The Executive Sales Coach: Keith Rosen’s Sales Blog and Business Blog On Selling, Leadership, Managing Your Team, Business and Life » customer service

Sales 2.0; the conversion of technology and sales and the symbiotic relationship between the two; how they can be integrated together and co-exist in harmony. Yet, with all the technology that is going to change how salespeople sell and manage themselves, we need to be keenly sensitive about removing the human side of interaction and communication from our daily lives and processes; the deeper level of connection we foster between each other, especially with our customers.

Sure, technology will automate and streamline many of the functions and tasks salespeople and management are currently responsible for. More specifically, how they manage their sales pipeline and the stages of their selling cycle, how they qualify and mine for new prospects, how they network with other business professionals, how they maintain their contact database as well as how they communicate with their prospects and customers. And the trend for companies to transition from what was once a face to face sale to a virtual, off site sale will continue to dominate more sales cultures.

Yet, with any change, certain imminent challenges are sure to follow in its wake. Sales 2.0 and Web 2.0 have certainly had an impact on how we communicate. I have already seen the negative impact that some of these great advancements are having on sales teams across the globe as it relates to how salespeople are interacting with their prospects, customers, even their managers. Sure, these technological breakthroughs allow us to communicate and connect on many different platforms, yet it’s diluting our ability to connect powerfully on a deeper level, the level that long term relationships are fostered. Many managers have reported spending far too much time reviewing a thread of email conversations between their salespeople and prospects when attempting to uncover where a communication breakdown occurred or when trying to identify how a great selling opportunity was lost. Misinterpreted and poorly worded emails between management and their staff are the cause of more costly problems and upsets which deteriorate relations than any additional time-savings they supposedly create. As such rather than connect – we’re getting more disconnected with every communication breakdown that ensues.

Moreover, there’s the ever-widening communication gap that some of these new technologies promote between the younger generations and that of their boss, especially as more and more sales teams are built on a virtual platform where there’s little, if any face to face weekly interaction with their manager. Rather than develop their core leadership and coaching competencies and skills, managers are relying far too heavily on these solutions to solve many of the managerial challenges they are up against when building and managing their sales team.

Salespeople are expecting their webinars, proposals, websites, online marketing campaigns and collateral materials to do the selling and prospecting for them. And what’s worse, there are those salespeople who attempt to close a prospect or overcome objections via email rather than simply picking up the phone to facilitate a direct, one to one conversation that would appease the person’s concerns. Here’s just one example of a perfectly good opportunity and a valid reason to reach out to a prospect over the phone that salespeople need to take full advantage of, yet fail to do so.

The introduction of these new technologies into our sales culture will continue to proliferate, for change is truly the only constant. After all, there will always be a need to make the selling process easier and more efficient for the salesperson, for your company and for your customers.

While more applications such as the ones I’ve mentioned are infused throughout each stage of the sale, the technology of maximizing human potential is far from tapped. And as more technology emerges to simplify the selling process, there will be an even greater demand for the elite salesperson who can manage and leverage technology as well as effectively communicate their message to their targeted audience.

The technology of interpersonal, result oriented communication; the language and true art of selling will still reign supreme in the selling profession. Sure, these new tools we have at our disposal will improve efficiency, cut down on travel as well as timely administrative tasks, and reduce prospecting time and the time it takes to convert prospects into customers, now that there is less of a need to meet face to face with prospects in order to sell your product or service to them. However, it will be the sales leader who is the rainmaker, the fearless and persistent prospector, the conduit to building and maintaining strong relationships and the master of communication, who will continue to dominate this era of technological change.

Here’s an article long over due, pointing the finger to the companies who can hold their heads high as the worst at customer service.

Here’s the article.

To me, it all comes down to corporate accountability, and in most cases, there is none. And all roads go back to management! So if management isn’t being accountable, how can we expect their customer support to be?

How Companies Can Secure Their Spot on the Customer Service Hall of Shame

1. Skirt Accountability: Continue to give concepts like, ‘coaching,’ ‘integrity,’ and especially ‘personal accountability’ lip service rather than actually weaving it into the culture and mindset of each employee. It all comes down to corporate accountability, and in most cases, there is none. The fact is, there are long distance customers of companies such as AT&T that are still paying astronomical fees whether it’s local calls or long distance. And do you think these companies would reach out to their customers and let them know they’re overpaying and can be enrolled in some more cost effective monthly phone services? Of course not. Instead, they keep pocketing the millions and millions of dollars from overcharging and gouging, responding with the highly effective customer service strategy, “Woops! sorry about that” to those customers, and in many cases the elderly population, who actually catch these charges.

2. Become Hyper-Hypocritical: Due to the lack of monitoring and flagrant irresponsible leniency that has resulted in a major setback in our economy as well as for banks and lending institutions, the mortgage business is in the toilet. But wait, do you hear, “It’s 100% our fault. What were we thinking giving loans out to these people who could never afford them in the first place? Our greed got the best of us.” Instead, what my entire zip code got was a frieze on all of our lines of credit until each person in our community got a new appraisal. My expense of time and money, due to their error. A reimbursement check? Yeah, right…

3. The Customer Is Never Right: I noticed an additional charge on my Verizon bill that seems to have been accumulating for over 12 months. When I called and discussed this with them, they reluctantly gave me a credit for 3 months. After all, why would I be paying for caller ID Separately when it’s included in my overall package….. “Why only a three month credit?” I asked. “Well, that’s only as far as we can go in your records.” What a convenient excuses to avoid accountability as well as creating a better experience for your customer.

4. Blame, Blame, Blame: “It’s the weather, the economy, the timing, your computer, your users, your people – but sure, we’ll help you fix it.” And all roads go back to management! So if management isn’t being accountable, how can we expect their customer support to be?

5. Embrace the Oxymoron’s, “Customer Service” and “Technical Support.” I’ve been having problems with my shopping cart so I employed the services of a very ‘specialized’ company to remedy the problem, that in the end I knew was an easy fix that required some basic code. Two weeks later, and many a dropped ball on their end, I reached out to the programmer who told me he was waiting for a response to the question he posted on the help message board. Are you kidding me? Hey, if all you’re going to do is read a manual from your computer, or go to a message board to find the answer, then why do I need to hold on for over an hour for support or pay you when I can do this myself?”