Hear From the Experts: 8 Tips for Sustainable Growth in 2024

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Growth at all costs is a thing of the past. To succeed in today’s customer-facing world, you need to prioritize scaling sustainably. So what does sustainable growth look like in a sales and customer support context?

According to the latest findings from Aircall’s report, The Voice of SMBs 2024, 64% of small and medium-sized businesses are optimistic about their growth prospects. But optimism alone won't cut it. What actionable insights can sales and customer support teams take from this report to turn their growth aspirations into reality?

This is exactly what four industry experts explored during a panel discussion. Korina Ortiz, Senior Director of Sales at Aircall; Morgan Jacobson, Senior Director at HubSpot; Matt Doyon, CEO & Co-Founder of Triple Session; and Jon Reay, CEO & Founder at Rewrite Digital, delved into the top four insights poised to shape the growth of small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) in 2024.

To drive sustainable growth for your team in the year ahead, let’s highlight the actionable steps you can take.

8 Tips for Sustainable Growth in 2024

1. Identify your foundational growth levers

60% of SMBs are focused on getting the fundamentals right in the year ahead. This means shifting the spotlight from shiny growth metrics to influential (and often hidden) growth levers. A “good” foundation is, of course, unique to each team. Spend time scrutinizing your current situation. Work back from your biggest growth metrics to understand what is truly influencing the bottom line.

If you need to speed up the sales cycle, what processes can you refine? If your NRR is declining, how can you improve the customer experience? If productivity is low, perhaps you need to focus on team morale. Keep working back until you truly understand what is moving the needle at a foundational level.

2. Allow time for change management 

Establishing a new growth culture among your team and wider business is crucial (but not necessarily easy). After decades of big metrics commandeering business news, we must first focus on change management. Take the time to explain the logic behind this new growth mindset. Help your team appreciate what your influential growth levers are and why they matter. 

3. Implement AI slowly

48% of SMBs say AI tools will help drive customer satisfaction in 2024. AI is becoming increasingly more accessible; you can explore its benefits with little to no investment. Yet businesses often don’t know where to start. First, look at what you’re trying to achieve. Then, find the right technology to address your needs. Don’t fall into the trap of adopting a tool simply because it is a current trend.

4. Create buy-in by addressing “boring” tasks first

Implementing AI is only half the battle. Getting your team to adopt and use a new tool regularly is where you unlock the real impact. Think about what admin tasks your team dislikes. Can AI help? Start by testing the waters with AI tools that make their lives significantly easier. Once you have their buy-in, they’re more likely to embrace other performance-enhancing AI features and tools.

5. Embed customer-centricity in your strategy

54% of businesses say that increasing connections with customers is one of the biggest growth drivers. So it makes sense that 72% say they’re focusing on customer satisfaction in 2024. 

Align your growth strategies with a deep understanding of your customers’ needs and preferences. This means reviewing your growth strategy and molding it to complement what you know about your audience. Don’t make assumptions though. Talk to your prospects and customers. Stay on top of current trends. And gather insights from your customer base.

6. Leverage technology to support customer-centricity

Technology can help you become more customer-focused in several ways. 63% of businesses say they need more time to create meaningful customer relationships. By investing in tools that streamline your processes, you’ll free up time for your team to focus more on customer interactions. Technology can also unlock actionable insights to shape a better customer experience.

7. Build your coaching culture

Over 50% of SMBs see upskilling, training, and coaching as intrinsic to growth. Allocate dedicated time for coaching sessions and foster an environment of continuous learning. Aim for incremental improvements (versus one-off training days). Creating a culture where your team is inspired and equipped to better their performance will pay dividends for sustainable growth. This is even more important for smaller customer-facing teams whose reps are responsible for a greater amount of the business’ revenue. 

8. Capitalize on your tech stack to access coaching materials

Your team leaders likely have valuable skills, experiences, and insights to share. In addition, tap into the data and insights available through your tech stack. This information should influence your team’s development plans. Looking at the data, you’ll be able to identify who needs the most support and in what areas (as well as who needs the most celebrating!). 

In Summary

The insights from The Voice of SMBs 2024 paint a compelling picture of growth opportunities for SMBs. By focusing on the fundamentals, embracing customer-centricity, adopting new technologies, and building a coaching culture, sales and customer support teams can work toward sustainable growth.

We hope these insights guide you toward a future where growth is not just a goal but a continuous journey of improvement and adaptation. Explore how Aircall can help you drive business growth and real impact.

Published on February 13, 2024.