Sales executives in business-to-business (B2B) industries have endured tremendous disruption in recent years. Customers have ready access to extensive product information, giving them the advantage before they engage with a sales representative and allowing them to demand more customized products. Upstart competitors, meanwhile, use digital channels to sell direct at ever-lower prices that entice customers to try the product and shift their budget away from traditional competitors.
Few companies have fully prepared for the structural changes taking place. Many buyers will have researched a supplier, queried some of its customers and screened the supplier out of consideration before the supplier’s rep has an opportunity to contact the prospective buyer. In some industries, the sales process is rapidly migrating online, where a growing share of products is bought without customers and reps interacting.
via Mastering the new reality of sales – Bain Brief – Bain & Company.
