Selling With Noble Purpose, 2nd Edition

CHAPTER 14Using Technology to Humanize Customers

If we continue to develop our technology without wisdom or prudence, our servant may prove to be our executioner.

—General Omar Nelson Bradley

What do you do when you wake up? Are you one of those mindful people who mediates and exercises before you engage with the outer world? Or are you like the rest of us, who wake up and check our phones?

No matter what ritual you practice, the moment you open your first screen of the day, be it your phone, tablet, or laptop, it directs many of your thoughts and actions. In recent years, we have become more mindful about directing our own days, rather than just responding to whatever our devices send our way. But the devices are still an important part of our daily sales cadence.

We've talked about your sales team's mindset and behaviors, and the types of customer intelligence that will make the team more competitive. We've talked about the techniques to keep them focused. Now let's talk about the technology that directs so much of your team's daily activity.

How Your CRM Affects Sales Calls

Compare and contrast the following two scenarios. Two competing salespeople are calling on the same customer. Salesperson A is making his call at 10:00 a.m., and Salesperson B is making her call at 11:00 a.m. They both do the exact same thing before they hop on their respective calls: glance at their device to review the customer's information. Here's where the differences start.

Salesperson A sees ...