Industries and big companies aren’t the only ones that can profit from mobile apps; small businesses and niche markets like the wine industry are benefitting in a big way. Mobile sales apps account for 86% of smartphone use. These compact platforms give wineries a virtual version of their cellar and storefront that can increase their customer numbers and drive sales.
Wineries are a small but key component of the massive food and beverage industry. This means they can still cash in on the gains restaurants have seen through mobile apps. A convenient mobile app that provides sales information, monitors transactions, and maintains a customer database gives a salesperson everything they need to close a deal.
How do mobile apps benefit wineries in particular? Here are some of the advantages:
Allows access to KPIs
Quick access to key performance indicators (KPIs) gives employees a better grasp of their overall job objectives. If job performance depends on scoring high on certain KPIs, it’s smart to have these targets available for reference at any time.
Mobile apps geared for sales productivity display the specific KPIs your sales managers monitor. This includes an employee’s current status relative to each objective. Using the platform, managers can refer to their team members’ current KPI standings. They can also determine the best way to drive sales and close deals.
Structured ordering system
Mobile sales apps for wineries give customers a convenient way to browse the company’s products. An online catalog provides important details such as product description, manufacturing date, quantity available, and price (including shipping). With this information available at a glance, customers can make purchases with just a few clicks. Once the buyer receives a confirmation, they can monitor their order’s status, including shipping and delivery updates.
In addition, customers on the fence can continue to browse to learn more about the company, its products, its history, and its core values. In many cases, when buyers find they share the same values, they become more interested in making a purchase.
Flexible payment methods
Today, cashless transactions are the rule rather than the exception; in fact, 72% of all transactions in 2020 were made with a card or other payment form. Cash and coins are dirty, which is especially top of mind in the age of the COVID-19 pandemic. This gives cashless payment systems a long-awaited boost. In fact, credit card titan Visa reported digital payment system users grew by 79% in 2020 and 84% in 2021. Mobile wallets and QR-based payments are also growing.
Even small businesses are going cashless, as more local shops accept digital payments from a population increasingly comfortable paying with a credit or debit card, or a smart app. Many wineries and other food and beverage establishments already have digital payment systems in place for online orders, so moving these same options to a mobile app meets customers where they already are.
Overall improvement to CX
Customers like attention and ease. For in-store visits, courteous and attentive staff can keep customers coming back. For online orders, intuitive, user-friendly mobile apps can mean the difference between abandoned carts and closed sales.
Users should have a seamless experience when making online reservations, looking for product prices, or finding essential information such as store hours or directions. Some users may be reluctant to create an account with your business, especially for a one-time purchase; allowing guest purchases can keep online carts from getting abandoned and build affinity for your business. Simple payment processes, responsive customer service, and a healthy respect for data privacy can go a long way.
Choose the right mobile ordering app for wineries
Not all mobile apps are created equal. When choosing the right sales software for your online winery, consider the following features:
Seamless ERP integration
Ensure your chosen mobile app can seamlessly integrate with your existing enterprise resource planning (ERP) software so the app can use sales and customer information already on file – and so you don’t have to waste time and resources entering the data manually. Seamless integration also extends your ERP’s use: any transactions in the mobile app easily transfer to the ERP and vice versa.
Insightful reports
Quality mobile sales apps can collect information from sales transactions (including canceled ones) and then analyze the data to generate insights such as projected sales, pain points, and most- and least-profitable products. These valuable insights can give sales and marketing teams enough data to formulate next season’s promotions, strategies, and campaigns.
Accurate orders
Nothing is more frustrating than processing an order only to learn the price or stock information listed is wrong – this can damage your reputation with the buyer. Mobile apps designed to increase online sales should integrate seamlessly with the company’s ERP platform to have continuous access to the latest stock inventories and prices. Ensuring this information remains accurately reflected in the mobile app prevents canceled orders and angry customers.
Data security
Global calls for data privacy and security continue to climb, and online companies should take note. Mobile apps adhering to General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the Personal Data Protection Act (PDPA), and other privacy agreements give customers more confidence when supplying their personal and payment information. Apps proven to keep their customers’ data safe from third-party data miners and marketers will earn loyalty from privacy-loving consumers.
Mobile apps are the future of sales
The pandemic accelerated the adoption of mobile sales apps among the most niche markets. Now is the time for your winery to embrace the convenience and increased sales a mobile app can bring. Choose a mobile sales app that integrates with your ERP, complies with safety and security laws, offers flexible payment options, and provides a great customer experience.
Skynamo’s cloud-based mobile wine sales app gives your field sales representatives access to everything they need to close deals and boost sales for your wine business. We’d love to learn more about your business needs and set up a free demo.
