Technology is rewriting the rules for many industries, especially within sales.

A 2015 Forrester Research study predicted that a million B2B salespeople in the U.S. will lose their jobs by the year 2020 as more and more customers opt for e-commerce websites and online sales. Forbes magazine doesn’t dispute this, finding that nearly 93 percent of B2B buyers prefer buying online.

Is Your Team Making Change?

In a technology-driven world, companies will need to become “omni-channel,” Forbes says. They need to provide the seamless purchasing channel their customers prefer — whether that be an in-person sales call or traditional showroom along with a web browser, text and social media channel.

The Harvard Business Review article, “B2B Salespeople Can Survive if They Reimagine Their Roles,” advises today’s field salesperson to be an educator, negotiator, consultant, solution configurator, service provider and relationship manager. They are integral to discovering the “something more” that customers want. A salesperson must add value by becoming part of the product or solution.

Customers Are Changing Too

“It isn’t just purchasing options that are evolving—so are our customers,” writes Rick Brenner, board chair of the Promotional Products Association International.

“Millennials - the youngest members of our industry who came into adulthood after the year 2000 - have different norms, values and buying habits than their baby boomer parents. Technology isn’t something they’re just learning to deal with - it’s part of their DNA. They expect to be able to buy online, do research about you and your products and share their experience with all of their friends.”

Have You Hit the Tipping Point?

It would be hard to deny that great changes are taking place within sales for nearly all industries. Brenner points out that many have hit the tipping point: “the critical point in a situation, process or system beyond which a significant and often unstoppable effect or change takes places.”

“Some of us are experiencing them sooner or to a greater degree than others. How close is the tipping point at which the industry as we know it is irreversibly altered?,” Brenner asks. “How are you preparing by updating your business practices, by investing in technology and by educating your team?”

Studio Eleven works with B2B and B2C companies and understands their needs and challenges. Call our product specialist at 1-877-634-3499 so we can help you find the right promotional product that makes a personable impact, helps ensure a seamless sale and gains you a satisfied customer.