Clearly I feel strongly about this. So many dealerships continue to use software like QuoteWerks or ConnectWise Sell. Sales reps are comfortable using them, but they do not match the way customers buy in 2022. If you want to increase sales, you need to ride the tsunami of e-commerce instead of trying to swim against it.
Let me outline how traditional digital quote software works.
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Step 1. |
The customer tells the Sales Rep they are interested in product X. |
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Step 2. |
The Sales Rep contacts the customer to confirm their requirements. |
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Step 3. |
The Sales Rep works with the Sales Operations team to identify product availability, cost and sell price. |
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Step 4. |
The Sales Rep builds a quote, and emails it to the customer for approval. |
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Step 5. |
The customer reviews the quote, either approves the order (go to next step) or requests a few changes (go back three steps and repeat). |
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Step 6. |
Order approved. Send the order to the Sales Operations team for order execution. |
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Step 7. |
Inform the customer of the order status. |
Now, ask yourself:
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Is this how you order today via Amazon or, any other reputable online merchant?
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How long do you think the customer should reasonably expect an order for a laptop, printer or other technology to take?
- Of your current customer base, how many are actually using this process to acquire technology other than print hardware from you? (Note: any customer with over 20 employees is buying new technology on a monthly basis).
Your customers have a strong expectation today that acquiring products should be based on an e-commerce workflow. Specifically:
- They get a link to products they need online.
- They add them to a shopping cart.
- They execute the order.
This workflow is expected. This workflow is what they use for acquiring products EVERY DAY—both in business and in their personal lives. Expecting customers to adopt a different workflow in order to do business with you is not practical. It’s not workable when the products you’re offering are available elsewhere, within a workflow they prefer.
It doesn’t matter if your staff is comfortable with your existing process. Customers are what matters. If you have thousands of customers but you’re only selling a few laptops and monitors, your customers have shown their preference by not buying from you. Winning them back will be difficult. Winning them back without an e-commerce system is just not going to happen.
MPSToolbox and Quoting
MPSToolbox has a built-in quoting system. It allows sales reps to instantly see over 600,000 products, inventory and distribution costs. Quotes link back to your website where customers can instantly turn them into orders. Customers can then add more products, or modify quantities. Quotes can further be set to expire, and/or be reused for the same or different customers. This is helpful as many customers buy similar products, as there are standards within larger organizations.
The salient point here is that your website must become a place where your sales team and your customers interact. Quotes drive traffic. Customers become aware that you sell many more products beyond the singular line of business you currently offer them.
Customers soon become capable of buying products without needing to interact with a sales person every time they need a simple product.
If you’re ready to embrace digital quoting, reach out today. Our knowledgeable Account Management team will get you set up right away.
