Sales and marketing are essentially two branches of the same tree. However, unfortunately, in many companies, the two departments often have an adversarial relationship.

Not only is this counterproductive, but it also harms customer relations.

Essentially, both areas are attempting to do the same thing, namely, sell products. Of course, it goes without saying that few businesses can function effectively without making sales.

But in order to get to that point, a company needs to have in place an effective marketing policy.

Therefore, it is obvious that in order to be successful in achieving that goal, the sales and marketing teams need to work closely together.

In order to understand this point more clearly, it is necessary to define what the role of each team should (ideally) be. 

This is because quite often, the two terms are conflated, and, at times, confused.

Generally, the sales team is responsible for directly contacting customers and persuading them to buy a product.

This can be done in a variety of ways such as cold calling, attending events and holding presentations.

On the other hand, the marketing team will often be responsible for coming up with promotional material, press releases, and will sometimes deal with the media.

They may or may not interact with customers.

It is obvious therefore, that with cooperation, both departments can complement each other and come up with a joint strategy to target customers.

However such efforts will be greatly impeded if the two teams are not prepared to negotiate.

If internal sales and marketing teams cannot forge a working relationship with each other, then how could they be expected to do so with external teams and customers?

It all boils down to communication. It is the lack of communication that causes friction between both teams, as well misunderstandings.

Therefore, individuals in both teams should strive as much as possible to retain open and transparent lines of communication with each other, and build up relationships together.

Arranging socials, and working together on joint projects, with clearly defined roles is another excellent way to improve the atmosphere between both teams.

It also comes down to awareness of brand. Understanding the company's ethos, core branding and key objectives will not only greatly assist in getting that message across to customers, but it will also refocus the energy of both the sales and marketing teams towards a common corporate goal.

Essentially, each team needs to make more effort to understand where the other is coming from, and ensure this is communicated to all of those who work within these departments.

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An effective marketer is one that can eloquently promote and explain the benefits of a product to a customer.

In order to attract more consumers and maintain a solid base of loyal consumers it is important to understand your audience better and tap into their habits and requirements.

Social media has made it much easier to share and disseminate information for free online and is an excellent resource for businesses to tap into.

In fact, nowadays there are so many different mediums that are open and available to firms, that it is now easier than ever to get your messages across.

However, the very nature of social media and the world wide web means that a firm or indeed an individual marketer can just as easily ruin their reputation if they fail to get the basics right.

So how do you avoid the pitfalls and ensure that your promotional campaign gets the desired results?

Below, we have listed some of the main ways that marketers can improve upon what they do.

Research

Although the need to conduct adequate research is a somewhat obvious requirement when it comes to marketing, a surprising number of firms and individuals fail to get this right.

The most disastrous thing you can do as a marketer is make undue assumptions as to what your customers or audiences want.

Ask questions and dig deeper below the surface to identity the pain points, needs and frustration of your customers.

Failing to get at the heart of what it is consumers want is a very severe mistake made by many marketers.

Conduct market research surveys and collect information from feedback forms in order to accurately gauge your audience's.

Show genuine interest in your customers

Showing a genuine interest in people and what triggers them to want to both buy and advocate for a brand will ultimately be the key to your success.

Not only does it help you to gain a much better understanding of your customer base, but it also means you will connect with your audiences on a deeper, more personal level which will help to maintain business continuity over the long-run.

Persistence

As the old adage says: persistence pays off. You are likely to come up against a lot of obstacles and rejections during your career so you will need to have a somewhat thick skin to weather all the hardships.

This is an eventuality that a lot of marketers face, and you should not allow it to put you off.

Solve problems

Ultimately, what all of this boils down to is your ability to solve problems. Your ability to meet the needs of your customers is what you will eventually need to fall back on when it comes to marketing campaigns.

When you coin a reputation as an entity that can resolve the challenges and frustrations that many consumers face, your marketing campaigns will eventually become easier, due to the reputation you will have earned.

Build relationships

Forming relationships with your customers is another key trait of an effective marketer. Your relationship with your clients is something that can last for many years, and is therefore something that should be nurtured over time.

