Category: Build a better business

Why Growing Businesses Need a Sales Rep Tracking App

Posted on November 7, 2025 by Mikayla Wexler - Build a better business, Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends)

When you run a growing business in manufacturing, distribution, or wholesale, there’s one truth you learn fast: sales don’t happen behind a desk. Your sales team is out on the road, meeting customers, taking orders, solving problems, and keeping shelves stocked. And the faster your business grows, the harder it becomes to keep track of who’s where, doing what, and how your customers are feeling.

That’s where a sales rep tracking app becomes invaluable. Not as a “big brother” tool, but as the engine that keeps your field sales team and your business moving in sync.

Skip ahead

The challenge: Growth brings complexity. Complexity can be muddy.

When you start out, managing a few reps with a spreadsheet, WhatsApp group, and email might be enough. But as your sales territory expands and your customer base grows, cracks begin to show.

You lose visibility into who visited which customer, when, and why
Orders get delayed or missed because of manual processes
Reps spend more time reporting than selling
Managers make decisions based on outdated or incomplete data

At this stage, you don’t need more paperwork or more meetings. You need better visibility. And that’s exactly what a sales rep tracking app delivers.

What a Sales Rep Tracking App really does. And what it doesn’t do.

A proper sales rep tracking solution, like Skynamo, helps you understand what’s happening out in the field in real time.

What is it not? It isn’t a nanny cam for grown-ups in the field.

Rather, it brings together all the moving parts of your sales operation into one clear, connected view.

Here’s what the best Sales Rep Tracking App for B2B sales reps does.

1. Gives you a real-time view of the entire sales field

Know where your reps are, not to micromanage them, but to support them. The Skynamo sales tracking app automatically captures routes driven, which customers were visited, and for how long. This allows managers to:

Confirm customer visits without relying on manual check-ins
Identify route inefficiencies and reduce travel costs
Reassign areas or customers based on accurate coverage data

Your reps also gain peace of mind knowing they don’t need to fill in endless call reports or remember where they were last Tuesday. It’s all automatically logged.

2. Gives reps instant access to customer information

When a rep walks into a store, they need to know what’s been ordered, what’s owed, and what’s been discussed. With Skynamo, all that data lives right in their pocket.

View past orders and invoices
Record customer feedback or issues
Capture orders on the spot, even offline

This kind of access empowers your sales team to deliver better service and build stronger relationships, not just push products.

3. Makes reports accurate, up-to-date, with ease

End-of-day admin? Gone. What about Year on Year sales per month reports? A click away.

With every call, order, and visit captured automatically, your reports are always current. Managers can see at a glance which products are selling, which customers are falling quiet, and where opportunities lie.

And because the data is synced back to your office systems or ERP, your finance and operations teams stay aligned with what’s happening on the ground.

4. Helps you plan and forecast better

Growth often means entering new territories and juggling multiple product lines. Without data, planning is guesswork. A rep tracking app gives you the insight to:

Identify under-served areas
Balance workloads across reps
Forecast sales more accurately based on actual visit data

It’s a way to turn field activity into actionable business intelligence.

For managers: Visibility without micromanagement

Who thrives in a micromanagement environment? No one. Every good sales manager knows the value of trust. A sales rep tracking app doesn’t replace that; it strengthens it. You can support your team with facts, not assumptions.

Instead of asking, “Who visited the customer?” you can ask, “What can we do to help them sell more?”

Managers using Skynamo see live dashboards showing team activity, visit frequency, order value, and route efficiency. That means coaching conversations can focus on growth opportunities, not admin gaps.

For reps: Less admin, more selling

Reps are happiest when they’re in front of customers, not filling in forms. Give your reps the mobile sales app that lets them sell more.

Visits are automatically logged
Orders are placed in seconds
Notes sync instantly with the office
Reports are generated without lifting a finger

That’s hours saved every week. Time your team can spend building relationships, cross-selling, and chasing new opportunities.

