It seems like every day, I am torn between the need to provide exceptional service to the client and the reality of having to promote account growth through the sales and renewal process. Such is life in an agency. In fact, the best learn how to balance and align the two efforts so that the work naturally evolves through the relationship to bigger and better things.
Ogilvy, an agency founded on the principle of sales, has decided to re-frame the question. They want to know if you can sell a brick and, if so, would you come work for them selling agency engagements?
I’ll admit, the contest sounds interesting. If it wasn’t for my experience in sales (and the fact that I actually have a job, already) I would be tempted to enter it. Here’s my problem though; who leads who? If sales leads client services; you end up getting oversold and over-committed just to meet the needs of closing the sale. If you let client services lead sales, you end up over-delivering and…well, bankrupt.
My sales friends and I like to argue this point endlessly but I want to know what you think. Who should reign supreme; sales, client services, or how would you balance both?
I am sure that there is a happy medium…but wouldn’t you rather be over-committed than bankrupt?!
My sales heart tells me yes…. I don’t know if that means that Sales reigns supreme, but we are doing our damndest to keep the lights on and partner with our client services friends and there is something to be said for that. (even if we err on the side of making the sale and trying to find a way to make it work later) There are LOTS of lessons to be learned in taking risks….including accepting the risk of being oversold one day to gain traction with a client and hopefully be more balanced in the future.
In the new landscape of online social interaction and discovery, the true goal is to create a customer who will help drive more sales for the organization.
This is only accomplished when there is a consistent commitment to customer satisfaction across all departments in the organization
You must look at all sales as a relationship sale. Even if it is a one-time transaction…your relationship with that customer can continue in their mind and in their online interactions for a long time.
Sure, I might make a commitment to a client that requires some scrambling to get it done, but I don’t make that commitment unless I know that I can get it done.
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