Changes To Technology, Employee Engagement Affect Sales Strategies

January 13, 2014

Improving sales effectiveness is about more than just an employee’s ability to sell. In an increasingly complex and changing business world, growth is dependent on the business’s ability to embrace new trends. Technology is one revenue accelerator and a driving factor in many of the changes to the workforce, both directly and indirectly.

How technology is changing daily operations 
Regardless of what your company sells or who it sells to, it must embrace new technology related to hiring, lead generation, marketing and even health care.

• Online lead generation tools and big data are amassing large numbers of new prospects for the salesteam. However, effectively embracing these technologies requires continual education. SEO content drives Internet lead generation, but changes to search rankings in Google and consumer expectations are forcing companies to stay on top of new trends.
• Big data can be used to improve candidate selection, monitor sales trends and measure productivity. However, the amount of information a company can collect is only as useful as the business’s for clarity ability to interpret it. A strong organization will need employees who can take a lot of easy-to-find information and put it into practice as a business accelerator.
• Health care is changing in many ways, both in terms of the technology to assess health and as an industry as a whole. Companies must analyze how they can make their employees happier and healthier or keep their employees happy and healthy with preventative care programs.
• In addition, the Affordable Care Act is changing mandates on what employers must offer their workforce in terms of coverage. HR staff must stay on top of new rules so that the company does not incur fines or penalties.

Paying closer attention to the dynamics of the workforce
Improving workplace productivity requires building a diverse and strong employee pool. According to a forecast by productivity management firm, Sedgwick, understanding the physical, emotional and financial health of employees will be integral to improving productivity.

Recognizing diversity in the workforce is also of growing importance as employers will need to understand the benefits of developing strategies to meet unique needs. Similar demographic changes are also taking place among consumers, so organizations will need to determine how staffing decisions can complement them.

Shifts are occurring across the business world and staying abreast of new technology and trends will help keep companies competitive in a consumer-driven marketplace.