sussex Beds’ Steve Pickering, for example, comments: “Our teams are rewarded
27/10/2020 13:50