TTEC
EMEA Blog

At its best, sales is about helping clients succeed. When we help our clients win, we win as well. But these aren’t normal times and sales approaches that worked a few months ago may not work today. How can salespeople survive or even come out stronger in this new reality? The answer comes down to three core principles: be authentic, buyer-focused, and human. Here are four examples of how sales leaders can do exactly that.

The COVID-19 pandemic has blown open the so-called “digital front door” of financial institutions—forcing companies to scramble to accommodate an influx of digital interactions and transactions. Reacting to change is one thing, though, and proactively meeting customer expectations is another.

It’s not a secret that customers typically call customer support as a last resort but in recent weeks, companies across many industries have reported high increases in call volumes, which fluctuate depending on developments related to the COVID-19 pandemic. Companies need a fast way to reduce call volumes and still provide the support that customers are looking for.

In times of crisis -- like right now -- people are naturally anxious. They are unsure of what will happen next. They have questions. They need answers. And in many cases, they are looking to connect with other people to share their experiences, emotions and find someone who will listen. It’s a way to gain reassurance that we’re all in this together.

To weather a crisis, it’s essential that you react and plan strategically. TTEC’s webinar, COVID-19 NOW: What you need to Know NOW, tackled the resiliency practices contact centres need to face histories largest at-home migration.

No one has been left untouched by COVID-19. The test we’ve been faced with is unimaginable. Regardless of how well prepared we have been with contingency plans built out of past catastrophes – tsunamis, volcanos, earthquakes, hurricanes, fire – nothing could have prepared us to the point where we would have considered all 40,000 workstations and 50,000 employees having to work at home.

Try as we might to plan for the unexpected, it is doubtful that any organisation planned for the epidemic we are all experiencing today. COVID-19 is taking over daily life for people and businesses around the world. Its full impact is not yet known, nor do we know how long it will take to overcome the health and safety challenges it poses to our communities.

Forward-thinking business leaders understand that exceptional CX is about continuously seeking better ways to use technology, data, and operations. Well, today, a question for many consumers is, “Why can’t I message this company in addition to calling or sending an email?”

Raise your hand if this describes your firm: Everyone wants to be innovative, but not everyone wants to change. Consider automation. Employees understand the benefits of automation and bots but research shows many employees also fear being replaced by technology.

Offering an outstanding end-to-end customer experience—including everything from marketing to packaging to product design to support to cross-sales—takes work, and investment. But the investment is worthwhile.

Is it costly to deliver an outstanding customer experience? Of course it is.

But perhaps the more important questions is, what is the cost of delivering a subpar customer experience?