Guided Selling: Finding the Right Product with Targeted Advice

The central idea of guided selling is therefore to guide potential customers quickly and purposefully through the selection process when buying a product. This includes software solutions, such as chatbots, which are equipped with artificial intelligence, among other things. Customers thus receive personalized product recommendations that help them make the best purchase decision for them. As a result, the buying process is perceived as more relaxed — in other words, customer satisfaction and customer loyalty are promoted.

According to an ECC study, around two thirds (66%) of the companies surveyed see a very high to high differentiation potential in the area of experience. Online shops today must develop into worlds of experience in order to inspire and inspire consumers. The experts emphasize that consulting services, among other things, are key elements that contribute to a positive customer experience.

How Does Guided Selling Work: The 4 Steps

The systems that make guided selling possible run according to specific processes. An example of such a guided selling process may look like this:

Step 1: Record Wishes

As a first step, the system determines the requirements and expectations of the potential buyer. For example, it is clarified what kind of product is being sought, which features are desired or what price range the customer imagines. This data is often collected through interactive tools or questionnaires. The more precise the questions, the better the system can suggest relevant products in the end.

Example: A customer is looking for a laptop. Questions such as: “Is the device more likely to be used for gaming or office work? “, help narrow down the selection.

Step 2: Process Wishes

After the customer has formulated their needs, whether as a general reason for use such as a “gaming laptop” or a specific request for a long battery life, the system evaluates this information. It translates natural language requirements into technical specifications such as processor performance, memory size, or hard disk capacity.

Step 3: Recommend products

The potential buyer is now being suggested specific product recommendations. For this purpose, the technical specifications obtained are compared with the available product data on the website. It is not enough to simply filter based on purchase preferences. Instead, the products are comprehensively assessed with regard to all their properties in order to determine their suitability for customer requirements. Should it happen that no product fully meets all requirements, the guided selling system calculates alternatives to provide the best possible recommendations.

Step 4: Make a purchase

Now it is time to really convince the customer and encourage them to buy. For this to be successful, the guided selling system should justify the product recommendations and provide all necessary information. It is important that objective advice is provided so that the customer can build trust and does not get the feeling that they are being pushed to make a purchase. The actually helpful advice also has the advantage of simplifying the buying process, which ultimately leads to higher customer satisfaction and loyalty.

The 10 Most Important Benefits of Guided Selling

There are a few benefits of using guided selling. A managed sale not only makes sense from a company's point of view, but also offers the end consumer significant advantages:

From the Company's Perspective

• Increasing efficiency: Guided selling optimizes the sales process by speeding up customer decision-making. Automated consulting systems quickly resolve frequently asked questions and any uncertainties, which reduces the team's manual workload and shortens the sales cycle.
• Cost savings: Through the Automating buying advice Companies can save personnel and training costs. A well-integrated guided selling system works around the clock and reduces the need for constant manual intervention.
• Improved data analysis: The modern system collects valuable data about customer preferences and buying behavior. This can be used to optimize marketing strategies or to better tailor future offers to the target group.
• Higher conversion rates: Individual recommendations based on customer needs results in higher closing rates. Targeting customer wishes and needs makes it more likely that they will make a positive purchase decision.
• Scalable quality: Guided selling systems are able to process many inquiries and consultations with consistent quality — even during peak phases such as during the Christmas season, on Black Friday or when introducing new products.

Companies are not the only ones who benefit from a guided selling system. Automated buying advice also offers several advantages from a customer's point of view:

From the Customer's Perspective

• More trust: Individually tailored advice strengthens trust in the company and therefore also in the products. Customers feel understood and well cared for, which increases customer satisfaction.
• Appropriate recommendations: Potential buyers receive product recommendations that are specifically tailored to their personal needs and wishes. The buying process is becoming easier and less challenging as customers are more confident about choosing the right product that's right for them.
• More time: Guided Selling Guides Customers Efficiently Through the Selection Process and Thus Saves Them Time When Searching for Products Instead of searching for the right product for a long time, they get fast and Personalized suggestions that are convincing.
• Informed buying decisions: The detailed information and clear advice give potential customers the opportunity to make a conscious purchase decision. The advantage? The information and transparent recommendations provided by the guided selling system create a better understanding of the products.
• 24/7 availability: Whether in peak phases, in the middle of the day or late at night — guided selling systems are ready for use around the clock and can always provide advice.
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Why Does a Website Need Guided Selling?

A company can integrate a guided selling process into the website for a variety of reasons. Here are some of the key reasons:

• Wide range of products: With a large range of products, it can quickly become overwhelming for customers to find the right product. Guided selling can help to reduce this complexity by responding precisely to individual needs.
• Products that require explanation: For example, if a product is very technically complex, it is often impossible to understand it at first glance. A guided selling system can explain the most important functions and benefits of the product here so that customers quickly get a good overview.
• Distinction from other online shops: To remain competitive, it is important to stand out from the competition. Guided selling creates a unique customer experience And individual and targeted advice can set companies apart from traditional online shops.
• Diverse target groups with different demands: In order to serve the wide range of different customers, individual buying advice is required. Regardless of whether you are a price-conscious buyer or a tech-savvy customer — a guided selling system adapts advice flexibly so that every customer finds the right solution for them.

The Best Solution: Guided Selling Using Chatbots

What is the best solution for efficiently integrating guided selling into a company? The answer is: with a chatbot. Chatbots can be used in a variety of ways and thus provide the perfect basis for supporting companies from a wide range of industries. The smart helpers guide customers through various phases of the buying process, which allows targeted advice to take place. Chatbots therefore take on the role of real consultants — just in the digital world.

This is the combination of chatbot and artificial intelligence, as is also the case with moinAI Product advisor The case is, increasingly popular. The Product Advisor collects real-time data through targeted questions and can therefore provide individual, data-based recommendations around the clock. This is particularly beneficial for smaller companies without large amounts of data. So will the Customer Experience Improves and companies benefit from a higher conversion rate, while customers receive tailored advice.

Example of Guided Selling: This is How it Works in Practice

Petromax, a medium-sized company for high-quality outdoor equipment, has already recognized and successfully used the advantages of AI technologies and guided selling using a chatbot. Through this combination of powers, Petromax offers customers a tailor-made shopping experience, where they receive targeted advice and thus find the perfect product.

Instead of searching for the right product for a long time, an intelligent product advisor in chatbot form on the Petromax website guides buyers step by step to the ideal product, such as a Dutch oven. The Chatbot specifically asks for details such as the number of people to cook for or whether the Dutch oven should have feet. Using this real-time data, the intelligent bot provides precise product recommendations.

Conclusion: Guided Selling as an Automated Solution

Guided selling offers online companies an effective and automated way to guide their customers through the buying process in a targeted manner and to deliver personalized product recommendations. Especially with a large selection of products or Products that require explanation Guided Selling provides a better overview and thus creates trust among potential buyers.

By using modern technologies such as AI-based chatbots, advice is also automated and made more efficient at the same time. If you want to learn how to increase your conversion rate with the moinAI Product Advisor, take a look at our Produktseite.

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