I’ve heard many leaders and business owners express concerns about declining new business.
Most of the revenue now comes from existing accounts and reduced margins even when deals are won.
Despite offering quality products, reliable delivery, strong post-sales support, and competitive pricing, the issue persists.
In my experience of focusing on improving B2B sales metrics, I’ve uncovered some unfortunate insights into these issues.
One of these is the prevalence of ‘Courier Sales Reps’ in nearly every company.
Who is a Postman/Courier Sales Representative?
Though the term is self-explanatory – The term Postman/ Courier Sales Representative refers to a type of salesperson who operates in a transactional, delivery-focused manner, similar to how a postman or courier delivers packages
These folks are essentially “order takers” who typically don’t add significant value in customer conversations (Because they don’t have the right skills/ knowledge).
Their approach is primarily product-centric, emphasizing features, price, and delivery, with limited understanding of the client’s broader needs or business goals.
They often rely on standard pitches and product knowledge, responding mainly to the client’s stated needs rather than uncovering deeper requirements or challenges.
Difference Between Postman Sales VS Consultative Sales Rep
| Aspect | Postman Sales Representative | Consultative Sales Representative |
|---|---|---|
| SALES APPROACH | Transactional - focused on delivering the message or product. | Relationship-driven - focused on understanding client needs and providing solutions. |
| CUSTOMER INTERACTION | Brief and often one-sided. Mainly centered around product features. | Engaging and two-way. Asks questions to understand challenges and goals. |
| UNDERSTANDING OF CLIENT NEEDS | Limited understanding. Relies on a standard pitch and product knowledge. | Deep understanding. Invests time in learning about the client's business goals and pain points. |
| VALUE PROPOSITION | Product-centric. Emphasizes features, price, and delivery. | Solution-centric. Highlights how his solution solves specific customer problems. |
| NEGOTIATION STYLE | Price-focused. May offer discounts to close the deal. | Value-focused. Negotiates based on the overall value provided. |
| FOLLOW-UPS | Often limited to transactional follow-ups. | Continuous follow-up to ensure client satisfaction and explore further needs. |
| CLIENT RELATIONSHIP | Short-term; Client perceives them as a vendor. | Long-term; Aims to build ongoing partnerships and repeat business. |
| PROBLEM-SOLVING | Reactive approach. Addresses issues as they arise. | Proactive approach. Anticipates challenges and offers pre-emptive solutions. |
| KNOWLEDGE OF INDUSTRY | Basic knowledge; sufficient to explain the product. | In-depth knowledge; uses industry insights to tailor solutions to the client’s needs. |
| ENTRY IN THE BUYING PROCESS | In the later stage of the buying process. When client is clear about the need and the solution. | Usually in the early stage of the buying process. When client is at the problem definition stage. |
| COMMUNICATION STYLE | Directive; tells the client what they should buy. | Consultative; collaborates with the client to determine the best solution. |
| CUSTOMER EXPERIENCE | Product-oriented; the focus is on the transaction. | Experience-oriented; aims to enhance the client's overall experience. |
| SELLER’S CREDIBILITY IN CLIENT’S MIND | Remains the same or reduces after every client interaction. | Increases with every interaction. Customer wants to buy, and the seller is respected. |
There are multiple factors that contribute to shifting an organization’s sales culture away from Postman selling.
I hope the comparative view above can help in self-diagnosing whether any of your sales reps exhibit traits of a Postman Sales Rep.
Assess if your sales team is functioning like "Postman" or "Consultant"
Sales Team Assessment
Discover if your sales team functions more like a Postman or a Consultant.
Want to Solve Your Sales Bottlenecks Affecting Your Revenue Growth?
Request a 100% free “no obligation” sales consulting call where we will understand your current sales challenges and help you with proven methods to boost your sales and revenue.
(Already 100+ B2B companies have seen growth in their sales and revenue)
