Technology has made a lot of things easier in our lives and it has certainly made things easier for salespeople. Invoices are easier to fill out, inventory is easier to track, and thank you notes are easier to write. Technology also forces salespeople to stay on top of their game, and that too is a good thing.

Think about the last time you made a major purchase; did you go online and research before going to a store? You can answer that for yourself, but a lot of people take advantage of the technology available to them these days, and salespeople must stay one step ahead.

In addition to the internet in general as a shopping tool, there are now countless websites to do the work for consumers. They have all the information anyone could want on any given product, and customers are more prepared than they’ve even been. So does that mean salespeople are going the way of the standard definition television? Of course not, but their role is certainly changing because of technology.

When a customer is shopping for an engagement ring today, the chances are decent that they’ve done some online shopping and have narrowed their choices down to two or three. The salesperson’s job today is to go more in depth on the rings that the customer is interested in, and help them make the right choice.

The customer knows the differences between the rings because of the research they did, but it is up to the salesperson to help him decide which of those rings is best for them. That’s why the non-business and business conversations are more important than ever; technology can help the customers with a lot of things but they can’t ask the right questions.

The salesperson can ask such things as: what type of jewelry does your fiancé wear now, is it gold or silver, and so on. By asking those types of questions, the salesperson can help the customer in getting the perfect ring.

Technology is great and it can help with a lot of things for both the customer and the salesperson, but it is not a substitute for personal interaction. Establishing and maintaining relationships will always be a key for any successful salesperson, and no form of technology will ever be able to do that.

FINAO - Brad Huisken