Ep 088 Building a Customer-Centric Culture in Sales

Understanding the broader customer journey and the impact of customer feedback can make all the difference in sales. Annette Franz, founder and CEO of CX Journey Inc., is a thought leader in customer experience, empowering organizations to embrace a customer-centric approach. In this episode, Annette shares the transformational power of customer feedback, the significance of value alignment, and the pivotal role sales teams play in delivering exceptional customer experiences. Annette and host Will Milano explore the critical elements of customer-centric organizations, the impact of employee experience on customer satisfaction, and the need for sales teams to prioritize value-driven solutions. Listen in as she shares steps on how to grasp the voice of the customer effectively, and shares strategies to enhance your sales performance. In this episode, you’ll learn: 1. The importance of shifting focus from just selling to building strong customer relationships and delivering exceptional customer experiences. When you prioritize these aspects, you’ll see better sales results and sustainable success. 2. Valuable insights from customer feedback, especially from lost deals. By consistently gathering and transparently sharing this feedback within your sales organization, you can uncover missed opportunities for improvement and growth. 3. Understand the value you provide to customers beyond just price competitiveness. By focusing on solving problems for customers, you can drive satisfaction, referrals, and repeat business, ultimately leading to a better sales strategy. Resources: Annette’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/annette-franz/ Annette’s X: https://twitter.com/annettefranz Learn more about Annette: https://annettefranz.com/ Get her book here: https://annettefranz.com/books/ Jump into the conversation: [00:00] Introduction to Annette [1:02] Annette’s point of view on customer centricity [04:38] Refining your ICP or ideal customer profile [06:15] Relationships with your marketing team [10:33] What sales teams take for granted when it comes to the customer experience [13:19] Gathering and applying customer feedback [15:31] Three ways to achieve customer understanding [17:16] Solving problems for customers as a salesperson [18:52] The role of values alignment in customer experience and employee experience [22:17] Fix the culture, fix the outcomes [23:31] Annette’s top advice for salespeople [25:34] Stressors on the employee experience that have a negative impact on customer experience [29:44] How meeting customer's needs ties to new opportunities