If on the other hand, you repeat the mistakes that many other marketers make and attempt to 'manipulate' or 'trick' your customers, this will reflect badly upon you and cause more damage in the long-run.

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It is fair to say that parking professionals do not have the best reputation with the UK public. 

While this negative perception is often undeserved, it doesn't change the fact that many people see civil enforcement officers and their colleagues as jobsworths who are simply out to take motorists' money, rather than civil servants who work to ensure parking regulations are adhered to for the good of the community. 

Over in Denmark, action has recently been taken to try and improve the reputation of the country's parking professionals. In Copenhagen, a pilot project means traffic wardens will now be required to take on additional duties as tourist guides, as well as keeping the capital city's parking in order.

Thomas Jakobsen, the head of Copenhagen's culture and leisure management authority, told the Copenhagen Post: "We would like to give tourists an even better service when they visit Copenhagen. It should be easy for tourists to get the information they need, so we have asked traffic wardens to share their knowledge of the city and its attractions or just to help out lost tourists."

Jes Øksnebjerg, the managing director at Copenhagen's Center Parkering, added: "The attendants are a group of professionals who are not always greeted with smiles. So when there is a chance for a different type of citizen contact, employees respond positively."

The pilot scheme will involve 11 parking professionals wearing 'ask me' signs in a bid to encourage tourists to approach them for information. If the project proves successful, more wardens will be included and it will be continued into 2016.

Coming to the UK?

So, what does all this mean for parking professionals in the UK? For a start, it is interesting to see how the profession is developing in other countries and while nothing quite so formal has happened in Britain, recent years have seen more of a focus on the customer-service element of a civil enforcement officer's role.

In many parts of the country, parking professionals are being encouraged to provide advice and assistance to the public, be it giving them directions or providing information on traffic issues. Indeed, with the Conservative government having expressed a desire to cut down on the parking charges collected by local authorities, it would not be a surprise to see more of an emphasis placed on the customer-service element of a civil enforcement officer's work.

Time to take the next step in your parking career? Trust the specialists.

Job interviews are all about the preparation. From planning your route to researching the company you're hoping to work for, there are plenty of crucial things that need to be considered.

However, with so much to think about, it can be easy to forget a few basic preparation steps that could hinder your chances of success if overlooked.

Be well fed

You might not have much of an appetite if the thought of your interview has got your nerves racing, but it's important to try and eat something before you get underway. It will be harder to concentrate if you're feeling hungry and there are few things more embarrassing than an audible stomach rumble in the middle of an interview.

If your interview is in the morning, make sure you have a good breakfast before leaving the house. Should the interview be in the afternoon, have lunch beforehand to make sure hunger has no chance of holding you back. Staying hydrated is important too, although most interviewers will provide you with a glass of water or other drink.

Head to the bathroom

Ideally, you should be arriving at the destination of your interview around ten to 15 minutes early. This will give you time to pay a quick visit to the bathroom. There's nothing worse than needing the loo in the middle of an interview to take the opportunity to use the facilities.

While you're in the bathroom, you can also give yourself one last look over in the mirror to make sure you're looking your best. It won't do your chances any good if you go into the interview with a bit of food stuck on your face or a shirt button undone, so take this opportunity to keep you appearance a quick spot check.

Know your interviewer

This isn't always possible, but if you can, try and find out a little bit of information about the person who is interviewing you. LinkedIn is a godsend here, as by simply searching for their name there's a good chance you'll be able to find out a thing or two about your interviewer. Getting to know the person who you'll be speaking to might help to calm your nerves, while it could also provide some useful talking points.

Obviously, you don't want to come across as some sort of cyber stalker, but if you can subtly make it clear that you've done your research on LinkedIn, it will demonstrate you've taken a very thorough approach to your preparation.

Think about how you'll finish

When preparing for your interview, it can be worthwhile to take a little bit of time to think about how you'll finish things off. Make sure to ask when you can expect to hear back and if you haven't had any response by this time it could be worthwhile to get in touch with the company via phone or email.

Another tactic you could try is sending a follow-up email after the interview itself. This should be kept simple, just saying something along the lines of 'thank you for your time' and if you have any more questions do not hesitate to ask. Doing this will keep you in the forefront of the interviewer's mind and makes your interest in the role clear.

