For decades, customers wanted to talk to someone in-person, but that’s no longer the case. Where customers used to want the trust that comes with talking to someone face-to-face, now they want solutions to their problems as quickly as possible. On the flip side, field workers are eager to adopt new technology. With those two changes, an opportunity has emerged for field sales to go virtual.
ICwhatUC customers already report selling 8% more when they use video pitches instead of going in-person. Hitting those higher numbers, though, requires these four keys to virtual field sales success.
1 - Engage like you would in person
When talking to someone virtually, one of the easiest things you can do is act like you would in person. If you make jokes, make jokes! If you’re casual, stay casual. The fact that you’re engaging virtually should not mean you need a different personality or approach. Customers are ok with virtual engagement because it’s faster, but that doesn’t mean they expect you to be formal or act any differently than you normally would.
2 - Make sure you qualify prospects
The fast nature of virtual connection can make it seem like you have to accept everyone that comes through your (virtual) door. Don’t do that. Make sure you qualify work with your own eyes and by asking the same questions you normally would. That might require a few extra asks - namely asking the prospect to hold their phone camera up to the thing you’re inspecting - but it will be worth it in the end. If you ultimately do need to make a home visit, the virtual chat will ensure you are well prepared.
3 - Provide estimates as quickly as possible
When customers get the speed of a virtual conversation, they want that same speed for getting estimates. You should (hopefully) be able to provide a price or cost range on your initial call, the same way you might do with a home visit. If you can’t provide a range because you need more information, say that as plainly as possible and ask for the information you need. Should an estimate require a home visit to finalize, hopefully you can schedule things quickly because you won’t have to do a home visit for every other virtual call you take.
4 - Deliver quotes virtually, too
Deliver all quotes virtually, even if you end up needing to make a house visit to finalize the estimate. Not only will this be much faster than driving back to someone’s house or mailing it over, it also ‘trains’ your customers to expect virtual service from you. Over time, this creates an opportunity to digitize even more of your work process, resulting in faster service for customers and a significantly higher profit margin for your work.
With these four keys, your field sales is ready to explode - at a significantly higher margin because you’re using technology instead of spending money on gas and vehicle maintenance. With secure virtual tools at the ready, your field team can focus on sharing their expertise and getting to know customers, not spending half their days driving.
