The closet is full, BUT I have nothing to wear!

SALES have changed dramatically. Where companies used to dictate what the customer should buy, today's customer can decide for themselves where, when, and at what price to make a purchase. What are the consequences for companies? By Daniel Enz, President of the GSA German Speakers Association Switzerland Customer is King? Just 40 years ago, in the post-war period, we observed a strong demand from consumers in many markets. Cars, televisions, kitchen appliances, luxury clothing: many things became fashionable and found rapid buyers. This period is also known as the boom years of sales, seller years, or seller's market. The demand exceeded the supply, and customers flocked in. Companies determined the price, color, features, and the customer had the choice to take it or leave it. So they took it, eagerly! Even if the salesperson smelled bad, treated customers poorly, or smoked cigars during conversations, the cash register still rang. Was the customer really king? Probably the companies. But the tables have turned. Don’t hate the player – hate the game! With the relocation of many production facilities abroad in the early 1980s and the fact that Company A acquired Companies B, C, and D, and thanks to new technologies, companies suddenly could produce more goods in the same or even less time. This led to lower prices and increased offerings. The consumer party started and continues to this day. Hence, we now speak of a buyer's market. The supply is greater than the demand. This market saturation led to total sensory overload and elevated the customer to the next level, namely to the emperor. Today, he alone decides where, when, and even at what price to buy. The internet has made this flower meadow even more colorful and massively amplified the effect. Despite full closets, you can still hear from some bedrooms: "Honey, I have nothing to wear." Meanwhile, alarm bells are ringing in the executive suites of companies. Market shares and revenues are declining, competitors are copying cheaper and faster, and customers are buying online with a click. Somewhere. Just not from us, as recently reported even in the Swiss tabloid BLICK. Headline: "How retailers protect themselves from consultation thieves!" The fact that companies have sown the seeds for this misery themselves and watered them heavily is, of course, ignored. Don’t hate the player – hate the game! The 6 Pillars for Successful Sales Now, when you're up to your neck in water, you shouldn't hang your head. A complete overhaul and training of the sales staff are needed! The companies' desire to go "back to the roots," focusing on the old school of sales and putting people at the center, has become a highly complex process. The keyword is building trust. Find online, bind offline – that's the motto. To aim for a long-term, sustainable solution, a clear assessment of various departments is necessary because the often requested two-day sales training on closing techniques does not bring the desired long-term success. But what is actually needed? The following 6 pillars are necessary for today's sales to work effectively. Companies need: 1. A product/service with a clear benefit and added value for customers 2. Clarity about their own values, target audience(s), and positioning 3. Internal guidelines, processes, and IT tools 4. Consistent communication across all channels, online and offline 5. Sales personalities with the right mindset 6. Salespeople with sales skills. Decisive (or enthusiastic) executives are needed for points 1-4. The better the groundwork is done, the easier it is for salespeople in the market. But they also need to change their mindset. They must understand that today's challenges are significantly greater, but the internet also offers new opportunities. They must stop complaining about things (points 1-4) that they can only influence to a limited extent. Instead, good salespeople recognize that they can consciously change their sales personality and sales techniques overnight. Exemplary companies support these two pillars by sensitizing and training their salespeople on the topic, whether internally or externally.