Understanding the Modern Buyer: Using Data to Tailor Solutions

By Barat Dickman, SVP, Worldwide Commercial Operations, ADP

Over the last 10 years, buyer expectations have evolved at a dizzying pace, accelerated by the start of the pandemic in 2020 and our love of all things comfortable, quick, and convenient. We’ve entered a brave new digital world — and companies must adapt their strategies or risk getting left behind. To understand this shift, we need to start with a simple question: Who is the modern buyer?

Today’s B2B buyer is an individual who’s empowered, motivated, and curious - someone with hopes, dreams, and challenges. Gone are the days of large, impersonal deals; B2B and B2C are colliding, and the consumer’s needs are at the center of everything.

But if that’s true, we’re left with a perplexing dilemma. How do we make the buyer the center of every interaction when each person is unique? How do we hit an ever-moving target?

The short answer is customization. Every part of the buyer experience must be perfectly tailored – from the content you’re serving, to the product, to the delivery method. Today’s buyer wants companies to know what they care about. They don’t want to weed through tons of content; they just want what’s new, what’s now, and what’s applicable. They expect solutions that don’t just get the job done, but flex to their changing needs, with a wide selection of add-on features, along with online buying options and a hassle-free implementation process.

Many prefer to do their own research upfront, which means they’ll watch product demos, compare prices, and read reviews before ever speaking to a sales rep. But when they decide to pick up the phone or send an email, sellers should know exactly where they are in their buying journey and be ready to work around their busy schedule.

In summary: today’s buyer knows their value, and with hundreds of companies vying for their attention, they won’t hesitate to drop one that disappoints them. So, how can we achieve this level of customization? It’s a daunting task, to be sure — but far from impossible. You just need to harness the power of data.

By leveraging available data and transforming it into actionable insights, sales reps can understand buyers’ needs in real-time and continue to meet them where they are in their journey, creating an experience that’s as personalized as it is efficient.

Here are a few of the tools sellers can use to activate against their data and provide buyers with the tailored information they need, when they need it:

Data and performance-backed coaching

In today’s hybrid environment, it’s more important than ever to master verbal and non-verbal signals. Now, thanks to machine learning and artificial intelligence, sellers can receive insights and coaching on their sales messaging, product demos, and presentations from anywhere, at any time — helping them to build trust, improve their pitch, and exceed buyer expectations.

Sales engagement tools

Continuous improvement means learning from the best. Sales engagement tools automate what the best reps are already doing, providing sellers with potential next steps in their sales process based on where the buyer is in their journey and the specific needs they’re looking to address. In short — it’s ensuring the right activity at the right time for the right buyer.

Optimized demo experience

Research shows that today’s buyer likes digging in and self-discovering online. That’s why it’s important for sellers today to put the control back in their hands, with a digitized demo experience where they can search and view solutions, both in totality and specific features, on their own time. Sellers can also use this tool to gain insights into what buyers care about, so they can guide buyers to relevant content and have more meaningful interactions.

Looking Ahead

In the coming years, buyers will continue to expect more. Faster, simpler delivery methods. Smarter solutions. And perhaps most importantly — even greater levels of customization to suit their needs.

To keep up and adequately deliver on those expectations, we must train our sellers to be as dynamic as the world we live in and equip them with the insights they need, right at their fingertips so they can easily take a customized approach. We need sellers who are intuitive and empathetic. People who are ready to listen and learn. People who unlock opportunities where others see only obstacles, using the power of data.

The views and opinions expressed herein are the views and opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of Nasdaq, Inc.

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