The saying "the customer is always right" is one to strike fear into many customer service staff, but the saying is only true from one perspective.

Making the customer think that they are right and them actually being right are two very different things, and distinguishing between the two is one of the finer nuances of customer services.

Those hoping to take their customer service skills to the next level know that customer relationships should never be left to chance, and as such there are some tips that can help people climb the career ladder.

Stay on the pulse

Gauging a customer's happiness level is vital every time you interact with them, whether in person or over the phone. Initiate a quick discussion to determine how they are feeling and, as you begin to build a relationship with a customer, consider offering a short survey or comment card. This can demonstrate to customers, colleagues and competitors alike that you will continually improve your service.

Establish a system of customer service definition

Different staff will have different definitions of what customer service is. While many organisations will assume that everyone is on the same page, not everyone knows the significance of customer service and what it means to customers and the organisation. As everybody has their own interpretation of standards of service, it is important to consult colleagues and adapt your approach accordingly.

Understand customer obstacles

Many employees struggle to remember what it is like to be a customer of their own business, and as such observation is the keyword here - it is important to watch customers' movements and behaviour and look out for key signs, such as whether they are annoyed or bored, and pay attention to their tone of voice or body language, if dealing with them face to face.

Look at the numbers

Data doesn't lie, and so collecting any and all information on customers can be a valuable tool. Using this information will play a pivotal role in keeping customers connected to the organisation, with the aim being to ultimately add value, rather than bombarding them with information. As customers have already shared their information with you, it is important to give something back, which could be anything from a periodic email giving hints and tips, to an occasional courtesy call.

View customer service as a sales driver

The best time to introduce a customer to the greater benefits of a product or service is at the point of sale, and so customer service personnel should strive to fully understand any perks offered, which could be communicated in a comfortable and conversational way. Remember that helpful conversation with a customer is not the same as a sales discussion, so try to speak to customers like an adviser, not a salesperson.

Measure success

Although every business is different, one thing that all of them have in common is the need to keep customers happy and also keep them coming back. As such, determine core customer service measures of success. If you have an established survey method, the results should be used to drive understanding of where you can and must improve. Just remember that measurements must be meaningful and improve customer service, and should not be used for the sake of it.

Whether you work in sales, account management or any other commercial position, the chances are time management is an important part of your role. However, keeping on top of your workload can be easier said than done. With this in mind, we've compiled some guidance to give you a helping hand.

Get your priorities right

The absolute key to successful time management is to get your priorities right. This may sound obvious, but it's surprising how many people fail to do it. Think about all the tasks you have to complete and rank them in order of importance and time sensitivity. Once you've done this you can better establish what you should be working on first and how much time you need to allocate to getting it done. 

Expect the unexpected

In the world of work, you should always be ready for the unexpected. Of course, the very nature of unexpected occurrences makes them hard to plan for, but you can take steps to factor this into your time management. When planning your day, make sure you set aside some time that can be devoted to anything that comes out of the blue. This way you'll be much more prepared and if nothing happens, you'll have a bit of extra time you can use for other tasks.

Eliminate distractions

The internet is great, but it means it's now easier to get distracted than ever before. Email, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn - they can all eat up valuable time if you're not careful. The best way to avoid social media is through simple will power, but you can make things slightly easier by removing any bookmarks to these sites on your work computer. Emails are a harder distraction to avoid and a task can easily get interrupted when you see a new message land in your inbox. One way to get around this problem is to set aside a certain amount of time for reading and replying to emails. How much this should be is dependent on how busy your inbox is, but five to ten minutes every hour is a good place to start in many job roles.

Stay calm

Stress is the enemy of time management. The more worked up you get, the harder it is to stay on top of everything. Indeed, one of the main reasons people get stressed in the first place is because they are not managing their time effectively.  If your workload is getting to you, the best thing to do is to take a little bit of time to calm down and then try and follow the tips above. Once you start managing your time more effectively, the chances are you'll find yourself feeling a lot more relaxed.

