digital

In an integrated and digital world like today, commercial strategies have been migrating to models that are much more predictive and assertive regarding to the needs of customers. Modern technologies allow constant interaction between organizations and their customers, creating much stronger and powerful bonds of loyalty.

Previously, the organizations acted passively with respect to the needs of their clients, the differentiating factor with the competition was based on managing to deliver better quality products at a competitive price, and their commercial and operational strategies were dictated by sporadic relationships with their clients. In this marketing model the client “searches” for the product needed while the supplier “expects” the need to arise and then supply it.

With the current systems, the strategies to approach clients have evolved substantially; a recent article published in the Harvard Business Review proposes four strategies to approach clients in a connected world like the present one:

  • Respond to the desire: this strategy focuses on addressing the need of the client in a much faster way, the challenge in these strategies is basically to achieve operational efficiencies. Normally this strategy applies to those customers who like to have full control of the purchase process. A clear example is the person who requires a special product, enters the web site of his choice, looks for the product, pays for it and in a matter of hours the company sends the product to the client’s house. The strategy is to attract customers with high operational efficiency.
  • Advance offer: the key in this strategy is to get ahead of the customer’s selection process, that is, the client identifies the need, looks for the product, but it is the companies that offer alternatives ahead of the client’s decision in such a way that the client perceives an added value and the company can obtain operational efficiencies when orienting the client, for example, to buy the products that are in stock.
  • Trainer: the previous strategies had in common that it is the client that triggers the need. In this strategy, it is the companies that, through a process of assertive accompaniment to their customers, remind them, at the right time, that it is time to acquire a product. In this strategy, clients are much more passive and require the constant support of their suppliers to meet their needs.

Automatic execution: This is the most developed level, here the organizations understand what the client needs, they guide it and in some way they are able to identify the precise moment that their need must be covered. In this strategy, customers authorize the use of their own information so that companies can make more proactive decisions, ensuring key operational efficiencies.

At Etairos we are able to implement and develop CRM solutions that facilitate the implementation of the commercial strategy that best suits the profile of its clients. Our consultants and development team is ready to facilitate this process in an agile and effective way.