New technology is designed to help us become better and more efficient. However, sometimes technological advancements outpace our ability to keep up, potentially hindering rather than helping us. Christer B. Jansson, CEO of Confident Approach, discusses the issue in this article.
New technology is meant to aid us in becoming more efficient, but when it evolves faster than we can adapt, it can become more of a hindrance than a help, depending on how we manage technological development in our field. The Gartner Group conducted a study revealing a negative impact of this rapid development on the sales industry.
Did you know that 49% of salespeople feel overwhelmed by the amount of technology required for their jobs? Overwhelmed sellers are 43% less likely to meet their quotas (Gartner Group).
The question now is: How can we turn this challenge into an opportunity?
The Role of the Sales Organization
Technology has its advantages, but is it worth the cost? Or does the value depend on how we implement new technology within our companies? This is likely one of the reasons behind the struggle. Another reason is the fear of adopting new technology. Sometimes, new technology can become a barrier to sales and an excuse to avoid prospecting. It’s important to remember the primary focus of salespeople and sales departments. A sales organization must meet three critical objectives:
- Find new customers where the company’s goods or services can enhance the customer’s development and success.
- Strengthen relationships with existing customers and offer more to them.
- Build customer loyalty to ensure customers stay longer and seek to expand collaboration.
The Salesperson’s Role
When new technology can support these three objectives, it’s beneficial to use it. However, this doesn’t necessarily mean that salespeople themselves must master this technology. It might be more profitable for other departments, such as IT (either internal or external), to handle these aspects.
Time is Money
As an entrepreneur, if I had to learn all the new technology myself, I wouldn’t have time for customer visits, which would be devastating for our company. We’ve resolved this by outsourcing the services we need, allowing us to stay focused on sales. How does it work in your sales organization?
If your company’s revenue primarily comes from personal sales, it’s crucial that salespeople have enough time for customer and prospect visits. They need to build strong relationships, maintain contact with existing customers, and reach out to new ones. Additionally, they must evaluate which prospects align best with your company’s products and services to ensure long-term profitability and conversion into actual sales.
Two Common Sales Obstacles Posed by Technology
Several obstacles can impact sales, with new technology sometimes becoming a hindrance. Here are two examples:
- The Perfectionist – Some people over-prepare and get stuck with the technology, using it as an excuse to avoid customer and prospect visits, saying, “I need to learn the new system first.” Perfectionists may spend too much time writing detailed notes in CRM systems instead of prospecting for new customers.
- The Tech Enthusiast – Others constantly seek the latest technical systems, spending excessive time on what’s trendy rather than what’s useful. They might brag about their advanced systems, but this often eats into their sales time.
Summary
Eighty-five percent of all salespeople face sales barriers, making it harder to reach their goals. Among the 16 different sales obstacles identified, those with high barriers often use new technology as a way to procrastinate rather than focus on selling. In contrast, those with fewer barriers quickly adopt the technology that benefits their sales work and delegate the rest.
While new technology can be beneficial and simplify tasks for salespeople and sales organizations, it’s crucial to introduce it in a way that allows salespeople to take full advantage of it. This will help ensure that 43% don’t miss their targets due to technological overwhelm.
This article was written by Christer B. Jansson and originally published on Sales Effect portal.
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