3 Business Maxims Which Need to Catch Up

Covid-19 has undoubtedly taught us a lot, about many things.

Change is happening all around us, from how we shop (online, wearing a mandatory mask or via curbside pickup) to how we communicate (Zoom fatigue, anyone?) and even the way we greet one another.

There’s also been positive change in the way we see and treat each other. There’s a feeling of community when out and about; people are coming together. Sure, some things have changed which we’ll miss – potentially for good – but there are some things which are changing for the better.

And one of them, almost certainly, is the way we work. The way we do business. As we shift towards the new normal, there are certainly some business practices, or ‘maxims’, you could call them, which we’d be happy to leave in the past – particularly when it comes to managing sales teams. As we move into a future where employers have to be evermore considerate of the circumstances surrounding their business, here are the 3 business maxims we’d love to see catch up with where 2020’s focus should be moving forwards.

“Always be closing”

We’re salespeople, yes. But shouldn’t we be thinking more about solving our customers’ problems than we do about closing the deal?

‘Doing business’ is no longer about just making sales; it’s about consulting with clients, understanding their needs. And being willing to turn away if you know that your solution isn’t the one which serves them best. Sales teams who value customer experience and excellence in service over targets and revenue will be the ones who thrive in the months to come.

Always be closing – business maxim number one, out.

“Failure is not an option”

It might not be an option, but it’s an absolute inevitability.

Our social media feeds are littered with memes, motivational quotes and the like about getting back on the horse; relaying stats about how many shots Michael Jordan missed before he made it big; reiterating the importance of trucking on in the face of adversity.

Yet, there are still sales teams being run into the ground by unrealistic targets and a lack of awareness about the fact that, yes, sometimes external circumstances do effect your ability to hit target; sometimes we have to fail to grow.

Failure is a part of learning; it’s how we learn what works, and what doesn’t. Failure literally helps us improve what we do and how we do it; it shows us which processes need to be created, implemented or streamlined. Not only is failure an inevitability – it’s a tool which we as managers should be harnessing to help our teams learn and improve, continuously.

Business maxim number two – not this year, thank you!

“If your business isn’t growing, it’s dying”

I disagree – it could be changing, evolving, learning. Or, in truth, it could simply be surviving. And there’s absolutely no shame in that.

Of course, growth is a sensible, moreover practical end goal for a business to have. But long gone are the days when the notion was that growth is everything. As we transition into the post-pandemic world, many businesses and their leaders will be trying to determine the direction of their business whilst staying afloat and trying to do best by their employees; that should be the focus over the coming months, not simply money. No growth equalling a dying business is the third and final business maxim which needs to catch up with 2020.

As the leader of Certus’ business here in Aus, I’m proud to say we’ve always conducted business with our clients in mind, rather than just focusing on the numbers – and we’re looking forward to partnering with businesses who operate in the same way. When it comes to building cohesive, customer-focused sales teams who perform, we’re proud to provide recruitment solutions tailored to your business. Contact our team in Melbourne today to talk about the current market conditions and what you can expect from a hiring perspective over the next few months.