https://youtu.be/EEK7E43h62g
“Soft skills are difficult to acquire or develop,” noted Benny Szylkowski—director of Scanntech, a company that aims to serve as a link between retailers and consumer goods and service companies—during the conference “Soft Skills in the Digital Age.”
The event was organized by the Department of Short-Term Programs at ORT’s School of Business and Social Sciences as part of the refresher courses in Business Management and Marketing. It took place on Monday, April 25, 2022, in a hybrid format (some participants attended in person, while others joined via HyFlex®).
During the conference, he spoke about how to align soft skills with technological changes.
Adding value through sales
“Companies without sales cannot survive. The world without sales cannot develop, but selling is not easy. You have to be prepared, know how to do it, and be professional,” Szylkowski noted.
He also reflected on how sales have changed over time and with the introduction of technological advancements.
He mentioned that, until World War I, the focus was on knowing the product; then it shifted to functionality (how that specific product works); later, the connection between fear and desire was established (for example: insuring a car out of fear of losing it); and then salespeople began to focus on understanding the customer who would consume that product and seeing what solutions they could offer to address their problems.
In any case, “if you analyze the history of sales, from bartering to today, you’ll realize that, in essence, sales haven’t changed at all.” People are still on the hunt for a high-quality product.
“A sale only makes sense if we add value for the customer,” said Szylkowski.
Continuous improvement
Today, soft skills are essential when it comes to selling. Among other things, the expert highlighted the importance of empathy, sociability, effective communication, active listening, assertiveness, respect for others’ opinions, teamwork, and adaptability.
“Soft skills are difficult to acquire or develop. They are also difficult to measure. Another problem with them is recognition. When you lack a soft skill, it’s hard to acknowledge it—to realize, for example, that you’re not a good listener.”
“For me, as a sales manager who has always led sales teams, it’s difficult to evaluate them objectively. It’s complicated, for example, to tell a salesperson that they lack adaptability. I also find it hard to hear that myself, even though I strive to keep improving. There isn’t a single meeting I leave without thinking about what I could have done better.”
“Soft skills are necessary, but they’re not enough. If we don’t have the right sales techniques, we won’t make any sales. Preparation, training, and all the other necessary knowledge are absolutely essential.”
Szylkowski concluded: “Let’s try to identify which soft skill we need to improve and then do it.”