Last week I attended the Learning Technologies exhibition at Olympia and I was delighted to see a range of companies providing off the shelf and bespoke e-learning for use on computers, iPads and mobiles.
Many of the examples being exhibited were for development of those in sales roles. In this field, there appears to be a leaning towards multiple purpose e-learning, to educate both the sales representative, to boost sales skills when selling face to face or by telephone, and the customer.
An example of this was some very clever and creative e-learning which has been designed for Land Rover using two screens for each product, one for training product knowledge to Land Rover sales staff and one for use by customers.
There are obvious benefits to using technology in sales situations. However these benefits will only be realised if the technology is used to enhance the purchasing experience of the customer, otherwise it could be a barrier to successful sales outcomes.
Yesterday I spent a very boring hour in the company of a Hyundai car salesman, who was determined to move us away from the cars displayed so beautifully in the showroom and get us to sit at his desk. We then spent 30 minutes looking at the top of his head and the back of the computer screen, whilst he fumbled about looking for the right answers to our questions.
He was getting frustrated by the time it was taking, which certainly impacted on his enthusiasm for the product and I was bored out of my mind. There wasn’t an ounce of rapport building, eye contact was minimal whilst he was immersed in his computer screen. Not once did he show us what he was looking at.
I am not sure what is worst: being bored to death by a salesman using computer aided product knowledge or listening to a salesman who is making it up as he goes along. Whichever, is not important. What is important is that customers feel involved and part of the process.
Face to face sales, whether in a car showroom or elsewhere, can benefit from the use of technology but only if sales people are trained with the sales skills to use it properly to enhance rather than detract from their interactions with customers.
By Kasmin Cooney OBE | Righttrack’s Managing Director