The waiting will soon be over. In just a few weeks' time the general election will have taken place and the UK will have a new government. Regardless of who takes up residence in 10 Downing Street, the outcome of the vote will have a significant impact on parking in one way or another, but what has the current resident done for the sector? We take a look below.

Last month, the coalition government released a discussion paper that detailed the parking reforms it has undertaken during its five years in power. It highlighted private parking in particular as an area in which a number of improvements have been made.

These include the introduction of the Protection of Freedoms Act in 2012, which banned all forms of immobilisation without lawful authority and introduced ‘keeper liability', which allows the landowner or their parking management company to pursue the registered keeper of a vehicle if a named driver cannot be traced or denies liability. However, to access such information businesses need to be members of either the British Parking Association (BPA) or the Independent Parking Committee (IPC).

Other reforms the current government highlighted include the introduction of the industry-funded independent appeals services and a limitation of the use of CCTV for parking fines. New grace periods have also been brought into force, while a new right to review parking policies has been established.

So, what does the parking world think of the coalition's achievements? The BPA has suggested little may have actually changed for many parking professionals.

A blog post on the organisation's website stated: "Most local councils have operated grace periods for decades and most if not all of the use of CCTV for parking enforcement occurs at the locations where it is allowed to continue."

"The BPA continues to call for a clarification of the law and believe restrictions in the use of new technologies and management methods are hampering councils’ ability to better manage off-street car parks by ensuring the best use of spaces, improving access for disabled people, introducing user-friendly payment options and reducing operating costs," it added.

The organisation has called on whoever wins the election to clarify the law surrounding the use of new technologies in parking enforcement.

If you would like to voice your opinion on the future direction of parking reform, you can respond to the government's discussion paper here. The document poses a number of questions concerning the sector and you have until May 27th to share your views.

Looking to take the next step in your parking career? Why not let the specialists at Unity give you a helping hand?

Salespeople are increasingly turning to technology to assist them in successfully closing deals, according to new research from Adobe.

The firm analysed the behaviour of individuals working in sales and discovered that technology is allowing more flexibility within deals, which has led to 30 per cent growth in the volume of business secured out of the office, due to staff being able to work remotely.

Adobe's research discovered that traditional methods of conducting business are becoming less popular and many respondents described these as now being unreliable. One-fifth of those surveyed claimed they had been unable to close a deal due to missing documents, while 18 per cent have failed because they haven't brought a pen with them.

More than four-fifths (81 per cent) said that the average contract turnaround is between zero and 15 days, but just one in ten said a deal is normally finalised within one day - something that could be vastly improved with the help of technology.

As many salespeople recognise technology as a vital tool to carrying out their jobs nowadays, 40 per cent of respondents said they are now using e-signatures to secure deals while on the move. Some of the most popular digital practices among this group included file sharing via channels like Dropbox, which was cited by 40 per cent as being useful, web-conferencing (40 per cent) and apps available on smartphones and tablets (36 per cent).practices among this group included file sharing via channels like Dropbox, which was cited by 40 per cent as being useful, web-conferencing (40 per cent) and apps available on smartphones and tablets (36 per cent).

However, there has been great controversy surrounding the use of the cloud to share confidential information about a business and its clients if it isn't an official platform that has been given the green light by the organisation, as this can create a myriad of problems.

Tamara Santiago, senior marketing manager at Adobe, said: "The rise of electronic signatures and associated technologies are changing the industry landscape, and increasingly, we’re seeing customers become more comfortable conducting business via these tools.

"We’ve seen take-up of new technologies jump amongst sales teams in particular, owing to the huge benefits such tools can have on sales workflows. In fast-paced, target-driven sales environments, embracing such technology greatly eases the sales process and frees up time to chase new deals and revenue."

The use of technology among salespeople differs across the country, according to the survey, with London being home to the highest adoption rate of file sharing services at 49 per cent compared to just four per cent in Yorkshire and the Humber. Almost two-fifths (38 per cent) of those based in the capital acknowledged the role of apps in closing deals, while no respondents in the north-east mentioned them.

Adobe's survey also revealed that age was a factor in technology uptake, with the younger generation of salespeople more likely to adopt a modern approach than their older counterparts.

