Tag: Make sense

What to do when your sales rep leave

Posted on October 22, 2025 by Nas - Be a better manager

Your veteran sales rep leaves. What now?

In most B2B businesses, sales reps are a vital part of your deal pipeline. They’re out there, every day, driving kilometres, shaking hands, building relationships, and keeping the wheels of business turning.

But what happens when your most experienced sales rep leaves? The one who knows every customer by name, every order by memory, and every shortcut in your processes? The one with the little black book with all of that data in it?

For many businesses, that’s when the panic starts. Because, when your sales data lives inside someone’s notebook, inbox, or head, their resignation letter can double as a data-loss – and profit-loss – notice. This is the moment where the difference between old-school sales processes and modernised sales tech becomes crystal clear.

Skip ahead: I want to keep all our customer and sales data in one place

What does a sales rep do in B2B, really?

In the B2B context of manufacturers, distributors, importers, and wholesalers, a sales rep is the bridge between your company and your customers. They represent your brand on the road and in the field. They build trust, resolve issues, gather insights, and keep stock moving. While their main KPI is to take orders, they can only do so by effectively nurturing relationships.

This is because B2B selling is personal. It’s less about flashy ads and more about trust built over time. A skilled sales rep becomes part consultant, part problem-solver, and part relationship manager.

Aside from “sell products” this is what a good sales rep actually does

Customer relationship management: Building and maintaining strong client relationships.
Order management: Ensuring that customer needs are met promptly and accurately.
Market insight gathering: Bringing valuable feedback from the field back to management.
Route planning and time management: Balancing multiple customers, regions, and schedules.
After-sales support: Following up, handling complaints, and maintaining customer satisfaction.
Reports, reports, reports: Data is everything in this game. Especially for sales managers.
Unfortunately, for people-people, this admin-heavy responsibility can be an area of weakness.

When your field sales rep is good, customers stick with them. They trust that rep more than your brand’s adverts, website, or call centre. That’s why, when a veteran rep resigns, retires, or relocates, it can feel like losing a limb.

A great B2B sales rep knows

Who to call when stock is low
Who prefers face-to-face versus email
When to follow up and when to hold back
Which customers need a gentle reminder, and which need a firm nudge

They are the face of your company in every warehouse, retail aisle, and office block they visit. And when they’ve been with you for years, they carry an encyclopaedic knowledge of your customers, from pricing nuances to personality quirks.

Now imagine what happens when that knowledge leaves your business overnight.

The danger of sales data that lives in silos

Here’s the reality in many traditional B2B sales organisations. Sales data doesn’t live in one central, reliable system. It lives in the sales rep’s car boot, their notebook, their laptop, their phone, or worse: in their head.

A few tell-tale signs that your sales data is at risk.

Your rep knows more about customers than your field sales CRM (if you have one).
Quotes and orders arrive as screenshots, phone calls, or scribbles.
The handover process after someone leaves looks like a scavenger hunt.
No one can easily tell which customers are high-value, at-risk, or overdue.
When a rep goes on leave, everything slows down.

This “manual memory bank” approach feels harmless when things are going well. But it’s a ticking time bomb.

So, what happens when your veteran sales rep leaves?

Let’s picture this scenario: Your top-performing sales rep, the one who’s been with you for 10 years, suddenly announces they’re leaving.

They’ve been handling your biggest accounts.

They know every customer’s preferred payment terms, favourite products, and delivery quirks.

And then, suddenly, they’re gone.

What is the ripple effect?

1. Customer relationships stall

Your rep has taken all their (your) customer data with them. Contact details are missing. You don’t even know who’s ordered what, for when, and with whom. Clients who’ve built a trusted relationship with that rep often feel blindsided. They might not even know who to contact next. Without continuity, some may take their business elsewhere.

2. Sales pipeline dries up

This is where the paw paw hits the fan, and your bottom line starts to feel it. Orders fall through the cracks. Opportunities are missed. Reminders aren’t sent. Quotes aren’t followed up. Leads go cold, because only the departing rep knew where each deal stood.

3. Forecasting becomes guesswork

With manual systems, this might not hinge directly on the sales rep, and might be a company-wide issue. However, without complete sales data, management can’t see what’s in the pipeline. Predicting monthly revenue becomes a guessing game.

4. New hires start from zero

Your new sales rep has to rebuild relationships from scratch. They don’t know customer histories, preferences, or pain points. It takes months to catch up, if they ever do.