For the business: Growth without chaos

As your customer list grows, your operations need to scale without losing control. A sales rep tracking app keeps your systems, people, and data connected. With Skynamo, that means:

Seamless integration with your ERP and accounting systems
Reduced order errors and duplicate data entry
Improved cash flow through faster, more accurate orders
Better customer satisfaction thanks to timely visits and follow-ups

Why choose Skynamo

Unlike generic tracking apps, Skynamo is built specifically for field sales in manufacturing, distribution, and wholesale. We understand that your reps often work in rural areas with poor connectivity. That’s why Skynamo works fully offline, and syncs automatically when you’re back online.

We also go beyond tracking.

Our sales platform includes:

Mobile order capture and digital catalogues
Customer visit scheduling and history
Live sales dashboards and performance insights
Integration with leading ERP and accounting systems
Advanced data analytics and forecasting with RADAR
ISO27001 certified security
Enterprise-class sales CRM solutions

Thousands of field reps across South Africa and beyond rely on Skynamo every day to streamline their sales operations and strengthen customer relationships.

Get the best sales rep tracking app – Book a demo with Skynamo today!

A sales rep tracking app is less about tracking your sales reps’ every move, and more about empowering them to sell better, faster, and smarter.

If your team spends more time on admin than on building relationships, it’s time to look at a better way. Book a demo with Skynamo today and see how we can help your growing business turn data into sales success.

Did you get more in 2024?

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Looking back and thinking forward.

With resolutions, mood boards and SMART goals a plenty, the wiff of a new year is in the air. But before we pop bottles, start chanting “3.. 2… 1…” and proudly conclude ‘new year, new me!’, there are lessons from the “old year, old you” not to forget, but on which we should rather reflect.

The definition of insanity

The is a reason that the definition of insanity is “doing the same thing and expecting a different outcome” is an age old adage. While we usually think of this in more personal terms, like getting back with one’s ex or eating another tub of ice cream and expecting not to feel ill again, its premise has a lot of professional promise.

Looking back does not have to mean holding one’s self back. Sure “what got you here, won’t get you there”, but… it still got you here. So, whilst it’s exciting to spend this time of year thinking about goals for 2025, we will circle back to that in the new year. Before circling back, let’s look back. Before we put together beautiful presentations with motivational titles like “Thrive in 2025”, let’s look at how we could’ve gotten more out of 2024.

Is it a joyous occasion to sit around a boardroom table and spend time thinking on what went wrong or what could have been done? No. But I would make sure you have good snacks and some sort of emotional support animal on standby.

In all seriousness, however, it is important.

The reality is that a mistake is only a mistake if you don’t learn from it, otherwise it’s called a lesson. So, rather remove the threat of insanity and reflect on mistakes so as not to make them again. The entire exercise can be the cathartic art of turning mistakes into lessons.

Making what worked, work harder

Looking back is not all doom and gloom, there is also room for bloom. So, get the hard truths, the mistakes turned lessons, ironed out first. Next, you get the chance to revel in all that worked, and strategise on how to make it work even harder.

Let’s face it, 2025 plans, strategies and presentations are essentially New Year’s resolutions in a suit. We are one stock image library away from creating corporate Pinterest boards, as we love to set new goals, new ambitions, new standards, personally and professionally.

New. Newer. Newest.

New is great. But perhaps, sprinkled in with all the resolutions, we should incorporate some thinking around evolutions. Be it product, strategy or team evolutions. What existing elements that are working for your organization, should you build on, rather than start over on?

Data-driven dreaming

Whilst a whimsical sounding concept, it is entirely practical in nature. The reality is, none of the above, whether it’s learning from the mistakes or building the wins, is possible without the historical data to do so.

Whilst reporting is not a romantic concept, when you need it, you will fall in love with the fact you have it. Having a solid system in place to collate your data and provide insights from it, is the difference between thriving in 2025 and barely surviving it.

It is not enough to simply remember what happened in 2024 because, firstly, who could? We are remembering to collect kids, lock doors and whether you turned the iron off. Frankly, who has the time? Secondly, who should?

You should not have to remember exact figures from a 6 month-old sales report. You should have technology and systems in place to do this, otherwise you may just as well have left the iron on.

From proper data, one can dream. One can learn from mistakes. One can set goals. And indeed, thrive in 2025.

Summer Time-Out

Posted on December 4, 2024 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Because the best deserve a break.

