It is often said that “perception, more than reality, drives judgment.”
In today’s interwoven landscape of digital dialogue and instant feedback, the quiet undercurrent of customer sentiment—both online and offline—has emerged as a formidable, if silent, deterrent to two of your most mission-critical functions: Sales Performance and Talent Acquisition.
We universally aspire for our sales professionals to consistently outperform expectations, and for our Talent Acquisition (TA) teams to attract high-calibre commercial talent. These are, after all, the implicit deliverables for which they are recruited.
However, there lies an under-addressed—yet increasingly influential—barrier that subtly undermines their best efforts: the perceived quality of your customer experience and service ethos as articulated through external reviews, digital footprints, and market reputation.
Having observed this phenomenon unfold across multiple organisations, allow me to present some recurring patterns:
- Potential customers now routinely consult Google reviews, industry forums, word-of-mouth endorsements, and social media discussions. These shape perceptions well before your sales team can assert influence.
- Many a promising business dialogue begins with enthusiasm but inexplicably fades after initial meetings—often due to latent doubts triggered by adverse online commentary.
- Candidates—particularly those with strong credentials—frequently disengage mid-process or decline offers after reviewing platforms like Glassdoor, LinkedIn threads, or peer group inputs.
- Meanwhile, pressure mounts relentlessly on the sales teams to meet quarterly targets, and on the TA teams to replenish and reinforce them.
Herein lies the paradox: neither team is the originator of the reputational deficit.
The root causes often lie elsewhere—service delivery shortfalls, inconsistent customer handling, cultural misalignments, unfulfilled commitments, or systemic internal lapses.
Yet it is your Sales and TA functions who bear the brunt of the consequences, quietly wrestling with an invisible narrative that precedes every prospect call and hiring interview.
In many mid-sized and founder-led companies, senior leadership may either be unaware of the intensity and spread of these sentiments, or they may be undervaluing their tangible business impact.
In certain instances, internal teams may hesitate to bring these concerns to light for fear of being misconstrued as making excuses. After all, it is far easier to question effort than to acknowledge external forces.
But make no mistake: these reviews are now central to both the buyer’s and the candidate’s decision-making journeys.
While emphasis on culture, vision, and strategy is undoubtedly essential, it is equally imperative for leadership to ensure that external perception is a faithful reflection of internal intent.
Failure to proactively address this reputational delta is tantamount to inadvertently placing hurdles before our own people—those who are, in truth, striving to carry the company forward.
I humbly urge all leaders to review and reassess your organisation’s customer experience footprint—both in its tangible and digital manifestations.
Let us not allow silent signals to become unseen saboteurs.
In case you are interested in exploring “HOW TO DO IT,”
You may get in touch with me at 7984617782 or alternatively, write to me at choudhary.nrj@gmail.com.
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