5. Data security risks multiply

If sales records live in personal devices or spreadsheets, your business data leaves when your rep does. That’s a compliance and confidentiality nightmare waiting to happen.

In short: you lose visibility, profitability, and control, all because your sales system depends on a person, not a modernised process.

Explore: How to modernise and digitise sales

What modernised companies do differently

Forward-thinking B2B businesses have realised that sales continuity is essential for business contingency planning. They don’t rely on what one person knows. They rely on data-driven visibility that keeps customer relationships alive, even when teams change.

Here’s what they do differently.

1. They centralise sales data

All customer interactions, visits, orders, and notes are recorded in one system.
That means when someone leaves, their knowledge doesn’t.

2. They use field sales technology

Sales rep apps like Skynamo give reps the ability to capture everything digitally, from visit notes to orders, in real-time, even offline.

3. They give managers full visibility

Sales managers can see where reps are, what they’re doing, and what customers need. That means less micro-managing, more coaching, and better forecasting.

4. They plan for continuity

If a rep leaves, another can pick up their territory instantly, with a full record of customer data, order history, and upcoming visits already in place.

5. They turn insights into action

Real-time dashboards show trends: who’s buying what, who’s overdue, and which regions are thriving. That allows smarter planning and faster response to market changes.

For you and your business, this is less about using B2B sales software to replace sales reps, but about empowering them and protecting your business from disruption.

How Skynamo streamlines contingency planning

Skynamo was built for exactly this problem.

When you manage a team of field reps across territories, customers, and product lines, consistency is everything.

Skynamo acts as your single source of truth for customer and sales data.

This ensures vital sales and customer knowledge doesn’t walk out the door.

Here’s how Skynamo helps when your veteran sales rep leaves (or before they do)

1. All customer data in one place

Every customer, every order, every visit – recorded automatically. No more guessing who ordered what last time.

When a rep leaves, their replacement logs in and sees the full picture: order history, visit frequency, contact details, and past notes.

2. Real-time visibility for managers

Managers can view rep routes, activity logs, and customer engagement in real time. That means you can reassign territories, follow up on deals, and maintain service levels without disruption.

3. Seamless onboarding for new reps

New reps don’t need weeks of “catching up.” They can see exactly where to start, who to visit, what to sell, and what customers expect. This protects your years of building strong customer relationships with your existing customer base.

4. Data integrity and security (ISO compliance)

No more customer data stored on personal phones or in private notebooks. Skynamo is ISO27001 certified, so your data is centralised, secure, and compliant, even if someone leaves.

5. Automated reporting and insights

Forget end-of-month chaos. Reports are generated automatically, so you can see territory performance, stock movement, and order trends without asking reps to compile spreadsheets.

6. Integration with your accounting or ERP system

Orders captured in Skynamo flow straight into your ERP or accounting system. This reduces admin, stops double-entry errors, keeps stock levels and prices up to date, and keeps everything in sync.

So when a veteran rep leaves, your workflow doesn’t break. Your data stays intact, your customers stay served, and your team keeps selling.

Turn a risk into an opportunity

Here’s the silver lining: Losing a veteran sales rep doesn’t have to be a catastrophe. It can be a wake-up call. An opportunity to modernise how you manage relationships, protect data, and support your sales team.

Because here’s the truth:

The most resilient companies aren’t those who don’t lose key sales people. They’re the ones that use tools to keep running smoothly when they do.

Don’t be left behind. How to future-proof your sales team and business

A few simple but powerful steps can turn your business from reactive to resilient.

1. Digitise every sales interaction

No more notebooks or spreadsheets for order tracking. Capture everything digitally so your business owns the data.

2. Standardise sales processes

Define how reps record visits, create quotes, and log feedback, so your customers get a consistent experience, no matter who serves them.

3. Integrate systems

Connect your sales platform (like Skynamo) with your ERP, accounting, or CRM system. Data should flow automatically, reducing manual errors.

4. Encourage data ownership

Train your team to see data capture as part of their professional toolkit, not as admin. When reps understand the ‘why’, they’re more consistent in the ‘how’.

5. Track sales reps and coach with ease

Track sales rep activity with automated call reports, so you can mentor, coach, and reward as needed.

Use dashboards to identify gaps, trends, and training opportunities. Great tech doesn’t replace great leadership, it amplifies it.

Act now. So that when your best sales rep leaves, your sales keep going

Sales reps are the lifeblood of any B2B business. Their relationships drive revenue, retention, and reputation. But relying solely on individual knowledge is risky.

