In conversation with Jon Nicholson, UK Sales Director, Royal Mail
How Royal Mail has effectively sold for 500 years – Why adapting is key
Jon Nicholson is UK Sales Director for Royal Mail and Parcelforce. His focus is to create the right environment for salespeople to look after customers. We caught up with Jon to discuss how that environment is in a constant state of flux.
Few businesses can match Royal Mail and Parcelforce for their endurance. Royal Mail first began its service during the reign of Henry VIII, and it’s just as essential today as it was 500 years ago. Not only has it remained vital for businesses and households across the UK but it has also constantly evolved to offer an increasingly wide range of services. Jon Nicholson, UK Sales Director, explains how it has learned to adapt successfully.
Royal Mail and Parcelforce have been through times of great change – surviving for 500 years! What do you think is a secret to its success?
The reason we’ve stayed relevant for so long is because we’ve made sure our solutions are always aligned with what our customers and clients need now and next. We never stand still. When challenges come our way, like the pandemic and the current economic turbulence, we get even closer to our customers to find ways that we can better support them. At times, Royal Mail and Parcelforce must make difficult choices to adapt to the changing world. We are currently seeing that in action, resulting in a dispute with our Union. But we are confident that, ultimately, we are working with the best interests of our customers for today and the future.
Another key point is that Royal Mail and Parcelforce are unique. We serve the vast majority of businesses in the UK, which means we don’t just rely on one sector – we cover everything from healthcare to manufacturing, ecommerce to logistics.
How do you create solutions for a large customer base?
Having such a broad customer base means we can gather insights across sectors. It gives us a wide view on what’s happening in the business world generally, which enables us to create solutions that will meet lots of our clients’ needs. Not only that, but this cross-sector data allows us to see overarching trends quickly and develop solutions that respond to customers’ needs just as they’re starting to experience challenges. Our aim is always to focus on what customers actually want, not what we think they might like – and data is key to delivering on this goal.
It’s worth mentioning that change isn’t new to us. While recent years have been unprecedented, delivery services have been going through a continual transformation. Before the huge global crises hit, we spent 10 years building our capabilities to support more businesses. Having this agility in place means that we’ve been able to respond to changes in demand and customer needs. A great example is our test kit delivery service during the pandemic, which we were able to put in place virtually overnight because we had the networks in position to ramp up delivery capabilities.
In what ways has your sales approach also adapted to your customers’ changing needs?
Embracing change isn’t just transforming what we do, but how we do it. Our customers want to work with us remotely, and, like many businesses, we’ve incorporated digital ways of communicating. The way we approach change is always getting to the heart of what customers really want. So rather than simply using new communication tools, we’ve been working to make all our communication processes more efficient – because we know that it’s ease that customers want from remote conversations.
Customers require more from their salesperson or account manager than just an ability to take an order. They require expertise, insight, advice and support. We aim to provide that as part of our approach.
Our salespeople drive change. They’re the ones who use their conversations to identify opportunities before they become a need, so that we stay at the forefront of innovation in our sector.
A lot has changed for Royal Mail and Parcelforce – what has stayed the same?
While we’re adopting digital sales journeys, we always focus on the human side. Where customer challenges or our solutions are complex, we need to have conversations to gather a deeper understanding. It’s vital that we can gauge someone’s reaction to learn more about their needs and explain more clearly points that are missed.
In a similar vein, maintaining trust with customers will aways be our priority. We need to earn their confidence to be able to have those frank conversations that reveal so much about what they want from our solutions.
What excites you about the future of sales?
It feels as though we are at a pivotal moment in time. Sales as a career is getting the focus and attention it deserves. There’s great new technology on the scene, the business world is in a state of constant flux, and customers need support to survive. Skilled salespeople will use this opportunity to listen closely to customers. It’s their insights that are most valuable in identifying new avenues as soon as they emerge.
Royal Mail and Parcelforce use LinkedIn Sales Navigator to help understand their buyers and the changing trends impacting businesses. Learn more about how the tools can bring intelligence straight to your CRM here
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