Selling has changed – dramatically
Its not by chance that in many industries the emphasis is now on the journey rather than the destination.
We have come a long way in the last 30 years and the journey is just as relevant to the Building Industry as it is to any other, which begins not just from the point of sale, but the very first customer interaction until the very last one.
If you went back to 1989 it was a different world, if you wanted to book a holiday or cruise you went to a local Travel Agent to ask for advice, these people gave you recommendations on destination, showed a few brochures and pretty much sold you what they wanted to. Of course, they were the experts why would you argue?
The journey is more important than the destination
The same goes with building a new home. 30 years ago maybe there was 3 or 4 companies with show homes in town, customers turned up and purchased what was recommended to them, again why not?
These were professionals in their respected fields and the products they sold were more about what they wanted to sell, the destination, than the customers personalised needs.
Today we have a completely different world, if you want to book a cruise you can go online to trip advisor, then direct to the cruise lines website and select a ship, destinations and even pick a cabin.
Doesn’t get more personalised than that.
What has happened? You cut out the experts as the internet has made you one.
But guess what? They have sold you a deal but it’s no longer about selling a cruise cabin, or even the destinations they take you, these companies want to sell you their products and services within their own walls, maximising the revenue during the journey by creating experiences that capture every last cent. And going one step further they sell the next trip while you are there as well.
It’s all about over servicing the client, this keeps the client coming back for more and keeps them away from the competition, creating repeat customers.
Applying this to building companies
The same thing goes for the building industry, today there are dozens of show homes, every company is online and the internet provides no end of information that was not available 30 years ago.
Suddenly everyone is an expert, well informed of products and well aware of options that never existed before. No longer is it “take this standard plan and sign here” today what wins is the personalised journey, or as it’s called “the customer experience” not salespeople who one night stand a client for a contract then disappear off into the night with their commission never to be seen again.
The destination is the finished house, but it’s not just about that, obviously the home is important but it’s about the first engagement until the last, and what the experience of the journey of the build was like that creates the best customer you can get, the one you already have.
So much money is spent on finding the next customer and not enough time is spent on the journey of the existing one, these are the people who create new customers, in 2019 social media and recommendations are the influencers that help create not just new but repeat personalised journeys.
Guest Contributor
Good on ya mate!