Sho! Is there anything greater, than this time of year?

A time of joy and festive cheer.

A time when the weather is great,

A time when we use any excuse to celebrate.

Before we launch into a new genre of thought leadership poetry, enough with the rhyme.

Seriously though, whether it’s the smell of sunblock in the air or Michael and Mariah becoming the soundtracks to our lives again, December hits different.

You wouldn’t push a pull door

Whilst December vibes hit different, they can also hit back. Let’s face it, when the clock strikes December, most people go ‘out-of-office’ long before their inboxes do.

So, pushing for productivity during this period is just that.

A bit of a push.

A push for more focus on ROI than SPF. A push because everyone would rather be working on their tans than on their tasks. A push because there’s this “its 5 o clock somewhere” vibe that transcends time itself.

So, here’s a radical idea: don’t push. Pull. In fact, dive right on in. Submerse yourself, your team and your tasks in all the sand covered, ice-clinking goodness that is December.

Setting your team up to sizzle and not fizzle

Sounds ideal, right? Just diving into December with the same reckless abandon of a beach trip on Boxing Day.

But there is nothing quite like the sentiment “January profits are made in December”, to go straight from easy breezy to queasy. However, fret not, whilst this is true in many regards, one could and should stretch this thinking.

You have a full 12 months to set yourself up for future success. You have had all of 2024 to help you start off 2025 with a bang. Not just the last 31 days of it. 31 days, as mentioned above, during which your team is either literally or at the very least mentally OOO.

Because you know what’s worse than sunburn in December? Burnout. No amounts of aloe vera will help you with that.

But let’s look forward and not backward, hindsight can be 2025. So, use this time to think about how you can create a 2025 so strategic, so effective, that come this time next year, your team is sizzling and not fizzling.

Work smarter, not harder.

Make decisions, choose technology, choose structures that enable you to begin with “the end in mind”. So, by December 2025, your team can be taking a break instead of breaking down.

To the sizzlers

To those of you, the converted, the tech-stacked and strategy-jacked, the smarter not harder workers among us. You’ve put the jingle sells into jingles.

We see you, we salute you.

You have gotten more out of 2024 and now you get to celebrate that. May your out-of-offices be funny and may your pool days be sunny.

Less is Mo’re

Posted on November 7, 2024 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Sometimes it’s as simple as that.

We live in a culture that’s all about more. More hard work, more hours, more sales, more emails, more meetings. More, more, more. What if, just for a moment we gave “less” a try.

More hard work

The journey of overdoing “more” is paved by buzz words and zeitgeisty business trends. We hear things like “high performance culture” and we think we must do more to reach these heights. And sure, growth is needed, abundance is great, big fan of expansion.

However sometimes if we apply – dare I say it – more foresight, we may see that there is such a thing as too much “more”.

We do more but think less.

We stress more but achieve less.

We‘re more busy but less productive.

If all we do is add more to our diaries, inboxes and cortisol levels, we may eventually end up doing more, but achieving less.

They call all of this more-ness, ‘busywork’

/ˈbɪzɪwəːk/

It’s defined as “work that keeps a person busy but has little value in itself.”

That thought terrifies me. It feels like I might be gaslighting myself into thinking I’m productive when I’m actually just busy.

However, think about it. The more I do, the less I strategise and plan and see the bigger picture. I add more targets, I add more team status meetings, I add more presentations.

And, my day clogs up, and I feel very productive. I do this almost mindlessly. It would take more thought to intentionally plan my day and clear my diary, but with the intention of achieving more.

Feels very Mark Twainish in its irony.

“I didn’t have time to write a short letter, so I wrote a long one instead.” -Mark Twain

I don’t have time to think about working smarter, so I’m working harder.

Think about it. Let’s say you want to sell more in Q4 than Q3. Logically then, we need to do more customer visits, we need to sell more products, we need to work more. Which adds up. Makes sense.

So, we add on zeros and percentages and green and red arrows to our target spreadsheets, and we rationalise that more effort means more profit.

But…

The art of less

I know this heading sounds like something a lazy person would say to rebrand laziness. But what if we said we want to achieve more in Q4 by doing less.

