Increased productivity, improved job satisfaction, enhanced mental well-being and huge cost savings are just some of the benefits repeatedly linked to remote working.
But for all the positive talk around the remote and hybrid working models, of which there is plenty, is it really all rainbows and sunshine when it comes to doing business? One managing director thinks not.
Stephen Shortland of start-up New Vision Packaging recently highlighted the struggles of arranging face-to-face meetings with existing and potential customers, placing the blame firmly on remote working which he claims “makes business harder”.
Speaking on work since the pandemic, Stephen says:
“It’s really difficult to keep the relationship going like we used to. Remote working has made the job of sales and in particular new business development very hard indeed.”
And Stephen isn’t the only one to come forward and profess the challenges of remote sales. In the same feature for The Times, David Hathiramani, chief executive of Talisman, which sells software to recruitment companies, admitted closing deals remotely was much more difficult, stating:
“Zoom is no substitute for meeting the prospective client on their home turf, particularly when you’re from a smaller, less well-known company.”
In fact, when you look at the data, 63% of sales representatives say that remote working has made it harder to build relationships with prospects and clients (according to a study by sales software firm Gong).
Another study by InsideSales found that 55% of sales reps struggled with the lack of face-to-face interaction when holding meetings.
Not only this, but 40% of sales reps admit staying motivated is more difficult from home, and 59% say communication with prospects has become less effective.
So why is this?
Well, according to an in-depth study examining remote sales conducted by Gong in the latter half of last year, there are a number of contributing factors.
Absence of decision-makers
Gong’s study found that win rates are 80% lower for small business deals when key decision-makers aren’t present. In other words, having a decision-maker involved in your meeting is a must, but making that vital connection has become increasingly difficult for salespeople since the pandemic – with fewer people present in the office and often unreachable by company landline.
Those working as part of a hybrid model often attend the office only on days when there are internal meetings, meaning they have little time to meet with people externally compared to previously.
Shorter interactions
Even when a connection is made, video calls are typically much shorter than in-person meetings, and naturally can’t explore topics in the same level of depth. This means there’s less time for a salesperson to cover detail that could be essential to a buying decision.
That said, Gong’s study says this could work in the salesperson’s favour, as buyers are more likely to take risks and there’s less time to uncover potential objections. A decision can be reached more quickly without dwelling on all the various ins and outs involved.
Fragmented learnings
Getting to know your client or prospect is an incredibly valuable aspect of selling. You need to understand their problems and their priorities in order to target them correctly with your product or service.
However, not being able to meet in person means these key learnings are more fragmented since sales teams are unable to separate anecdotal evidence from substantial market shifts as easily as they could before working remotely.
Less visual cues
Nodding, raised eyebrows, and widening eyes – are all visual cues that can help navigate a sales pitch.
Is there an agreement? Does a prospect need more clarification? Do you need to elaborate on a particular point? Knowing the answer to these questions is all much easier when you are physically present with your audience.
But virtual meetings make these reactions much more difficult to gauge.
Technological glitches
“Can you hear me?”, “Can you see this?”, “Is there a lag?”.
Technical hiccups are an inevitable part of remote working, but during a sales pitch, they are especially problematic. A slow internet connection or a glitchy microphone can impact the quality of a presentation and leave buyers feeling frustrated.
Difficult demonstrations
While products or services like software or computer-based programs may be fitting for selling online, physical products are much more difficult to demonstrate virtually.
Physical interaction and activity can be incredibly persuasive in the buying process – so trying to convey features over a screen can prove to be remarkably challenging for certain brands.
Online distractions
Finally, 67% of workers admit to being distracted during online meetings – with 55% confessing to checking their emails during a video call and 51% using their phones.
Maintaining a busy prospect’s engagement over a video call may prove to be more of a challenge than when meeting with them face-to-face. A combination of muted microphones and internet access at their fingertips can make checking emails, browsing social media channels, and looking at phone notifications an unavoidable distraction, meaning crucial information could be overlooked.
Positive impact
While it is undeniable that face-to-face meetings can ease the sales process for many sales reps, and certain sectors will benefit more than others from physical interaction, there is also research to indicate that working remotely can positively impact sales.
A survey conducted by software company HubSpot found that 36% of respondents found selling remotely easier than in person, while a further 43% said it had no impact whatsoever on their ability to sell.
What do you think?
Given the shifting landscape of business over recent years, it goes without saying that we have all had to adapt in one way or another to new ways of working. For many, this has had both positive and negative impacts on business.
Have your sales operations changed as a result of remote working? And what has been your experience? Do you prefer face-to-face meetings? Is meeting remotely proving problematic?
Have your say in our poll below. And leave us a comment, as we’d love to hear your thoughts. We’ll reveal the results from the poll in our March Newsletter so keep an eye out.
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I find it overall positive as you can get more done, but I agree it’s certainly better to have some conversations in person.
Great to read your insight, Scarlett!
Kind regards,
The Rapid Formations Team