Subscribe Login
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
Jamaica Observer
ePaper
The Edge 105 FM Radio Fyah 105 FM
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
    • Home
    • News
      • Latest News
      • Cartoon
      • International News
      • Central
      • North & East
      • Western
      • Environment
      • Health
      • #
    • Business
      • Business Bites
      • Social Love
    • Sports
      • Football
      • Basketball
      • Cricket
      • Horse Racing
      • World Champs
      • Commonwealth Games
      • FIFA World Cup
      • Olympics
      • #
    • Videos
    • Entertainment
      • Music
      • Movies
      • Art & Culture
      • Bookends
      • #
    • Lifestyle
      • Page2
      • Food
      • Tuesday Style
      • Food Awards
      • JOL Takes Style Out
      • Design Week JA
      • Black Friday
      • #
    • All Woman
      • Home
      • Relationships
      • Features
      • Fashion
      • Fitness
      • Rights
      • Parenting
      • Advice
      • #
    • Obits
    • Classifieds
      • Employment
      • Property
      • Motor Vehicles
      • Place an Ad
      • Obituaries
    • More
      • Games
      • Elections
      • Jobs & Careers
      • Study Centre
      • Jnr Study Centre
      • Letters
      • Columns
      • Advertorial
      • Editorial
      • Supplements
      • Webinars
  • Home
  • News
    • International News
  • Latest
  • Business
    • Business Bites
  • Cartoon
  • Games
  • Food Awards
  • Health
  • Entertainment
    • Bookends
  • Regional
  • Sports
    • Sports
    • World Cup
    • World Champs
    • Olympics
  • Videos
  • Career & Education
  • Classifieds
  • All Woman
  • Environment
  • Webinars
  • More
    • Football
    • Elections
    • Letters
    • Advertorial
    • Columns
    • Editorial
    • Supplements
  • Epaper
  • Design Week
What sales organisations must do to stay alive beyond COVID-19
Business, COVID-19, News
BY DUANE LUE-FUNG Observer business writer  
June 14, 2020

What sales organisations must do to stay alive beyond COVID-19

It is business unusual!

This year, thus far, is one for the books – with most borders still closed, N95 masks now becoming an everyday accessory and daily restrictions in our movement – most salespersons have no choice but to sell from home. But is this temporary? – Maybe, but what if it’s not?

According to various authorities around the world, the economy will begin reopening as early as June/July for some countries.

This means we will soon be back in office! Wrong. A lot of us will still be at home. Here’s why:

Reason #1 – School: School is still out, and it is a strong possibility that it will remain this way for majority (if not all) of the year; as a result, we may have to start getting used to the idea of working from home with our kids until the virus is controlled.

Reason #2 – Efficiency: Once your salespeople have begun to sell not only remotely, but virtually via videoconferencing, you’ll quickly realise that they can meet with 6-8 prospects and/or accounts per day, compared with 2-3 when they’re physically travelling in a territory.

Reason #3 – Cost: Depending upon your business model, the cost of fuel, vehicle maintenance, meals, and entertainment can be drastically reduced or even eliminated when salespeople are selling virtually.

Reason #4 – Coverage: Many companies don’t have enough resources to service the entire island or region; as a result, salespeople are usually deployed where there is a high concentration of their target audience. With virtual selling, your salespeople can broaden the horizon.

Reason #5 – Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Compliance: Salespeople usually have great excuses for not keeping their CRM up to date – “Oh, I was travelling”, “on the road”, “away from the computer” plus other excuses; however, with virtual selling they are literally selling via the same tool that the CRM is on – so no more excuses! This will allow you to finally have the visibility in real-time data that you wanted when you invested in your CRM platform.

The aforementioned points have a lot of us thinking that the coronavirus was not so bad after all; however, as is expected with this virus, there are still some restrictions and challenges to consider if you are going to be successful in this time of uncertainty. For example:

Is your sales team disciplined enough to work independently from the office without physical and/or constant supervision? A recent study highlighted that only a mere 41 per cent of salespeople are well suited to work from home in an effective and efficient manner – which leads me to the next point.

Sales managers will need to significantly increase the time they spend on coaching by huddling with their team at least twice per day. It is important to note that only seven per cent of all sales managers have the coaching skills required to coach a remote team.

For the past three years, selling has been pretty easy with a little over 50 per cent of salespeople meeting or exceeding their quota; however, it will be difficult for a while with companies/customers spending less now than before. With that being said, it is time for salespersons to build their immune system with the competencies below in order to meet their targets.

Competency #1 – Consultative Selling – only 15 per cent of all salespeople effectively differentiate by listening and asking great questions.