Now, this requires more thought. This requires the art of strategic thinking. This requires rethinking. Questioning the way we do things.

Not just asking can we do more? But rather, can we do better?

It’s like the saying, “What got you here, won’t get you there” (thanks Marshall Goldsmith). If you think of work through a ‘journey to destination’ lens, it’s easy to think we must just put our heads down and walk more to get further. When actually, if you just look up, there was a shorter path all along.

Work smarter > Work harder

Words to work by. Live by. Think by.

To do less by thinking more, is all about a smarter way. It’s not the ‘easy way out’. But it is easier, thanks to technology.

We live in a digital age whereby technology can not only help us find a shorter path but also help us find the right path.

Technology can ease the burden of work a little, so we can think more. It can do the tasks, the admin and even provide the insights. Rather than spending our time, skillsand resources on collating information, we can spend it on applying that information and on learning and growing from it.

Now, that’s smart.

Access to less

As we have established, it’s initially easier to just “do more” to get more, while the idea or process of trying to get more by doing less can seem overwhelming. So, how does one do it? You give yourself time.

Take time to rethink and re-strategise your process. Time to consider if there is a way to implement technology, or any other options, that can simplify these processes. Make them more streamlined.

If the answer is ‘yes‘? Which it will be. Say yes to whatever helps you achieve more with less.

The Ripple Effect of Stock and Pricing Changes on Your B2B Sales Team

Posted on June 22, 2022 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends), Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Sales can be volatile, particularly in today’s economy. The cost of stock and its availability can change swiftly, which makes it difficult for sales teams in the trenches to close deals or deliver the promised goods.

How do you measure business success?

Posted on January 5, 2022 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Every entrepreneur’s dream goal is to develop a revolutionary product and strong brand to attract and provide value to customers. However, in order to do so, you need to establish and follow the key ways to actually measure your business’s success.

Choosing the right software for product sales

Posted on November 17, 2021 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends), Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Choosing the wrong software can be incredibly frustrating. It ends up slowing you down if it’s cumbersome, complex, difficult to use and not fit-for-purpose. If you’ve decided to buy, then here are seven key features we believe makes for the ‘right’ sales software for B2B product sales:

SARAH RICE: Taking on the next pandemic: mental distress

Posted on October 20, 2021 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends), Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

We must look at how we can help co-workers to be resilient and stay engaged in these extraordinary times.

How to ensure your business outlives ”you”

Posted on September 30, 2021 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Planning for the future of your business once you are no longer at the helm may be one of the last things on your to-do list, but it shouldn’t be. All businesses will experience a transition at some point, and making sure that you have a system in place for business succession helps to ensure longevity and stability even when you are gone.

‘Best-of-Breed’ vs ‘Single Platform’ sales tech: which is better?

Posted on August 24, 2021 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends), Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

At a glance it may seem like choosing a best of breed platform is the simple answer to all of your problems. However, we can forgive you for thinking so off the bat.

Skynamo, PoPIA and your personal information (South Africa)

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Servaas Hofmeyr - Build a better business, Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends)

Mandatory compliance with South Africa’s data protection law, the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA), has come into effect.

POPIA ensures that we use your data only for the purposes for which you shared it with us. It places various legal obligations on responsible parties (in this case Skynamo) to make sure only employees who need to handle your information do.

Skynamo commits to complying with regulations for all data we collect contractually from customers, as well as data individuals provide via online forms or manually at live events.

How will Skynamo go about staying POPIA compliant?

Skynamo believes that organizations must treat compliance as an ongoing business process. Compliance is not a ‘once-and-done’ box to tick but a commitment that must be actively upheld.

South Africa is gradually moving towards stricter protections, with a ‘soft’ version of POPIA coming into effect on 1 July 2021. As far as we are aware one cannot be POPIA certified, as there is no audit and certification body. Once this becomes a possibility or requirement, we will seek certification.

Where can I learn more about steps Skynamo has taken to be POPIA compliant?

Our Skynamo and POPIA document is available here. It’s an organic resource that will change over time as we improve our understanding of how POPIA impacts our internal processes and those of our customers.

