Choosing the wrong software can be incredibly frustrating and end 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:
1. Data Analytics
Data is fast becoming a fundamental part of every business process. You rely on accurate and comprehensive data to make smart decisions. Make sure your software solution includes advanced data analytics features that enable easy capturing of all relevant data during the sales process.
Having data that is hard-to-find or misinformation can be excruciating to deal with – do you want your team spending time looking for crucial information, which they should have at their fingertips, or actually making sales? We thought so.
2. Sales Activity Reporting
It’s important to have sales activity reporting that tracks customer engagements and product sales so you can make sure reps are putting in the right amount of effort with each customer to maximize the profitability and effectiveness of their engagements. Also, a centralized view of all engagements with a customer makes it easy for other reps to take over an account and carry on where the other rep left off if a rep is sick, on leave or leaves the business.
Unsuitable sales software won’t facilitate good communication. Good communication and the simple transfer of information between sales reps, managers, the finance team, and warehouse managers help to ensure that things run smoothly.
3. Order and Invoice Processing
From order placing through delivery to payment, sales software should be able to manage every interaction with customers right from when they place an order or inquire about products, to delivery and payment.
Don’t let poor mobile optimization stop you. Your reps aren’t always in the office, with access to great Wi-Fi. They need something that will work when they’re out on the road, in often less than ideal conditions, and they want something that will work first time, every time.
4. Inventory Management
The ability to view inventory as products are being sold is a very important feature of sales software – this can often be achieved through integration with existing inventory management or accounting packages. This will help sales representatives to reduce shortage costs, time and out-of-stock administration.
The wrong software may not allow for integrations or automation, which means it won’t improve productivity for outside sales reps. The ability to be productive requires focusing on important tasks, while tedious processes are taken care of through automation.
5. Integration with Other Software
Speaking of integration, the true power of sales software really comes alive when integrated with your other business software like inventory management and accounting software. This harmonious connection does away with duplicate data entry and errors caused by manual processes, which are time-consuming to use – and to correct.
Software that will integrate seamlessly with all the platforms you use is a must-have, so that you can easily access accurate data that’s constantly updated from your office or out in the field.
6. Customized Form Management
You need sales software with the flexibility of a library of pre-designed, templated forms, plus the ability for you to build an unlimited cluster of your own forms – such as health and safety requirements, contracts and signing, competitor insights, and customer visit information – to enable you to capture and report on the information you need to make savvy sales decisions and to coach your team.
Limited customization, with a one-size-fits-all approach, just doesn’t work. Every company, every sales team, and every customer has unique needs, and an off-the-shelf CRM won’ cut it.
7. Mobile First and Ease of Use
If you have a team of reps visiting customers regularly to replenish stock, make new sales or collect information, you need to ensure they have access to all the information they need at all times via a mobile device. It also needs to be built for mobile users, so it’s easy for them to capture orders and information, and access accurate information – even if they have no internet access.
Sales software needs to be easy to use – otherwise it won’t get used. It’s about easily accessing data, at the right place and time, for the sales conversation to be strong and confident.
“When comparing our achievements to that of industry colleagues who don’t use Field Sales software, we’re certainly outperforming them. Our reps have also increased their daily visits from around 3 to a consistent 8 since we’ve gone digital.”
We believe that field sales software should be a solution to aid businesses. It shouldn’t be a tool that adds to the complications and frustrations. If your sales rep app is creating more problems than solutions, then it may be time to make a wiser choice.
Chat with a Skynamo team member today, to discuss exactly what you and your team need in a field sales software.
