When we think about the customer journey, we visualize it much like a road trip. It’s a journey from A to B, with waypoints to cross. At each of those points, a different member of the team is in contact with the customer. Perhaps first they contact your OSC or a member of the sales team in your on-site office, then they move on to a more senior sales member, to the design team, and so on. In other words, they’re getting passed from person to person, as if down an assembly line.
This is how things have always been done, but is it really the best way?
From Linear to Circular
We’re all about changing what has always been a linear sales process into a circular one. If you aren’t sure what a circular sales process entails, we recommend you read our blog on the Circular Sales Process here. The primary thing you need to know is it means that instead of your customer moving independently along a linear journey in which they essentially wave goodbye to each team member as they move forward, they move around in a circle, speaking to each team member at the edge of the circle but always keeping contact with one central team member: the OSC.
The OSC at The Center of the Sales Process
An OSC is not simply the first point of contact for a customer; they can (and should) be a constant point of contact. In a linear sales process, the OSC may only be that initial touch point, but in a circular process, they can embody their nurturing nature and use all of their skills to be available at all times along their journey.
An OSC can be there replying to their first social media comments months before they’re ready to buy, and there again when they first reach out via your website’s live chat. They can support them as they have their initial meetings with sales staff and move through the other departments, providing them with a friendly face they can turn to with questions and concerns.
Not only does moving the OSC to the center of the sales process mean you offer a better customer experience, but you also make customers falling out of the funnel much less likely. They will never feel like they aren’t sure who they should contact with a question because your OSC will always be there to give them a hand and guide them.
Support For Your Teams
An OSC isn’t just beneficial for the customer, they also benefit your other teams and departments, too. Your OSC can feed your other teams beneficial information and help to connect them (if you aren’t sure what an OSC can do for your other teams, click here). So often in businesses, one department will say that a problem comes from another department because they’re so separate they aren’t sure what’s really going on.
An OSC can ensure the entire process goes smoothly for the customer and your team members because they’re keeping track of what touch point the customer is at. If something is amiss, the OSC can ensure the right teams get the right information and that the customer gets put back on track.
Power to the OSC
The OSC is a unique role, and one that can drastically improve your customer experience and the overall efficiency of your sales process, but you’ve got to give your OSC the power to monitor the entire sales funnel and be in contact with all your other teams. When your OSC has the power to do this, they can be the central spoke in your wheel, being the central point of contact for customers and connecting all teams.
