Sales teams are enjoying similar benefits to sport teams as they embrace GPS technology, recognising the positive impact it has on their team culture and sales success.
The sporting world has embraced GPS tracking
GPS technology has been adopted by a variety of sports with profoundly positive effects on team performance and player well-being.
The accurate measuring and tracking of player movement throughout the game, enables coaches and medical staff to manage and coach players optimally.
GPS was first used by Aussie Rules Football as early as 2004 but has since spread to other sports such as Rugby and the NFL and NBA in the States, as it proves its potential to help coaches prepare better and players perform at higher levels.
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Improved coaching
Coaches use GPS to track players during games and in training. Data feeds are monitored from the touchline in real time. One of the biggest advantages is that it helps coaches prepare players for games without exhausting them.
Devices are able to measure a number of physical factors impacting each player during a game or training session. Data is broken down into various categories, including standing still, moving, type of movement, rate of movement, and impact. Coaches immediately recognise when a specific incident affects a player, when fatigue sets in, or when a certain type of game plan might be taking too great a toll on their players. They are able to adapt their strategy to conditions and better utilise their players.
GPS data enables technical analysts to better understand the physical nature of the game and create conditioning programmes for players to adequately prepare their bodies for matches. “GPS helps us to manage load in training. We monitor their thresholds to keep players fresh for games.” – Will Douglas, Munster Rugby sport scientist.
Players are looked after individually
GPS technology allows sport medicine practitioners to develop position-specific conditioning and rehabilitation programs.
Historical data gives players better insight into the physical requirements related to their position. Each player understands which aspects of their own game need improvement and what they need to work on to maintain good fitness and prevent injuries.
This information is invaluable to coaches, as they can pick the optimal performing team at any given time, and guide the existing team to optimal performance.
Coaches are able to assess and manage each player more strategically, preventing burnout and unnecessary injuries.
The only drawback reported during the development of this technology, was that it was initially hard to collect the data in stadiums and indoors. This has now been improved, and no player movement goes untracked anymore.
Managers, coaches and players understand that more accurate tracking leads to better performances, and ultimately an improved team morale. More transparency means that players and coaches share goals, have each other’s best interests at heart, and work better together because of improved trust within the team.
Are sales teams any different to sport teams?
Sales managers, like sport coaches, want their staff to be at their best and deliver the finest results at all times. Sales reps, like sportsmen and sportswomen, love operating at their full potential and enjoy being empowered to do so.
Companies that integrate GPS tracking into their everyday sales operations experience similar benefits in terms of better strategic planning, improved morale, and reaching sales goals.
Better route planning means less time on the road
Skynamo’s GPS features not only eliminate the need for manually compiling call reports, but also help reps with route planning by giving them a mapped view of their customers’ geographical locations.
“Those reps who embraced the Skynamo app now swear by it as it makes them more efficient and effective in their planning and their calls rather than taking a shotgun approach.” – Mike Giltrow, BED Holding CEO.
Read the full BED Holding case study here…
Sales coaching made easy
Protekta Safety Gear‘s Ernst Gottschalk (sales manager) has greatly benefitted from Skynamo’s daily sales reports he receives every morning. He’s able to read through field activities from the day before, seeing exactly which customers were visited, what questions arose during those visits, whether customers were actually there during visits, and whether specific follow-up visits are required.
“We can see from the feedback received whether the correct questions are being asked and if consultants are doing product demonstrations. It helps with providing quality visits instead of merely a great number of visits,” says Gottschalk.
“We are able to help our sales consultants be more proactive in their engagements with customers. We’re helping them to be actual consultants. By guiding each other on the right questions to ask, we can collectively figure out what customers need and come up with solutions to problems,” explains Gottschalk.
Read the full Protekta Safety Gear case study here…
Reps enjoy better support
“The GPS features guide us to our destinations in the most effective way and on those occasions when you do get a bit lost, you’re sure to find your way to a customer in time. Because my manager and I are always on the same page about where I’m at and what is happening there, they are more involved and able to support me in a useful manner from the back-office,” assures Brandon Rix, Interstat Sales Rep.
Watch the Interstat sales rep testimonial here…
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Transparency is key
In addressing the negative connotations surrounding GPS tracking in sales, and the potential risks involved, Aigerim Berzinya (Marketing Director at Turtler GPS Ltd), highlights the importance of transparency in the adoption process.
“It’s so pivotal for any company to be transparent with employees about any intention to begin monitoring them. They should be fully open about their reasons, and how they will use any data gathered.
A workforce that feels trusted, respected, and motivated will be far more productive than one that doesn’t.”
Above we see examples of sales teams who are enjoying similar benefits to sport teams as they embrace GPS technology, recognising the positive impact it has on their team culture and sales success.
Are sales teams any different to sport teams? Is something preventing transparency and trust from becoming a reality within your sales team?
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Related article: How to Become the Sales Coach Your Reps Need
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Report: Learn How the Trust Gap is Sabotaging Field Sales
Sources:
1. How GPS technology is changing rugby
2. How GPS devices have changed rugby
3. How GPS, drones, and apps are revolutionising rugby
4. Ultimate Rugby partner up with wearable GPS tracker Playertek
5. Using technology to monitor NFL athletes
6. NBA teams using GPS tracking devices on players