Lost internet connectivity should never mean your work comes to a halt. Your field sales reps should be able to continue entering orders, and customer information, and continue working productively while offline.
Losing reception is frustrating at the best of times. Whether you’re in an elevator, remote location or there’s a power failure, we have all experienced what it’s like to be left high and dry without proper cell phone reception.
Being forced to work offline should not be a daunting task, yet for so many field sales reps it is. Having a field sales app that works offline should thus be an essential part of your company and reps’ day-to-day life.
What are the benefits of sales apps with offline capabilities?
1. Even more satisfied customers
Not only will your customers be ‘wowed’ with your ability to visit when other field sales reps can’t, they will learn that they can trust your very professional and knowledgeable team of sales consultants.
This is ultimately what it’s all about: being able to take care of your customers’ business needs by delivering a quality service, no matter the circumstances. When your sales team can operate seamlessly in any situation, their skills and expertise will leave lasting impressions on your customers and keep them choosing to do business with your reps over others that come by.
2. Get ahead of your competitors
Field sales apps with offline capabilities put you significantly ahead of all your competitors, who are tied into relying on data or Wi-Fi signals. While they run around trying to find a connection to save their work, you could be cementing that relationship with a potential customer or closing your next big order.
Looking professional and delivering a quality service is ultimately what will make you memorable, and struggling with internet connectivity should be the least of your worries. Offline capabilities mean your service extends beyond internet connectivity, and is solely focused on the customer – something that most of your competition is getting wrong.
3. Much less frustration
Of course, sales apps cannot be 100% offline when, for example, information needs to be sent to or received from other devices. But when all other features are functional offline, it makes for a less frustrating workday.
Offline apps require very little loading time, meaning information is instantly available without any difficulties. Data can be edited or uploaded without internet connection, so there’s no need to try to remember pages of information until you return to a reception area.
You also won’t face any issues of losing the work you did while offline. With offline apps you can record everything you need to save, and move on to your next visit.
4. Stop getting lost
Relying on data or internet connection for your maps can test your patience to the limit. We’ve all experienced running out of data or losing connection when going around a mountain or between buildings. Having saved maps and GPS functions that work offline, so planned routes remain available, should be a tool you give all of your reps. There is no need to face the frustration and humiliation of getting lost on the way to a customer.
5. The solution to longer battery life
Offline apps are less likely to drain your battery. The data is synced in batches when network connection becomes available, instead of continuously. Battery intensive connection attempts in bad reception areas use large amounts of your battery life and waste your time, when you could be visiting that next prospective customer.
A switched-on screen is the most power-hungry element of mobile devices, and screen time is increased while waiting for data to upload and download when in bad connectivity areas.
The question remains, does your field sales app provide you with the capabilities that you need to out-perform the competition and are you providing your sales team with the best tools to grow your business?
Get in touch with Skynamo today and we will walk you through the options that can help you provide the best service to your customers.
