As a salesperson, you should strategically involve different specialists to enhance the customer’s buying journey and increase the likelihood of a successful sale. Here’s when to involve each specialist and how it impacts the customer:
Subject Matter Expert (SME)
Involve an SME when:
- The customer has highly technical or specialized questions
- You need in-depth industry knowledge to address complex challenges
- Demonstrating thought leadership is crucial for the sale
Impact on customer:
- Increases credibility and trust in your company’s expertise
- Provides valuable insights that can help solve their specific problems
- Enhances the customer’s confidence in making an informed decision
Sales Engineer
Seek help from a sales engineer when:
- The customer requires detailed technical specifications or custom solutions
- You need assistance in designing or configuring complex products
- Technical demonstrations or proofs of concept are necessary
Impact on customer:
- Ensures the proposed solution accurately meets their technical requirements
- Demonstrates your company’s commitment to providing tailored solutions
- Builds confidence in the product’s capabilities and implementation
Customer Engagement Specialist
Involve a customer engagement specialist when:
- The customer needs assistance with onboarding or implementation
- You want to enhance the overall customer experience post-sale
- There are opportunities for upselling or cross-selling to existing customers
Impact on customer:
- Improves the customer’s experience throughout their journey with your company
- Ensures smooth transition from sales to implementation
- Builds long-term relationships and increases customer loyalty
Balancing Specialist Involvement
To position yourself as a helpful guide:
- Introduce specialists at the right time to add value, not to compensate for your lack of knowledge
- Maintain your role as the primary point of contact and coordinator
- Use specialist involvement to demonstrate your commitment to finding the best solution
By strategically involving these specialists, you can:
- Increase the customer’s comfort by addressing all their concerns comprehensively
- Facilitate informed decision-making by providing expert insights
- Enhance the customer’s willingness to purchase by demonstrating your company’s expertise and commitment to their success
Remember, the key is to balance specialist involvement with your own expertise to guide the customer effectively through their buying journey[1][5][7][8].
Citations:
[1] https://www.zippia.com/customer-engagement-specialist-jobs/what-does-a-customer-engagement-specialist-do/
[2] https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/22724/key-questions-to-ask-when-moving-from-a-technical-to-a-sales-engineer-role
[3] https://www.builtinchicago.org/job/customer-engagement-specialist/247304
[4] https://www.reddit.com/r/salesengineers/comments/1ev2au1/usually_when_the_company_should_expect_me_to/
[5] https://www.auto-star.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/10/Customer-Engagement-Specialist-Job-Description.pdf
[6] https://salesdrive.info/revealing-sales-interview-questions/
[7] https://www.customerly.io/glossary/customer-engagement-specialist/
[8] https://salesblog.totallysales.com/need-subject-matter-expert/
Answer from Perplexity: https://www.perplexity.ai/search/3bcdd234-4f88-43fe-8170-e5de031da6b1?login-source=loginButton&utm_source=copy_output
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