Why is Virtual Reality is Important?
Virtual Reality (VR) training is a relatively new concept for business and you don't need to look far to find that VR is a superior medium for learning. For those that can see past all the hype, VR should be understood for it's ability to influence cognition as it finds it's place in the world. But why is this important to Sales Enablement?
The Emerging Sales Enablement Function
Every business unit needs to understand that Sales Enablement as a strategic function to a Sales Organisation. Gartner says the objective of Sales Enablement is to provide salespeople with what they need to successfully engage the buyer throughout the buying process, but this statement is over simplified. Sales Enablement connects marketing, sales, learning and development and operations. Triaging the flow of information in both directions, Sales Enablement acts as the central control system for organisational direction, much like the neural networks in our brains control movement in the human body.
Bridging the Sales, and Enablement Gap
Sales Enablement is far from an exact science, it's still a developing function with a long way to go. As of 2021 businesses spent US $66 billion a year on Sales Enablement, yet 90% of all marketing content still goes unused. In series of interviews from 2022, Dealplay found that most sales leaders and sales enablement leaders didn't see eye to eye. This was largely due to a lack of data validating enablement activities and because enablement executives didn't have a direct relationship or understanding of customer challenges. They also can't associate with the challenges that sales people face everyday. This is a gap that is gradually closing and like everything else, technology will have its part to play.
Engaging Learners on an Emotive Level
People learn faster and retain more information in Virtual Reality compared to classroom and desktop formats. This isn't new information. The game changer is the ability to engage learners at an emotional level that is experience based. Now for the first time organisations can have a two way connection with their people through experience.
To really understand this, take a component that salespeople are enabled with and think about how it might be delivered through an experience as opposed to just theory. Organisational values, cascading goals, selling tactics and methodologies, DE&I (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion), on-boarding and basic skills for new starters. The list goes on and the result is a far more connected sales force that pivots more effectively to to information.
Summary
It is uncertain who will step up and close the sales enablement gap, however it is clear that the organisations who get it right faster will reap the advantages.
To help businesses understand the impact that virtual reality in sales, Dealplay offers a program to get started and validate it for yourself. Click here for more information.