Living in the time of a pandemic certainly forces businesses to better understand their customers and reexamine their customers' journey and how best to engage with them. Not surprisingly, retailers and Australia Post are reporting an 80 per cent increase in online sales and marketers are rethinking their bricks and mortar strategies.
This shift in consumer behaviour has also flowed through to the property industry where not only are social distancing measures resulting in changes to the industry, such as virtual inspections and online sales, but consumers themselves having transformed expectations of how they should be engaged through the sales process.
For new development sales - house and land estates, apartments and townhouses - developers, sales and marketing teams have stepped up their own approach to servicing clients and leads by engaging buyers remotely through online platforms.
It’s a move we at DisplaySweet believe has strengthened trust and credibility between a sales team and their buyer at a time when people need reassurance and confidence around buying.
We’ve seen several developers embrace the need for greater transparency and provide a more personalised experience and the use of digital tools has given them this ability.
Developers who have integrated technology as a way of seamlessly engaging with buyers in new development transactions have found themselves able to work with speed and efficiency while mapping the customer experience from the minute they make contact to closing the sale.
As we look optimistically into the future, do we think this world of online, on-demand, self-service, real-time, and extreme efficiency will still be relevant in a post-pandemic environment?
Several of DisplaySweet’s clients have proven the use of virtual technology remains as relevant now as it was three months ago and the complementary nature of online platforms allows the sales team to think about the entire buyer journey, not just the in-display experience.
Good customer experience and marketing should span multiple channels and touchpoints to guide consumers through the sales channel. That is universal good practice in a sales environment, not to mention common sense.
It’s a matter of strengthening a consumer’s trust in a product or service, building brand loyalty before moving consumers through the sales funnel.
OpenPlans is a digital platform that allows a sales consultant to make multiple contacts and maintain a communication loop with their prospects at various touch-points in the buyer journey, from awareness right through to purchase.The platform is web-based and provides the sales consultant with the opportunity to present the project anywhere to any customer with no limitations.
Equally as important is the buyer can continue to interact with the project examining all the elements of the project that are important to that buyer in their own time. In a world of the savvy consumer, an online platform is imperative and not only connects the sales consultant with the buyer but encourages the buyer to explore the project in more detail making them feel more comfortable and informed.
Sales consultants may choose to use the platform to qualify and softly sell to their leads prior to visiting the display, or leverage the platform to follow-up with their prospects and close sales following a display visit. The platform can also be used standalone to qualify and close a sale remotely, which is a great option for selling overseas.
On average, studies show buyers will typically revisit a display up to around three times before making a decision and more than 120 hours pouring over plans and contracts prior to purchasing.Being open 24 hours a day isn’t cost-effective or feasible but an online digital display suite with OpenPlans provides that service in a safe, secure and easy-to-use fashion.
Get in touch to find out how we can incorporate OpenPlans into your current or future project.
Source:
www.realtor.com – How Many Homes Will It Take
www.realtrends.com – New Data Shows Home Buyers Spend 124 Hours On Average To Find A Home
