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introduced to the decision-makers and then the company will answer theinvitation to tender. n 3. 3. 5. Sales stages in the negotiation processSales involves the actual process of closing deals, converting leads into payingcustomers, and generating revenue for the business. It focuses on buildingrelationships with customers, understanding their needs, and persuading themto make a purchase. Most of the time, especially for a complex solution, clientshave to talk with a salesperson to get more information about the product, tobe convinced that this solution will be the best for them, to be proud of theirdecision (without the risks that were discussed at the beginning of this chapter).Selling a product face-to-face requires good interpersonal skills, a deepunderstanding of the product (e.g. for an innovative product) and the ability todemonstrate how it fulfils the client%u2019s needs in a frugal way. The customer experienceThe customer experience, often abbreviated as CX, refers to the sum of allinteractions a customer has with a business throughout their relationship.The CX is a holistic concept that encompasses every touchpoint a customerhas with a business and how they feel about those interactions. A positiveCX is crucial for building brand loyalty and fostering customer retention.Businesses strive to optimise the CX to increase satisfaction and cultivatelong-term relationships (Pennington, 2017). This can be illustrated with someexamples:Website navigation: imagine you%u2019re shopping online for a new pair ofshoes. You visit a website that is clean, easy to navigate, has cleardescriptions and pictures of the products, and offers a quick and easycheckout process. This smooth and effortless online shopping experiencemakes you feel positive about the brand, enhancing your overall customerexperience.Customer service: you bought a new smartphone, but after a few days,it stops working. You call the company%u2019s customer service. Therepresentative is courteous, resolves your problem quickly, and even followsup a few days later to ensure everything is still fine. This effective andconsiderate service greatly improves your customer experience.Product experience: you purchase a new vacuum cleaner, and not onlydoes it perform excellently in cleaning your home, but it%u2019s also quiet andenergy-efficient. Plus, it came with a user-friendly manual and simplemaintenance instructions. The quality of the product and the ease of usecontribute to a positive customer experience.Post-purchase interaction: after buying a book from an online bookshop,1513.3 Approaches to European Commercialization Practices