Ch. 17 - Personal Selling and Sales Management

Customer Relationship Management & Selling

Building a long-term customer relationship plays an important role for a business's success. The practice of relationship selling and sales management increases attention on long-term buyer-seller connection which emphasizes personalization and empathy as key ingredients in developing and keeping satisfied customers. Godiva's sales team is making all efforts in building a strong relationship with its clients by providing the best service possible.They intend to apply strategies resolving all customer related issues by identifying the source of the problem and using pro-active strategies to prevent it from recurring. A personal example of being a loyal customer is my frequent visits to a Godiva boutique near my job where I always make my purchases. This is because of the customer service and care I get from the sales people and how they provide me with the service I'm looking for. It is very important for sales people to know the customer's sensibility and treat them the way they expect to be treated. Not only just for the products, but this increased level of customer service helps Godiva boutiques to bring repeat customers to their retail locations.

The Impact of Technology on Selling

Technology has influenced many consumers to purchase more products by ordering online than just going to physical stores. With this rapid growth of purchasing power, Godiva has experienced tremendous success by reinvigorating its prestigious brand and introducing innovative collections of its coveted confections and expanding into new channels. These luxury chocolates are now available to a wider consumers worldwide.  From the experts' perspective, relationship between salespeople and customers is always required whether it is an on location sale or ordering by phone or online, however, technology has only helped to improve that relationship. Godiva's online offerings, such as Gift Certificates and Rewards is surely getting bigger and better for its marketing strategies.