Page 16 - AeM_August_2021

BEST PRACTICES & STRATEGIES

24/7 information entitlement has come

to stay!

sure: there won’t be a 100%-return to face-to-face busi-
ness making after the pandemic is left behind. It is
therefore important to determine the current level of
technology and the level of knowledge of the individual
employees, to be able to meet the 24/7 information re-
quirements.

The best way is now to develop a real field-force-based
customer centricity program for the numerous sales-
people in the long term to become as future-proof as
possible and, above all, crisis-proof! In fact, every in-
dustry must now be changed for the better with new
communication channels and technologies. Meaning, it
If in the past, a single sales channel was is important to abandon old habits and actively address
sufficient, today's dynamic business environ- the fear of change. Because the target group has de-
ment requires a multi-layered concept with veloped and digitized faster than initially thought, which
perfectly orchestrated channels. Customers is why the field staff of the future will have to be multi/
simply want to buy whenever and wherever they omni-channel managers.
are, and since the start of the pandemic, during
lockdowns increasingly from the privacy of their Now it's all about developing strategies to be welcome
home. on all channels. A modern and up-to-date company
must cope with a 24/7 information requirement and es-
Because the greatest lessons learned from the pan- pecially an asynchronous communication, without any
demic is the fact that society has changed: the bounda- hassle or trouble since business as usual will no longer
ries between work and leisure are becoming increas- exist.
ingly blurred. Content is now consumed along the way
via mobile phones, tablets, and the like. Take, for example, a look at the health care industry,
which, as we know, requires an enormous amount of
Asynchronous communication determines our everyday due diligence and is looking for available, relevant, and
life and the associated need for relevant content – re- sustainable solutions. The implementation of new, digi-
gardless of the time of day or night – is real and an in- tal methods does not only require a reorientation, but
dispensable part of communication. That’s so because an overarching overall strategy, connecting all levels
everyone is nowadays digitally on the go and acquires within the company. In other words, real change man-
information actively, meaning passive information con- agement! Internal communication plays an important
sumption is now active information acquisition – from role and is considered the key to change in the pro-
push to pull! cess. Hence, permanent training and support are par-
ticularly recommended for managers, as is for the en-
Regardless of whether it is via chatbot, forum or central tire staff. Ultimately, it is then important to listen to your
service website, anyone who cannot deliver the right own target group, and to provide the right answers to
content across channels will sooner or later barely be questions using digital solutions, for example via video
able to secure a collaboration – especially in times like communication. Preparations could, for example, be
these. It is therefore important to activate the field ser- demonstrated live on the screen or information could
vice and enable communication across all channels in be presented interactively in real time. Training courses
a valuable and particularly personal way. or conferences are also possible in this way, complete-
ly digitally. Interactive, exciting, and educational. ◊
Of course, that takes some time and know-how, and
requires an analysis of where the field service is and By MediaBUZZ
what the consequences are. Because one thing is for

16 August 2021: Omnichannel Marketing