The Modern Customer – the PHANTOM: Customers on the Run: How Sales must Respond to Radically New Buying Behavior

277 Pages·2023·4.901 MB·English

by  Livia Rainsberger

Livia Rainsberger
The Modern
Customer –
the PHANTOM
Customers on the Run: How Sales must
Respond to Radically New Buying Behavior
The Modern Customer – the PHANTOM
Livia Rainsberger
The Modern Customer – the
PHANTOM
Customers on the Run: How Sales
must Respond to Radically New Buying
Behavior
Livia Rainsberger
Wissence
Eichgraben, Austria
ISBN 978-3-658-39195-9 ISBN 978-3-658-39196-6 (eBook)
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-658-39196-6
This book is a translation of the original German „Der moderne Kunde – das PHANTOM“ by Rainsberger,
Livia, published by Springer Fachmedien Wiesbaden GmbH in 2022. The translation was done with the help
of an artificial intelligence machine translation tool. A subsequent human revision was done primarily in terms
of content, so that the book will read stylistically differently from a conventional translation. Springer Nature
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Warning Notice
Conscientiously and right from the start, I would like to point out the possible effects this
book might have on you, dear reader:
• This book could make you think.
• The content of this book could trigger deep phases of reflection.
• After reading this book, everything you knew about sales might not seem important
anymore.
• The suggestions in this book could mean a lot of work.
• Implementing the recommendations from this book could change your sales
approach and your business forever.
• Internalizing the principles of this book could result in more sales.
• If you correctly implement the approaches described in this book, lots of customers
could come knocking at your door.
This effect is quite intentional, and everything that is written in this book is deliberately
meant to trigger it. Additionally, a few unwanted side effects might occur during the
reading process, such as confusion, feeling overwhelmed, and even fear. For this reason,
you should not read the book before going to bed.
Who shouldn’t read this book
This book is not for people who think that sales can and should operate by the same
principles as before and that no change is needed. Consequently, those who are afraid of
change or of recognizing the need for change should not take the risk. Those who think
they know their customers well and know exactly how they make decisions, and are only
looking for methods to sell more, can safely do without this reading. Last but not least,
I would like to warn those who under no circumstances want to be shaken in their exist-
ing beliefs about sales.
V
VI Warning Notice
Who will benefit from this book
For all others who recognize the need for change in sales but do not know how to act on
it, this book will create clarity. Those who want to understand how modern customers
make buying decisions and how their needs and expectations have changed will find the
necessary knowledge in this book. Those who want to understand contemporary sales
and intend to adapt their methods to the digital conditions will find the right approaches
here. Everyone who wants to understand what changes are currently taking place in
sales, especially those related to the customer behaviour, will learn a lot of new things.
Last but not least, all those who are interested in state-of-the-art sales methods will find
relevant approaches too.
Nothing is as it used to be
The idea for this book emerged after a lecture at a conference. I had dared to speak out
a quite provocative thesis: “Your customer wants you to ignore him and be treated like
a silly child.” The claim shook the attendies up and sparked disussions, and you will find
its explanation in this book. For now, just so much:
We live in a new world where nothing seems to be in its “old” place anymore. In just
a few decades, technological progress has not only turned companies and entire indus-
tries upside down, but has also had a significant impact on all of our lives.
It took electricity around 100 years to reach households in most parts of the world
and become a mass-market product. However, electrification is not yet complete and
around 1.4 billion people still do not have access to electricity. The railway and the car
each took around 80 years to become broadly available to consumers. The computer took
around 30 years to reach our homes and the smartphone less than ten. In many parts of
sub-Saharan Africa, mobile phones are now more widespread than access to electricity.
In 2016, a UN report made a connection between the importance of open access to the
internet with human rights. This was partly misinterpreted as a declaration of the right to
internet access as a new human right. The question is, how long will it take until it actu-
ally becomes reality: when will the right to internet become a human right?
Technology has entered our lives at an astonishing speed in the few last decades and
has become a fixed part of our everyday lives. It not only influences our daily routine,
but also our behavior, our expectations and even our cognitive abilities, as we will see
later in the book. Chapter 1 of this book is dedicated to the detailed description of these
changes. It describes the core of this new world influenced by technology, which has
undeniably changed many aspects of human existence. The result is the emergence of a
new species of human being, which differs from its predecessors from the analog world
by its new characteristics and behaviors. Chapter 2 will explore in detail these new prop-
erties and behaviors. But first, we need to understand the current changes and their corre-
lations in order to be able to understand the new behavior of customers and the resulting
need for change in sales.
Warning Notice VII
Creating awareness
Some companies are fully aware of this and are actively working to adapt their sales
processes to the requirements of the digital world. Many others have recognized the need
for change, but are still undecided about what exactly needs to be done. And some have
made sporadic adjustments and believe that this is enough. And last but not least, there
are still some—and unfortunately still far too many—who are still relying on obsolete
and outdated sales methods and approaches.
It is high time to create a broad awareness of the current changes in sales, especially
on the customer side. Because the modern customer is no longer the customer you
think you know. He has evolved into a new unknown for sales in many ways. The new
needs and expectations of modern customers are the subject of Chapter 3. I intention-
ally describe these new behaviors meticulously, so as not to leave the slightest doubt
about the existence of this new species of customer.
How to address this new type of customer, you will find out in Chapter 4. It describes
new and innovative approaches and methods to address modern customers by their
expectations and how to create the necessary conditions so that the customers find their
way to you on their own. Because old sales and marketing methods are obsolete and cus-
