I got into a debate this week with Chris Brogan, http://www.chrisbrogan.com on Twitter, albeit briefly, about sales. It started with a statement from Chris that all people nowadays need to be sales people. I’m not so sure; in fact, I think sales is dead, at least in the traditional way.

Sales people are middlemen and women and we know what’s happening to them across the world. The need for the sales role is diminishing and rapidly. Sales people are going to have to reinvent themselves and companies with sales departments are going to have to change the role somewhat radically.

Why? We have so much information at our fingertips, 24/7, almost anywhere. We don’t have to just rely on the company brochure for the information on the product/service. We have access to forums discussing the product, chat rooms, websites that focus on the product run by consumers. We have become a generation very adept at researching and understanding the product better than ever before. We are lot more savvy and I don’t need a sales person to offer their very, very subjective point of view.

The traditional differentiators have gone. There is very little difference between products anymore; one Princess yacht is very much like a Sunseeker yacht. The difference between Audi and Skoda is minimal. Sales people are a very expensive resource for companies selling ‘no difference’ products. The actual product isn’t what makes you competitive anymore it’s the relationship you build. A sales persons job needs to evolve into a more customer experience role. A lot of companies will argue that they have already done this. They haven’t, its very rare to really experience an amazing customer experience.

We live in a world of abundance but are set up as if our product was scarce. There is a tendency when the world is full of similar offerings to sell more aggressively and take more sales people on. In fact, it should be the complete opposite.

Patrick Dixon in his book Futurewise said, “Experiences will matter most.” People no longer buy sales patter but the experience. If potential customers are in contact with you, its probably because they have already done their research, so it’s a question of the relationship you build with them that’s just as important as the features and benefits.

Sales reps need to be retrained and motivated to building strong bonds with customers, encouraging word of mouth referrals amongst their account base and working hard at improving the experience, not whether they can field objections and close the sale.

As Colin Shaw mentions several times in his books, customer experience is the only competitive advantage you have left. By the way visit Chris Brogan’s website, its got some great info and advice there.