When that knowledge is captured, shared, and secured through Skynamo, your sales operation becomes resilient by design.

So when your veteran sales rep leaves, you won’t be left scrambling.

You’ll be ready.

With Skynamo, the show goes on.

Don’t let vital customer knowledge walk out the door. Get in touch with Skynamo to see how your sales data, relationships, and team performance can stay strong, no matter who comes or goes.

FAQs

Is Skynamo easy to use? My reps are not tech experts.

Absolutely. Skynamo was designed specifically for field sales reps, people who spend their days on the road, not behind a desk. It’s intuitive, mobile-friendly, and works even when offline, so your team can focus on selling, not figuring out software. Speak to us to see just how quickly your reps can get comfortable with Skynamo.

We’ve tried sales software before, but it didn’t stick. How is Skynamo different?

We know new systems are often difficult to adopt. Therefore, we approach this differently. We prioritise simplicity, transparency, and hand-held onboarding, with hands-on support from real humans who guide your rollout and training. Talk to Skynamo to experience why our customers stick around (and actually enjoy using it).

Why do sales reps quit?

Sales reps often leave because they feel unsupported, bogged down by admin, or lack visibility into how their work drives results. With Skynamo, you can remove those frustrations by giving reps the mobile sales tool that simplify their day and help them focus on selling. Talk to Skynamo to see how easy to use sales tech keeps your top performers engaged and loyal.

What is the #1 reason for failure in sales?

The biggest reason sales fail is lack of visibility, when reps and managers don’t have the right information at the right time. Skynamo eliminates blind spots by capturing all customer and sales data in one mobile app, helping you act fast and stay aligned. Book a demo to discover how visibility turns missed opportunities into closed deals.

How to turn B2B sales chaos into profit

Posted on September 25, 2025 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends), Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Ah, B2B sales. The backbone of businesses across manufacturing, distribution, wholesale, and import – especially where Skynamo HQ is based in South Africa, where reps are dodging potholes in Joburg traffic or navigating the N2’s eternal roadworks to keep the deals flowing.

If you work in B2B sales in these industries, you know the drill: your field sales team is out there, hustling like champions, but back at base, it’s a different story. Spreadsheets that take hours to update, order forms scribbled on paper (or worse, lost in the boot of the bakkie), and stand alone accounting and ERP systems that feel like they were designed by someone who hates sales teams. Sound familiar?

Let’s take a closer look at your B2B sales processes – the manual ones that leave your team knackered and your bottom line limping. Let’s lean in to why those outdated sales systems are the silent killers of productivity (and profits), and how a hardworking B2B sales rep app like Skynamo flips the script.

Skip the queue: Show me Skynamo

Why manual B2B sales processes are a recipe for burnout

Picture this: It’s Monday morning in your Durban warehouse. Your top rep, let’s call him Thabo, has just wrapped up a marathon day on the road. He’s visited 12 customers across the Bluff to Umhlanga. He’s got orders scribbled in a battered notebook, stock levels he thinks are accurate from a phone call to the office, and pricing notes that might as well be in hieroglyphs. Back at the office, your admin whizz, Amanda, is buried under a mountain of order forms, cross-referencing them against a spreadsheet that’s older than she is.

Truth be told? This is barely hypothetical. Many of our clients operated their sales processes this way before Skynamo. This lack of cohesive data, lack of clarity, lack of control is the daily reality for countless B2B sales teams in manufacturing and distribution. Manual B2B sales processes rely on paper trails, endless phone calls, and gut-feel decision-making. And let’s be honest, in a world where your competitors are zipping around with apps that make ordering as easy as fast food delivery, sticking to the old ways isn’t noble; it’s negligent.

You might be interested in: B2B sales: How to close more deals in 2025

The core issue? Fragmentation. Your field reps are disconnected from real-time data.

They’re quoting prices that change by the time the order hits the desk.
Inventory checks? A game of telephone that ends in “Sorry, out of stock – try next week.”
Customer history? Buried in a filing cabinet that’s seen better days, or worse, emailed back and forth in a chain longer than the Wild Coast’s beaches.

For SMEs in wholesale or import, where margins are tight, these ‘quirks’ are eating your market share alive.