Competency #2 – Value Selling – only 41 per cent of all salespeople have the ability to be of value to their customers.

Competency #3 – Qualifying – only 31 per cent of all salespeople can thoroughly qualify an opportunity.

It is said that the true test of a good pilot is not being in the cockpit of a plane when the conditions outside are good, but when there’s poor visibility and the conditions are treacherous. The conditions are now treacherous, but by employing the right techniques in an agile manner sales professionals and leaders will be able to take flight and weather this storm.

Duane Lue-Fung is an award-winning entrepreneur and is the founder & chairman of the Caribbean’s #1 sales development company, Think Grow Lead. For more insights on sales training, sales recruiting, and sales outsourcing please visit TGL’s website: www.tgltrainers.com/ www.tglsalesschool.com or e-mail me your comments at topsalesguruja@gmail.com

{"website":"website"}{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
0 Comments · Make a comment

ALSO ON JAMAICA OBSERVER

Gov’t to assist Cooper’s Pen families with back-to -school costs after demolitions
Latest News, News
Gov’t to assist Cooper’s Pen families with back-to -school costs after demolitions
September 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Government is providing additional support to children and families affected by the recent demolitions in Cooper’s Pen, with p...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
‘Wake The Town And Tell The People’: U Roy celebration set for Sep 19
Entertainment, Latest News
‘Wake The Town And Tell The People’: U Roy celebration set for Sep 19
Howard Campbell 
September 2, 2026
Five years after pioneer deejay U Roy’s death, his family has taken steps to ensure the songs that made him famous are in the right hands. His daughte...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Judiciary mourns former Court of Appeal judge Carl Patterson
Latest News, News
Judiciary mourns former Court of Appeal judge Carl Patterson
September 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — The judiciary is mourning the passing of former Court of Appeal judge Carl Patterson, whose service to Jamaica’s justice system sp...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
48-hour curfew imposed in sections of St Catherine
Latest News, News
48-hour curfew imposed in sections of St Catherine
September 2, 2026
  ST CATHERINE, Jamaica – A 48-hour curfew has been imposed in sections of the St John's Road and Old Harbour Road communities within the St Catherine...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Alleged gunman fatally shot by cops after taxi man killed in Nain, St Elizabeth
Latest News, News
Alleged gunman fatally shot by cops after taxi man killed in Nain, St Elizabeth
September 2, 2026
ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — An alleged gunman was fatally shot by the police moments after he and an accomplice reportedly killed a taxi operator in Nain,...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Shericka Jackson ends 2026 season early to focus on mental health
Latest News, Sports
Shericka Jackson ends 2026 season early to focus on mental health
September 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaican sprint star Shericka Jackson has brought an early end to her 2026 season, revealing that she is taking time away from com...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Tufton urges action on GSHS findings
Latest News, News
Tufton urges action on GSHS findings
September 2, 2026
KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaicans are being urged to take seriously the findings of the 2026 Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), as the data...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
Barbados to host third Caricom regional conference on reparation
International News, Latest News, Regional
Barbados to host third Caricom regional conference on reparation
September 2, 2026
GEORGETOWN, Guyana (CMC) – Barbados will host the third Caribbean Community (Caricom)  Regional Conference on Reparations later this month, the Guyana...
{"jamaica-observer":"Jamaica Observer"}
❮ ❯

Polls

HOUSE RULES

  1. We welcome reader comments on the top stories of the day. Some comments may be republished on the website or in the newspaper; email addresses will not be published.
  2. Please understand that comments are moderated and it is not always possible to publish all that have been submitted. We will, however, try to publish comments that are representative of all received.
  3. We ask that comments are civil and free of libellous or hateful material. Also please stick to the topic under discussion.
  4. Please do not write in block capitals since this makes your comment hard to read.
  5. Please don't use the comments to advertise. However, our advertising department can be more than accommodating if emailed: advertising@jamaicaobserver.com.
  6. If readers wish to report offensive comments, suggest a correction or share a story then please email: community@jamaicaobserver.com.
  7. Lastly, read our Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy

Recent Posts

Archives

Facebook
Twitter
Instagram
Tweets

Polls

Recent Posts

Archives

Logo Jamaica Observer
Breaking news from the premier Jamaican newspaper, the Jamaica Observer. Follow Jamaican news online for free and stay informed on what's happening in the Caribbean
Featured Tags
  • Editorial
  • Columns
  • Health
  • Auto
  • Business
  • Letters
  • Page2
  • Football
Categories
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
  • Business
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Page2
Ads
img
Jamaica Observer, © All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • RSS Feeds
  • Feedback
  • Privacy Policy
  • Editorial Code of Conduct