Your Customer is Talking. Are you listening?
Sifting through sales data to find what really matters
Sales organizations understand the importance of gathering data to make better business decisions and improve performance. But what data? The focus is too often on metrics like the number of times a buyer visits a site, the frequency of calls, and the length of time the salesperson speaks during a call. However, that information is incidental, indirect — merely metadata.
The power of the sales conversation
There is much more valuable information to be learned elsewhere, and it is hidden in the sales conversation. That is the final missing piece of the puzzle, containing everything there is to know about the buyer’s needs, wants, goals, and concerns. But to find the missing piece, we have to get around a few obstacles first.
Listening is a lost art
Speaking with another person is supposed to be a two-way street, a balanced exchange of ideas with active participants taking turns listening and talking. But reality is very different, as most of us listen to reply, not to understand. Nowhere is this more evident than the sales call, where reps are tasked with speeding through scripts, reach quota, rinse, and repeat.
The pitch isn’t everything
This common yet limiting belief that a better script = more sales has endured. And nowadays, technology builds upon that concept, offering tools that analyze time talked, length of pauses, words per minute and more such details. The goal? A better pitch, of course.
Considering your customer
The problem is that on the other side of the phone is a real, flesh-and-blood person, who is much more complex than any software can discern, and who may even perceive this as a game being played. Plus, the sales rep being guided every minute by an automated system that tells them when to speak and when to pause may even feel a little less, dare we say, human.
Genuine communication, sustainable selling
Yes, the business of sales involves meeting personal and company objectives, but it’s lopsided and unnatural to focus solely on one side of the conversation. Our vision of technology does not center on manipulating natural speaking patterns or pushing through all objections; rather, it is meant to assist from the sidelines and help both parties communicate better.
Authentic doesn’t mean antiquated
We believe in technology that simplifies daily tasks without being intrusive. One example is manual note-taking, an inefficient time waster that is also a hindrance to deeper listening. This is where ditching the old school notepad in favor of automation makes sense.
Listening to understand
TRAQ works in the background, allowing the rep to focus on the conversation and build rapport with the customer without worrying about taking accurate notes. Post-call, the data is sorted and analyzed for later reference and for insights to make each follow up more effective.
The deal is in the details
What information should be captured? All of it. In a competitive field, the difference between winning and losing a sale can come down to subtle details hidden in the statements or questions a prospect makes. So, it’s crucial for a rep to listen with full attention — and utilize technology to further enhance that awareness and understanding.
The power of AI over time
It doesn’t end there. Technology isn’t just used to improve day-to-day follow up efforts. TRAQ uses AI – which means “artificial intelligence”, of course, but also results in “Actionable Insights”. This is a gradual process; as time passes and the amount of data grows, the AI keeps learning from each input, becoming smarter and providing insights of increasing value.
Empowering sales managers and their teams
With Traq, managers no longer have to ask “hey, Mark, how did that call go?” and hear “great… (and not much in the way of details.) Because each sales conversation is already transcribed and analyzed, it becomes easy for manager and employee to follow up on, and learn from, any conversation. The added efficiency means that TRAQ frees up time for actual coaching, moving away from “taking better notes” to “learning from our prospects and customers.”
Strategic technology for the 21st century
TRAQ is a powerful conversational intelligence engine in constant evolution, providing companies with a deeper understanding of the markets they serve and the threats, tasks, and opportunities they face, even when they are not evident. This makes TRAQ an essential tool in an organization’s arsenal, a competitive differentiator, and a driver of their success.
Keep Learning
Revolutionizing Sales Performance: How TRAQ’s Coaching Makes PIPs Effective
The Tennis-Sales Connection: Winning Strategies from Roger Federer
