Jimmy Baker is a believer in the pivotal role of salespeople in today ’ s last-mile space . The Vice President , Regional Sales and Marketing of Courier Express , firmly thinks that faceto-face contact with prospects and customers still plays an important role in attracting and retaining good customers .
Here ’ s what he told the Customized Logistics & Delivery Magazine about the vital role that their 15 salespeople continue to play in Courier Express ’ ongoing success :
CLDA Mag : Your Georgia-based company believes in the value of a salesforce . Tell us why .
Baker : Our salespeople are front and center for all strategic discussions with our customers for Courier Express . Through day-to-day contact and routine business reviews , our team constantly assesses our partnerships and looks for ways to improve them .
CLDA Mag : What is their role in bringing in new customers ?
Baker : Our sales team is constantly prospecting for new business opportunities using traditional basic hunting techniques . Because of our strong business relationships and reputation , we can leverage referrals and participate in many RFPs . We are also active on social media and attend key tradeshows and industry events .
CLDA Mag : How do your salespeople get their leads ?
Baker : We have been a strong transportation company for almost 40 years . We have built a repository of lead information in our own system . In addition , we constantly utilize various information sources available online . Our reputation brings us many referrals for new business .
CLDA Mag : How has the role of your salesforce changed over the last five years ?
Baker :: Information about prospects , business profiles , and key contacts is more readily available . Despite that , it ’ s still about doing the daily drill to identify and engage the ideal customers .
CLDA Mag : Why are you still using salespeople in today ’ s online , digital world ?
Baker : Information management is certainly more integral to business partnerships today , but customers still want a personal connection with their vendors . AI will never replace a gut feel for business needs and individual wins . summer 2024 I customized logistics & delivery Magazine 61