We view this document as an ongoing discussion that explains the steps we have taken—and plan to take. It ensures we continue to comply with POPIA. You will find the contact details of the appointed Information Officer, responsible for overseeing Skynamo’s data protection program and ensure POPIA compliance, in this document.

Successful POPIA compliance relies on broader measures being in place

Compliance to POPIA and ensuring that the actual protection of personal data ultimately relies on an organisation’s broader data security measures.

Skynamo has implemented and will maintain appropriate technical and organisational measures, internal controls, and information security routines. These measures protect customer data from accidental loss, destruction, or alteration, as well as from unauthorized access, disclosure, or unlawful destruction.

Skynamo became one of a relatively small number of tech providers, globally, who is ISO 27001 certified. This means Skynamo adheres to strict security controls and policies for the protection of personal data. In order to remain certified, Skynamo undergoes an annual maintenance review. It assesses whether our security procedures are still updated according to International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standards.

Please consult the Skynamo and POPIA document for more information and answers to your most urgent questions here.

5 Dangers That Typically Sink Family Businesses

Posted on June 21, 2021 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends)

A family business can be great. You’re working with people who are closely related to you, which means solid trust is built right into the business. Even giants like Walmart and Berkshire Hathaway are prime examples of family businesses.

According to the US Census Bureau, nearly 90% of all businesses in the US are family businesses. But this doesn’t mean that family businesses are always smooth sailing. There are many dangers, some so serious that your business could go bust.

To help you identify and navigate these pitfalls, we’ve put together this guide.

Dangers to a family business

1. Running the business through emotions

One of the biggest mistakes you can make while running any business is managing it through emotions, and this is an even greater danger in a family business.

Getting feedback or criticism from your peers is challenging in itself, but when it’s coming from your family, it can strain and stretch relations and even sink your business. Emotions can also hinder your decision-making capabilities.

The situation becomes even more vexing if you’re directly managing a family member, as each word has the potential to be misinterpreted and can affect both your personal and professional life, so tread carefully.

2. Failure to implement efficient business tools

To improve the efficiency of any business, it’s important to leverage business tools, especially when it comes to sales.

Sales need to be monitored regularly and you need to have a detailed snapshot of who is getting what done.

Deploying an efficient field sales management software solution such as Skynamo, means you can seamlessly monitor your sales. This will help each family member understand how their efforts, or non-efforts, are affecting the company.

This can push them to take ownership and also helps avoid potential conflicts that may arise, since the evidence is there for all to see, and no one can say they’re being picked on.

3. No formal succession plans

Nearly every family-owned company leader hopes to pass the baton to another family member when the time comes. Fulfilling that hope, though, can prove to be surprisingly difficult.

Only about 30% of family businesses make it through to the second generation and about 10% of them manage to last until the third. However, for a business to sustainably move from the first generation to the second, you need to have a formalized succession plan in place.

Yet only 34% of businesses have such a plan, which is dangerous: the death of an important member could leave your business in a precarious position, and the power vacuum might lead to clashes with the family.

That’s why it’s absolutely critical to outline a succession plan and communicate the same with all your family members. This will ensure that your family business will be able to survive even the worst of the stormy sessions that usually bedevil succession.

Learn how Chantal Deacon Daniel (WD Agencies) had to take over their family business due to unforeseen circumstances, and managed to do so seamlessly thanks to the right technology.

4. Nepotism and personal bias

Personal biases can alienate your employees and coworkers, and is a particular danger if you’re running a family business where ‘outsiders’ are working too, and certain family members are seen to be favorites.

Employees just won’t see any opportunities to grow in your organization, and you may lose them, or productivity may drop.

Ensure you treat everyone in your company on merit. You should avoid nepotism at all costs and afford equal opportunity to all your employees.

5. Family Conflict and Disputes

A family feud – whether personally or professionally motivated – can lead to a complete collapse of trust that can shake the very foundations of your business, and create a toxic working environment.

It’s critical that you address these issues and solve them early. Leaving them to linger in the hope that the situation will resolve itself could have dire consequences for your business.

Don’t wait for your family business to blow. Book a demo today and gain clarity on and control of your business while maintaining the family harmony.