So – hottest for 2015 is to focus on the customer – 2015 is called “The Year of the Customer” by the experts.

No matter what business you’re in, you need to listen to your customers and adapt to their needs. The competition is hard and business changes fast, our new digital landscape make our customers more conscious and knowledgeable. So are you ready? Do you have the right mindset? Do you have the right processes and people? Do you have the right tools?

The buying process has fundamentally changed

We know that during the last years the B2B buying process has fundamentally changed. Prospects are spending more time on the web doing independent research, obtaining information from their peers and other third parties. That’s why companies are meeting prospective buyers earlier than ever. But up to 95 percent of the qualified prospects on your website are there to research and are not yet ready to talk with a sales rep. Do you have the right information available to them? Are you listening to their needs and are you there when they are ready to speak with you?

Customer experience

Customers are used to the new technology and to get what they want, and they want it fast. The habits they have in their private life, give them high expectations in their business life as well. If your competitors can supply the right product quicker than you can – that might be the reason to why you lose the deal. If your competitors can customize the product exactly, and I mean exactly, how the customer want it, and you can’t – that might be the reason to why you lose the deal.

To win the deal

To win the deal in 2015 it’s no longer a matter of being able to spend more man-hours or money. You need to create the right processes and use the right tools so you can scale your business and get rid of unnecessary administration and lead times, at the same time as you’re able to customize your product exactly how your customer want it.

How do you get ready?

• Listen to your customer instead of making guesses and predictions
• Shorten lead times and remove unnecessary administration
• Customize your product exactly how your customer would like to have it

If you want more, read Michael Fox’s article: Managing Customer Experience To Boost Sales Performance