The Impact of Technology

Chapter 19

In a traditional sense the WWW provides the sales personnel an alternate mechanism for conducting the typical sales functions of prospecting, cultivating, identifying needs, presenting solutions, and closing the sale. The WWW facilitates a rapid diffusion of information that can expedite the decision process and lead to efficiencies in the process.

Prospecting has been facilitated by the expansion of the Web as marketers have recognized the benefit of letting prospects (visitors to their site) volunteer information. A good example of such a web site is (http://www.amazon.com/) that provides visitors the option of being placed on their mailing list for book reviews that are organized by interest area. This mechanism provides utility for the visitor and from the marketers perspective it provides a qualified lead. Other methods for prospecting include the use of forums/news groups and databases that are commercially available on the Web.

The cultivation process can be enhanced on the WWW by providing prospects with detailed, specific, and current information. This can easily be accomplished via "E" mail. Inclusion of press releases, positive reviews, endorsements are mechanisms for cultivating a relationship. The use of the WWW for need identification and presentation of solutions is typically a function of product type and the technical competence of the organization. Technologically savvy organizations (such as computer manufacturers) have begun to post diagnostic software on the WWW and can often detect problems on the WWW and present solutions remotely. Minimally, the WWW can provide organizations with an alternate mode of information sharing and communication.

All products do not lend themselves to a logical/formal close on the Web. On the other hand marketers of products such as books and music have successfully integrated closing mechanisms on the Web (examples of such companies include: http://www.amazon.com/) and (http://www.cdnow.com/). Most of today's Web sites provide the option of placing orders via alternate modes such as the telephone to alleviate any security concerns.

Another significant impact of the WWW has been in the area of customer service. The WWW presents an array of tools that can be utilized to further the quality of customer service. Once again the computer industry has been on the forefront of harnessing this technology. Hardware and software manufacturers have maintained bulletin board systems to provide information for users of their products. These manufacturers have found this to be an excellent mechanism to disseminate information and distribute potential solutions to common problems. Posting specification sheets and maintenance updates are other ways in which organizations have enhanced the level of customer service.