We live in an era of innovation, intelligence and interactivity. This global scenario demands adaptation from professionals, especially those who work with technology. In the solar segment, which brings a synergy between technology and sustainability, it is essential that sales professionals seek training that increasingly integrates them into Industry 4.0.
But, after all, what qualifies a 4.0 salesperson in our sector?
First of all, let's briefly remember what the Industrial Revolution 4.0 is about. In history, we see the 3 previous revolutions:
- The 1st Industrial Revolution was about scale production and mass sales;
- The 2nd introduced electricity into manufacturing processes, which brought more agile and effective production;
- The 3rd brought computing, binary code and automation in general, which favored globalization.
The Industrial Revolution 4.0 has added intelligence to everything we have developed in recent decades, through technologies such as robotics and Artificial Intelligence. All over the world, it is now possible to find countless businesses that offer virtual service, provided by Artificial Intelligences programmed for increasingly personalized and sophisticated communication. Given this scenario, the most standardized jobs will be assigned to AIs and other innovations that the Internet of Things will provide us.
Therefore, the only things that make a human being irreplaceable are creativity and empathy. Professionals 4.0 need to be able to reinvent themselves to relate to customers in a more intimate and humanized way, breaking away from traditional sales scripts. Below, I highlight the main characteristics of a 4.0 salesperson for the solar energy segment. Enjoy your reading!
Offer more solution than price
Of course, pricing matters when it comes to outperforming the competition. However, consumers looking for solar energy see great importance in long-term solutions. Even if, at first, the customer seems to only be concerned about the savings that solar energy guarantees, it is implicit that they expect to trust the quality of the product and the installation, precisely to avoid unforeseen events and additional maintenance costs.
In this sense, it is clear that customers also value convenience. The 4.0 seller is the one who anticipates solutions capable of delivering this convenience to the consumer. A great example for the not-so-distant future are storage solutions, which allow customers to be sure of not being without energy. This market will be extremely important for Brazil, and especially strategic for our electrical development. Remember that, for many, time without energy means more than an inconvenience, but also a loss of revenue.
Another service that will add a lot of value from 2023 onwards is simultaneity factor, which must be constantly evaluated by the seller with his client, in order to establish the correct consumption, considering the energy loss factor, exposed in the 14.300 Law, approved in 2022. The salesperson who knows how to offer solutions will be remembered and well recommended, as a satisfied customer becomes a promoter of your company. In an industry so based on trust, promoter customers are the best sales channel.
Get to know industry innovations in depth
To offer innovative solutions, you obviously need to be up to date on them. Many may fall into the trap of postponing the study of technologies that are still timid in the Brazilian market, however, the sooner you offer these solutions and their benefits, the greater the likelihood of becoming a reference in your region.
Here, we can bring electric cars and their accessories as an example. Despite little incentive, electric and hybrid vehicles are expected to grow 10% in market share by 2025, with 10 new public charging stations across Brazil, according to the Alliance for Sustainable Mobility.
With this in mind, it is high time to deepen your knowledge and sales arguments about products such as the EV Charger, so that consumers can charge their electric vehicle at home. There are already products that combine Artificial Intelligence with chargers, enabling monitoring via mobile app and functions such as intelligent scheduling for charging at the best times.
Imagine offering this to your customer while the competition is still limited to traditional panels. This is the ideal time to differentiate yourself through innovations, using your persuasiveness and assertiveness.
Position yourself in new media
The world of Industry 4.0 is multimedia. In addition to mastering communication for in-person presentations and phone calls, the 4.0 salesperson in the solar segment needs to know how to make the most of technology, and this includes new media. The 4.0 consumer is known for staying logged in to social media almost 24 hours a day. They consume online and offline, and when it comes to sharing their purchasing experience, whether positive or negative, they will also do so across all media. Therefore, as a 4.0 salesperson you need to prepare yourself to meet all these needs quickly, while maintaining differentiated service.
How is this possible? First of all, remember what sets humans apart: empathy. Whether via chat, phone or direct message, your most efficient positioning will come from indicators, such as conversion rate. These are indicators that shed light on consumer behavior and open doors for you to use your empathy more assertively.
Therefore, in addition to being present in both digital and offline media, it is very important that you and your marketing team are able to collect and analyze data about your potential customers. It is also essential to pay attention to research in the solar photovoltaic segment, as it provides an overview of the behavior and experience of Brazilian customers.
Maintain a trajectory of evolution
Consistency will be your ally in your evolution process to become a 4.0 salesperson. In the first quarter of 2022, we have already surpassed a total of 5 GW of equipment that entered Brazil. In other words, the sector is growing quickly and will continue to do so, so we need to keep up.
Therefore, I conclude this article with the importance of continuing to evolve beyond the tips listed here. Seek to understand how customers see solar energy, how they invest and how they choose who to buy from. Calibrate your positioning for each profile, try to deliver value in each closed deal. Finally, share your knowledge with your team, especially with the installers, as it is in their service that your argument must be materialized into a solution.
With these attitudes, you will be more than a 4.0 salesperson. You will come out ahead to embrace the next market revolutions. After all, Revolution 4.0 arrived just 12 years ago, in 2010. With the speed of innovations, it is not difficult to imagine that the next one will arrive in less than 10 years. Are you prepared?
An answer
Congratulations Tegon! A very important topic for professionals and contractors, at a time when only the increase in the number of modules sold is highlighted without identifying or focusing on the “SALE” factor, a very practical approach. Congratulations!