The rise of the remote age and “WFH'' has permanently altered the landscape of professional work. While the height of the pandemic is long behind us, companies are continuing to adopt a host of technologies and tools to facilitate remote work. In many corporate roles, both individual and collaborative tasks can be completed virtually anywhere with an internet connection.
Competing with this massive shift is a push from the C-suite to bring workers back to the office full time, where they can observe organization-wide productivity and culture. The result has taken the form of the Great Compromise: the hybrid workplace.
But how does this new reality hold up in the world of sales? Characterized by personable customer service and prized long-term relationships, B2B sales teams have a lot to consider when it comes to establishing remote selling practices.
As with most elements of business, there’s a strategic balance to be struck; one that leverages the convenience of technology to enhance both the workplace and client experience, without losing sight of personal connection and meaningful relationships.
A typical B2B sales cycle is lengthy, potentially spanning several months and stages. From prospecting and qualifying leads to pitching the product/service, there are multiple touchpoints throughout the process that now take place on a variety of channels. For example, a sales rep may orchestrate a combination of remote and in-person interactions:
B2B sales teams are essentially responsible for being present in all the nooks and crannies their customers are in, sniffing out the best selling opportunities across channels. It can be challenging, necessitating flexibility in order to tailor their approach to customer preferences. In fact, 73% of customers expect better personalization as technology advances. This is perhaps one of the most insightful statistics of this new era of virtual selling. While remote sales may appear impersonal and less effort-intensive, customer expectations suggest the opposite is actually true.
In order to stand out, sales reps must approach each virtual interaction with the same, if not more, care and attention required of in-person engagements. Customers can tell when their time and business is being prioritized, even in a virtual environment. Any distractions during a sales call, such as looking off camera or texting, could prove to be a costly mistake. While communication technologies are valuable assets in the sales process, they will never fully emulate meeting face-to-face. Outwardly, sales can appear transactional, but the human element of comfort and trust found in everyday conversation makes all the difference. Sales is not about a product or quota – it’s about people.
Ultimately, as employees make their way back to the office, it is necessary for sales and account executives to intentionally schedule the in-person meetings. These can be routine check-ins established on a regular cadence, but also impromptu “Thought of you!” moments that leave lasting impressions. This ensures relationships stay warm and customers are not lured away by preying competitors. Strong account management practices can further supplement the work done by sales teams, providing a structure and game plan to better understand and serve each client.
Selling is a muscle that takes time and experience to strengthen. When it comes to enabling the new sales reps on the team, there is no foolproof formula for success. Experienced salespeople will cite one skill as the most valuable tool to trainees: observation. Unlike structured trainings or workshops, unintentional learning takes place in the wild. At the coffee machine, during a team lunch, on the way back from the bathroom – water cooler talk. These are moments to catch fellow team members in conversation and absorb new insights. Unfortunately, remote work removes many of these underrated opportunities to observe and inquire.
Hence the popularity of coworking spaces and temporary in-person offices, where new members of a team can interact with seasoned employees and tangibly observe what success looks like. Building the foundation for good habits and professional craft doesn’t happen overnight, but it almost certainly doesn't happen alone in one’s home office. Even as the team matures in experience, there is always something to be gained from being physically present in a space where everyone is working towards a common goal.
This axiom from famous management guru Peter Drucker remains just as relevant in the age of remote work. Today, sales and account executives tend to jump from one Zoom call to another, qualifying their conversations as “feel good” interactions. But the harsh reality is that good conversations can often lead… nowhere. It is essential for a remote/distributed salesforce to be measured with simple, no nonsense metrics that shine a light on activity, outcomes and relationships. These metrics are unique to every sales org, but can be simple and universal.
Closed-won deals and revenue generated per rep are critical in understanding just how well sales reps are performing. Tracking these metrics also provide much needed opportunities to celebrate individuals and deals. Equally as important is measuring outreach activities. How many leads have been added to the pipeline? How many follow-ups? While numbers don’t always tell the whole story, they are a necessary starting point in assessing the work of remote sales teams – especially new ones. Modern CRM and Account Management platforms offer these metrics out of the box, or with minimal customization. Reviewing these with the entire team on a regular basis (ideally weekly) in a safe, positive feedback environment elevates the overall performance of the sales organization.
There is no doubt that in order to remain competitive and dynamic, B2B companies must continue to ride the wave of digital transformation.
The key is not to get swept up in it. Buyers are people, not bots!
There are an overwhelming number of tools, platforms, and channels available to companies to build out their businesses. Sales teams perhaps have the most at their disposal, with tools designed to optimize each part of the sales process.
But the basics are the basics. Understanding an industry and its sales cycle, showing up meaningfully for customers, and contributing to movement in the pipeline are fundamental to achieving any kind of sales success.
So while remote work has its predictable pitfalls to avoid, it certainly doesn’t hurt to take advantage of the sales expansion capabilities that come with it. Cultivating a memorable virtual “third place” to meet customers should become an intentional priority for sales teams who conduct themselves online. A consistent level of care and personalization will ensure high customer satisfaction and greater future growth. It could be the difference between selling to someone once and securing a mutually beneficial long-term relationship.
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