There’s a reason why at Company Shortcuts, we keep banging on about the importance of creating ‘Your Sales Process Map’, so you better understand the flow and the variables of your customer buying experience…
…because, amongst other things, it supports the building of your brand.
But how? I hear you shout, “what has sales process mapping got to do with brand building?”
A brand can be described as a promise of consistency
Think of the brands you choose to purchase, be that your car manufacturer of choice, the brand of technology you use (let’s not spark off the Android vs. Apple debate), the supermarket you shop at, even your local pub – one of the feelings you have when you interact with that brand is…
…a level of predictability of the service and experience you will receive.
As a purchaser you feel secure knowing what you can expect and that it will be the same as the last time you interacted with that brand.
(I sometimes joke that the burgers from McDonald’s may not be the best in the world – but at least you know that when you order one!)
It’s this feeling of consistency that you need to aim for as you continue to scale your own growing business.
When you are small or starting out, you don’t need worry so much about ‘codifying’ any part of the process. Culture and leadership tend to happen by osmosis and you’re pretty much involved in every customer relationship.
It’s when things start to grow that it can get complicated.
You can’t personally control the sales experience of people who contact you via the telephone, on email, through an online booking system, by filling out a form on your website, through a third party, at an exhibition – the variables are endless…
… and that’s just the first step in the process for new business. What about all the other parts of the Sales Engine as you begin to move prospects through the pipeline, never mind the management of existing client relationships?
THAT’S WHY IT NEEDS TO BE MAPPED AND THEN TEMPLATED!
So, I would suggest to move forward – pick the ‘main’ customer channel – whats the main method through which you handle customers – work out the experience you want the client to have (that can be profitably delivered) – work out that process and then how can you modify it for the different routes through the company.
Create a visual map. Copy the existing communication templates, checklists, protocols and technology/CRM processes into your Sales Bible, identify the gaps, then get them filled.
Then once it’s all done – challenge the entire process and ask your team…
HOW CAN THIS BE IMPROVED?
For example, in recent weeks I’ve contacted two businesses, within working hours, only to find the main telephone line unanswered or an answering machine on. Not a great customer experience or a true reflection of those businesses levels of service – but an example of where a less used communication method has been neglected.
What immediate action do you need to take this week, to help create that feeling of consistency with your own client’s and prospects?