How to sell more without finding more customers

Winning new customers will always matter. But growth doesn’t always have to start with a new prospect.

Before you put all your effort into looking for your next customer, it’s worth looking again at the ones you already have.

Their businesses don’t stand still. Teams grow, working patterns change, more services move online and reliable connectivity becomes more important. In other words, the service that was right for a customer a few years ago might not cover everything they need today.

That’s where you can provide the value they’re looking for. And it’s a great reason to have another conversation.

Start with what’s changed

You already know how your customers work, what they rely on and, in many cases, what they’re planning next.

That makes it easier to spot when their needs have changed.

Maybe they’ve added more people or opened a new site. They might be relying more on cloud services, worrying about what happens if their broadband goes down, or struggling with a phone system that no longer suits the way they work.

It doesn’t have to feel like an upsell for you to offer them something better. The aim isn’t to sell every customer an additional service. It’s to understand what they need now and make sure what you’re providing – and what you could provide – has kept pace.

Look for the gaps

Regular conversations with your customers are important here. They help you uncover opportunities that might otherwise be missed.

If connectivity is critical to their everyday operations, for example, ask what would happen if their main connection failed. 4G backup can provide a secondary connection through a mobile network, helping to keep them online if their broadband service goes down.

If their business has grown or the way their teams work has changed, ask whether their existing phone setup still works for them. CloudComms can support anything from a single business line to more advanced call handling across teams and locations, with users able to make and take calls wherever, however they’re working.

And if their reliance on their connection has increased, standard business broadband might not be the right fit anymore. A leased line could give them the dedicated connection they now need.

The important thing is the trigger. Growth, new sites, more employees, increasing use of cloud apps, concerns about downtime or changes to working patterns can all be signs that it’s worth having a wider conversation.

Why existing customers are worth another look

Winning a new customer takes time and effort. And of course it’s worth it.

But with an existing customer, there’s already a relationship in place and you already understand how their business works.

That doesn’t mean the sale is automatic. You still need to maintain a relationship and prioritise their needs. But it does mean you can start the conversation with a clearer idea of what those needs are.

Done well, it works for both sides. Providing more of the services a customer relies on can make life easier for them, while creating recurring revenue for you.

So instead of being the company that provides their broadband, you’re also the person they turn to for help with connectivity, cloud, communications and resilience.

More than broadband

When a customer needs more, you don’t need to look elsewhere to provide it.

Zen’s wider Partner portfolio gives you more ways to support your customers through the same supplier relationship.

That might mean adding 4G backup for resilience, introducing CloudComms when a customer needs a more flexible way to manage calls, or exploring a leased line for a business that needs more from its connectivity.

Our Leased Line Quote Tool (LLQT) gives you a straightforward way to explore leased line options when one of those opportunities comes up.

So you can broaden what you offer without adding another supplier to manage, while continuing to work with the Zen teams, support and service you already know.

Where could your next opportunity come from?

Growing your business doesn’t always mean adding new customers.

Take another look at the ones you already work with. What’s changed since you first started supporting them? Where are the gaps? And is there something else you could provide that would help make their business work better?

You might find your next opportunity right there.

If you do spot one, speak to your Zen account manager. We can help you explore the wider portfolio and find the right option for your customer.