Shippers are limiting external visits and sales calls to their facilities to minimize any chance of COVID spread to their workforces – which layers additional challenges to building relationships with customers and prospects. Industry events have been cancelled, postponed, or have gone completely virtual – so there are significantly fewer opportunities to meet in-person with customers, prospects, colleagues and partners. And of course, transportation and logistics companies also are wanting to keep safe their own sales personnel as well.
So What’s the Impact on Sales-Related Travel?
During TMSA’s Virtual Town Hall earlier this week, there was significant discussion around the impact COVID has had on sales success. As part of the Town Hall virtual event, TMSA had polled members and asked them about their currently travel policies as they relate to sales. Through the survey, 32 companies responded (59% are 3PLs, 25% are motor carriers, and the remaining respondents were consultants, ocean carriers, port authorities, railroads, and technology innovators).