tomers are reacting less and less to them.
Facts, not imagination
To substantiate my claims, I rely on many studies and statistics—perhaps too much
for some readers. But this is a conscious decision because I want to provide you with
clear evidence of the unstoppable change in sales.
“The only statistics you can trust are those you falsified yourself,” says the famous
quote and wants to make us aware that statistical data carry a certain bias. But they high-
light a trend that largely reflects reality— even if they are of course not accurate to the
percentage point and will vary in different areas. But the general trend is usually correct.
The aim of this book is to demonstrate that the current developments are relevant for
all business areas, therefore results from several qualified studies are used and placed in
different contexts. This is intended for those who see and recognize the general develop-
ments in the markets, but who do not yet realize or simply overlook their relevance for
the own business or industry.
Rethinking is hard work
The necessity for rethinking of sales should be undisputed since the COVID 19 crisis.
The pandemic has accelerated and intensified many already begun developments in cus-
tomer behavior. But it's by all means not an easy task.
If you want to encourage people to rethink their approaches and believes, you have to
shake up, provoke and brutally point out the reality that is sometimes unconsciously sup-
pressed. Therefore, please do not be surprised by some provocative statements, questions
and also the choice of language that differs from the typical professional book language.
VIII Warning Notice
In this way, too, known patterns can be broken. Because we all have to leave our old
ways of thinking and deal with this new species of customers. We not only have to deal
with their new expectations and needs, but also with their decision-making process:
What steps do they follow in their decision making? Chapter 5 is dedicated to this clari-
fication, which guides along the decision-making process of the modern customers and
gives insights into their underlying and invisible activities.
This understanding is necessary to create the basis for a contemporary sales process,
which is described in Chapter 6 and which is based on the customer’s decision-making
process and ideally reflects its every single step. In addition, state-of-the-art sales and
marketing activities and approaches are described here.
On the one hand, my goal is to create awareness for the need for sustainable changes
in sales and, on the other hand, to describe the basic attitude that is necessary in sales in
order to reach the modern customer in the digital world. Not least, I also want to give
you a tool so that you can align your sales processes with the needs and expectations
of the modern customer. Because there is no way back to our familiar sales approaches.
Unless we pull the power plug to turn down the internet. But: How likely is that?
For anyone who wants to understand the modern customer better
With this book, I primarily address sales managers and executives, because they are the
ones who have the greatest power to initiate changes in sales and also need to assume
responsibility in this matter. However, the contents of the book are not only aimed at this
target group: Anyone who is interested in contemporary sales and understanding of mod-
ern customers will find valuable information in it.
With consideration for the readers who have already read my previous publications,
I try to avoid repetitions. Therefore, I only give specific references, in particular to my
book “Digital Transformation in Sales”, because both books complement together con-
tent-wise.
References
Statista (2021a) Global digital population as of January 2021. https://www.statista.com/
statistics/617136/digital-population-worldwide/. Accessed on 22.08.2021
Statista (2021b) Education worldwide – statistics & facts. https://www.statista.com/top-
ics/7785/education-worldwide/. Accessed on 22.08.2021
Acknowledgement
This book would not have come into existence, just as its two predecessors, without the
great support of people to whom I would like to express my special thanks.
First and foremost, to my husband, who always believes in me and is my greatest sup-
port in many respects: intellectually, emotionally and spiritually.
Of course also to my beloved editor Manuela Eckstein, who has greatly supported me
in all my book projects: not only in terms of form and content, but also with an enhanc-
ing and motivating support throughout the entire process of creating a book.
Many Thanks to all my customers and partners: Only through joint work was I able to
gain so many inspirations and experiences to share with the readers.
Last but not least, I would like to thank each and every one of the people who have
crossed my path in life. Because the sum of all encounters and interactions have made
me the person I am today, which made it possible for me to create this work.
And of course, thank you, dear reader. For the trust you expressed by buying the
book.
IX
Contents
1 The EEE-World .................................................. 1
1.1 Eagerness ................................................... 3
1.1.1 Even the Earth is Spinning Faster ......................... 3
1.1.2 Technology as a Problem and Solution in One ............... 6
1.1.3 The Culture of Hurry ................................... 6
1.2 Ease ....................................................... 8
1.2.1 Ease and Convenience as Drivers of Innovation .............. 8
1.2.2 Convenience Fighting Against the Price .................... 10
1.2.3 Efficiency and Time Saving in Everything We Do ............ 12
1.3 Enthusiasm .................................................. 13
1.3.1 Enthusiasm as a Driving Force of Progress .................. 13
1.3.2 Enthusiasm Continuum ................................. 14
1.3.3 Hunting the Next New Thing ............................. 16
References ....................................................... 17
2 The III-Human .................................................. 19
2.1 Informed .................................................... 20
2.1.1 Information Society—How did We Get Here? ............... 21
2.1.2 The Ease of Information Consumption ..................... 22
2.1.3 Searching Skills Replace Memory Skills .................... 24
2.1.4 Who Really Needs It All? ............................... 25
2.2 Independent ................................................. 26
2.2.1 Authority Under Pressure. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26
2.2.2 Independent and Self-Determined Thanks to the Internet ....... 27
2.2.3 Personalities with Decision-Making Skills are in Demand ...... 27
2.2.4 Self-Determination and Flexibility — Important Trends in
the Work Environment .................................. 28
2.3 Individualistic. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 29
2.3.1 The Globalization of the Individualism ..................... 29
2.3.2 Individualism as a Core Driver of the Economy .............. 30
XI