DESIGN THINKING AND SALES

I remember a time way back in the 90’s and early 2000’s when I was responsible for sales operation, the focus in the organisation was mostly on enhancing the distributor and retailer network and streamlining the operation. You were successful with little focus. Later as head of L&D vertical, witnessed the sales process was getting automated and somewhat complex. The focus was on ensuring the distribution chain worked at the peak.

?

Where is the focus these days?

The sales managers over a period of time have become very structured in their approach. The focus of sales managers was and is now mostly on

·???????Team development

·???????Achieving the sales target

·???????Planning and building accountability

The result has been that the sales team have become strongly oriented and diverted towards products, services and solutions they sell

?

But what about the customer’s business problems?

Somewhere down the line, it is all about my organisation, I, me and myself. We hardly spare a thought for the stakeholders in the distribution chain

?

Time to Re-Imagine the way we go about sales process

It is now a growing realization that Customer Matters. And there is a need to enhance the value proposition in the distribution chain.

?

Understand your customers

In design thinking, there is a need to integrate the desirability aspect of the stakeholders like the distributors, retailers and the vendors. Through empathy interviews and use of tool like persona mapping, empathy maps, point of view statement, one develops a significant understanding of the stakeholders. This phase is critical and one get a clarity in the way and the circumstance in which the stake holders are operating.

?

Find the real problem

Just ask yourself, what is the frequency in which the problems are reoccurring and the amount of effort you have put it. One will be surprised at the quantum of effort put in to resolve the problem. There are every chances the problem they were looking to dissolve was not the actual one. The real problem is somewhere else. The real problem emerges when you start understanding and working with the stakeholders.

?

Ideate for solution

Once you have the real problem, ideate and sort them scientifically. There are chances that the ideas one generates are becoming limited. However, one needs to be adept in changing the frame of ideation to generate more ideas. Ideas that flow in after much agony have potential solutions to the challenges. One may realize what needs to be done

?

Build prototypes

Build prototypes and stories around the ideas on how they can help customers. These stories give a clearer understanding on what the idea or the potential product may offer. You will be surprised about the clarity on the idea you are working on

?

Test is out

Test it out on a small scale. Something we normally not do. Take indepth feedback on the way the stakeholders are experiencing the idea and how it is impacting them as a user. If you need to go back to the ideation phase, do go back, or just improve if you feel like and go full throttle in the market place.

?

Conclusion

The truth is sales executives and managers may not have the patience. They may not like to take the risk to try something new. It is all about ensuring status quo. However, if you continue to do what you are doing, you will continue to get the result you have been getting. Today it is the experience that matters. If the stakeholders experience on the product is high, you can expect loyalty and the price you command