Furthermore, the study demonstrated that while technology is rising in popularity, 52 per cent of deals are closed in the office, while 33 per cent are done in restaurants, 32 per cent in bars, 13 per cent in spas and 12 per cent on golf courses.

Account managers are some of the most in-demand commercial professionals on the market at the moment, with plenty of vacancies on offer. However, competition is fierce and you increasingly need to do more if you want to stand out from the crowd.

So, how can you prove you're a cut above the average account manager? Here are a few common mistakes that many people in the role make; do your best to avoid them and you'll be well on your way to success.

Being hard to contact

Being busy is part of the job description for account managers, but that is no excuse for being hard to contact. Taking an age to respond to communications will irritate clients and colleagues alike and the best account managers give the impression of being constantly contactable despite their heavy workload.

Whenever possible, you should try to respond to an email or voicemail message within one hour. Even if you don't have time to deal with the issue immediately, you can send a response that indicates you are aware of what's going on and will get started on it as soon as possible. 

This can do wonders for your relations with clients and co-workers, as there are few things that annoy people as much as feeling ignored.

Talking a lot, but saying very little

This is a common trap that many account managers fall into - they are experts at talking, but actually say very little. Too many people in the role deal in the vague and talk a good game without committing to any firm ideas.

A truly successful account manager is able to back up everything they say with evidence and detail, meaning meetings and phone calls are rarely seen as a waste of time.

Forgetting the human touch

Another common account management mistake is that people are sometimes guilty of being too professional. You're obviously operating in a business environment and need to act accordingly, but you're still dealing with human beings and the personal touch can go a long way.

Everyone is different and some clients will be happy to chat at length about their personal life, while others will like to keep the small talk to a minimum. A good account manager is able to read these differences and adapt their approach to suit.

Promising the earth

All account managers want to please their client and this is perfectly natural, but it can get you into difficulties if you're not careful. Think carefully whenever making a promise; over-promising and under-delivering is perhaps the single worst thing an account manager can do. This only ever makes clients angry and makes you look incompetent at best and deceitful at worst.

Whenever possible, you should take the opposite approach and under-promise and then over-deliver. Using this tactic means your clients will be pleasantly surprised and you'll look like a star in their eyes.

Parking made the headlines recently, with the government revealing it wants local authorities to ensure a 'commonsense approach' is taken to enforcement. 

This is part of a wider move from the authorities to reform the way in which parking is handled across the UK and will naturally have a significant impact on people working in the sector. 

So, what would the adoption of a commonsense approach mean for those with parking jobs? First, it's important to try and gauge exactly what this means. 

It would seem the main focus of this policy is to prevent local authorities from trying to make a profit from parking fines. The government wants to see civil enforcement officers encouraged to hand out verbal warnings rather than tickets for minor offences and said tickets should be ripped up should the driver return to the vehicle while it is being issued, the Daily Telegraph reports.

"The objective of civil parking enforcement should be for 100 per cent compliance, with no penalty charges," advice from ministers stated.

"Enforcement authorities should adopt the lowest charge level consistent with a high level of public acceptability and compliance," it added.

Patrick McLoughlin said that adopting this commonsense approach will signal an end to the Labour Party's "war on the motorist", while secretary of state for communities and local government Eric Pickles claimed he is “obsessed” with reforming the UK's approach to parking after having a "dreadful" experience with a civil enforcement officer. 

What does this all means for parking professionals? For a start, it suggests a change in attitude may be required. This will probably fall hardest on parking managers, who will need to ensure officers who are used to working in a certain way can adapt to the new direction. Such a process will likely take time, as it is unrealistic to expect people to change the way they work overnight.

While adapting may be difficult at first, it could be argued the changes will be positive in the long term. After all, being less strict with fines is likely to improve the relationship between parking professionals and the public, which is good for both parties. This also seems to be a continuation of a wider transformation of the civil enforcement officer position into a more customer-service focused role, rather than solely enforcement.

While the adoption of a commonsense approach will require some changes from parking professionals, it's important to remember that the end goal remains the same: ensuring 100 per cent compliance with parking regulations. 

If the new way of doing things can help to make this target become a reality, then it should be welcomed.