In today’s digital age, everything, from products and services to the information we seek, is easily available online. Unlike decades ago, when you needed a person, known as a sales representative, to explain the specifications of your potential purchase, you can now read these insights online without involving another person.
But, when it comes to B2B market, the role of sales representative still matters.
A survey conducted by McKinsey revealed that despite having a large pool of information at their fingertips, 96% of B2B buyers prefer in-person support to make their purchase decisions.
“Personal attention and interaction”
A recent report from Showpad also shows that nearly 70% of B2B shoppers still want personal attention and interaction with sales reps. Nearly 38% of buyers believe that interacting with a sales representative is far more productive than conducting their own online research. They prefer face-to-face interaction, or communication via email or phone with sales reps. And this dependency on sales rep interactions is most popular among top executives.
The Showpad Report shows that although the buyer’s journey has become more complex, sales representatives are still important. The survey, which involved 656 B2B buyers in the United States, found that 72% of buyers prioritised the timeliness of vendors’ response as the most critical element for evaluating their offerings.
Other key findings of the survey include:
- 60% of C-level executives and 82% of VPs say not being able to understand and share the sales content slows down their purchase decisions.
- 32% of shoppers can’t find the required information when conducting online research.
- 37% of buyers said the information they find online is not useful for their purchase.
- Qualities of a good sales rep are – helpful and informative, knowledgeable, must have an ability to prove cost savings, excellent customer support and highly-professional.
Simply put, B2B buyers want personalised content when researching a purchase decision. But, the quality and the quantity of information available only often fail to meet their expectations. This is where the role of a sales rep becomes critical.
Sales representatives are still important
Sales reps are important, especially to C-suite and execs, who are always stretched for time. These professionals prefer direct interactions with sales representatives instead of doing their own time consuming research. On the other hand, Directors prefer a combination of online research and communication with sales reps. More than 50% of Executives, Directors, Managers and Vice Presidents call sales reps directly to get answers to their queries related to their potential purchase.
According to Theresa O’Neill, VP of Marketing at Showpad, the role of sales representatives is still critical. Though the digital revolution might have transformed the role of the sales representatives, their existence still matters, especially in the B2B marketplace.
We’d love to catch up to discuss how we can help align your marketing strategy with your sales strategy.
