Contents
What is a sales conveyor?
The sales conveyor is a methodology in which different stages of sales, such as client search, deal closure, and customer retention, are distributed among specialized employees. This allows each specialist to focus on their area, increasing the overall efficiency of the process. This technique is named due to the analogy with a conveyor belt, guiding the customer from one stage to another, similar to a sales funnel. For example, call center operators are responsible for finding potential clients, sales managers focus on closing deals, while account managers work on customer retention.
Structure and application of the sales conveyor
There are several structures of conveyor sales that depend on the size of the business. In large companies, such as builders or car dealerships, a three-tier model is used, where each sales stage has its own department: call center, sales department, and customer service department. In medium-sized businesses, for example, in furniture stores or travel agencies, the system may be two-tiered. Here, managers may combine functions of lead searching and deal closing, or one specialist may handle searching while another focuses on sales.
In small businesses, such as flower shops, a one-level structure is most commonly applied, where one manager conducts the customer through the entire sales funnel from start to finish.
Stages and specialists of the sales conveyor
Now let's take a closer look at the stages of the conveyor and the specialists responsible for each of them:
Lead generation
In the first stage, called lead generation, potential clients interested in the company's products are sought. This process often includes "cold" calls and working with contacts found in various sources. Call center operators, known as "scouts" or "lead hunters," are responsible for this task, recording the contacts of interested clients and passing them to the next stage.
Conversion to sales
At this stage, leads become clients by making their first purchase. Here, "hunters" — sales managers — work with databases of "warm" contacts and focus on converting them into deals. They negotiate, consult clients, and close deals using more complex scripts and sales techniques.
Customer retention
After the first purchase, it is necessary to retain the client and turn them into a regular buyer. This is handled by "farmers" — account managers, who maintain communication with clients, determine their needs, and offer repeat deals. Their main task is to establish long-term relationships with clients.
Advantages and disadvantages of conveyor sales
Conveyor sales have their pros and cons:
Advantages:
- Increased productivity and sales through task distribution.
- Simplified recruitment and replacement of personnel, as high qualifications are not required to perform tasks.
- Increased loyalty of sales managers due to comfortable working conditions.
- Reduced risks of losing clients and information leaks, as employees only see their stages of the process.
Disadvantages:
- Complexity in building the conveyor system, which requires significant time and financial resources.
- The need to create regulations and instructions for each specialist.
- Long implementation process, which can take several months.