The toll on staff is brutal. Good field reps like Thabo burn out fast. That post-call adrenaline crash hits harder when every visit ends in admin drudgery. Studies from Gartner show that over 80% of sales reps fail to hit their targets due to time management challenges – likely due to a heavy sales admin burden. In South Africa, where talent retention is already a hot topic (hello, skills shortage), the risk of lost sales compounds as your sales rep walks out with all their contacts and customer history with them.

Explore: How field sales managers can tackle end-of-year fatigue

And profits? Oof. Manual processes reduce innovation and inflate costs through errors – think duplicate orders, underquoting, or chasing payments on deals that never materialised because the notes got smudged in the rain. For a mid-sized distributor moving R10 million in stock monthly, that’s R2-3 million circling the drain annually. No wonder your cash flow feels strained.

Outdated B2B sales systems cost market share and destroy relationships

Now, let’s talk about those “systems” that masquerade as solutions. You know the ones: clunky desktop software from the ’90s, bolted-on mobile add-ons that crash on 4G, or ERP behemoths that require a PhD in IT to navigate. In B2B sales, especially for field-heavy teams in manufacturing or import/export, these outdated sales systems promise the world but deliver a headache.

For sales staff, it’s frustration central. Training takes weeks because the interface is about as intuitive as assembling flat-pack furniture without instructions. Errors skyrocket. Reps feel micromanaged yet unsupported, leading to morale dips that show in absenteeism and turnover. I’ve heard tales from Cape Town wholesalers where entire teams mutiny over “one more update” that breaks everything.

Profit-wise, it’s a slow bleed. Disconnected systems mean delayed insights: You spot a hot lead two weeks too late, or miss a stock-out that’s costing you repeat business. According to Forrester, more than half of large B2B sales will be processed digitally. For your SME, that’s not just numbers; it’s the difference between expanding that warehouse or scraping by on razor-thin margins.

In B2B sales, where relationships are king, you need a modern sales tool that amplifies your team’s superpowers, not hobbles them.

Explore the best field sales app for sales reps and managers.

How a modern sales rep app revolutionises B2B sales

Alright, enough doom-scrolling through the pain points – time for the good news. Imagine if Thabo could snap a barcode, pull up live stock and pricing, capture an order offline, and have it beam straight to your ERP before he’s even back in traffic.

No retyping.

No “I’ll call you back.”

No drama.

That’s the magic of a modern sales rep app, and in the B2B world, Skynamo leads the charge.

As the top B2B field sales software, Skynamo is the all-in-one field sales and mobile ordering system tailor-made for B2B manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors with reps pounding the pavement. It slashes admin by 50%, boosts sales by 30%, and ramps up productivity by 25% – numbers backed by real users, not pie-in-the-sky promises.

But, how?

Skynamo pulls everything – mobile sales, customer relations, quotes, order capture, inventory smarts, reports, and GPS-powered field tracking – into one intuitive, mobile-first platform.

Full-colour product catalogues with barcode scanning mean no more fumbling through PDFs on a bumpy road.
It works offline for orders, quotes, visit logging, digital signatures, and notes.
Real-time stock availability, pricing details, and multi-pack quantities ensure Thabo’s quoting spot-on, every time.
GPS-optimised routes and auto-generated call reports (visits, time spent, distance, orders) turn data into dollars without the desk time.

And for B2B service teams?

Digital job cards with signatures, photo evidence, timestamps – all offline.
Generate quotes on parts or repairs instantly on-site, support end-to-end installations with warranty shares and training logs.

It’s seamless, reducing those “where’s the paperwork?” follow-ups that eat hours.

And for B2B sales managers?

Managers, rejoice. The desktop version gives you live dashboards and real-time reports on activities, performance, targets, and forecasts. Insights at your fingertips, centralised CRM with customer history, dynamic forms, email integration, and visit images. It’s visibility without the hovering, empowering you to coach, not chase.

The ripple effects? Staff love it. Less admin means more face-time with customers, building those deeper relationships that turn one-off orders into loyal accounts. Profits soar as errors plummet and upsell opportunities pop up like meerkats on the Kalahari. In B2B sales, where deals brew over months, this speed and accuracy can shave weeks off cycles, freeing cash for that next big import run.

Why Skynamo? Because good enough isn’t in our vocabulary

Okay, so there are other sales rep apps out there – so why switch to Skynamo? Simple: We’re not in the business of band-aids; we craft solutions that stick, evolve, and deliver ROI that makes your bank account smile. For South African SMEs in manufacturing or wholesale, where every rand counts and systems need to play nice with local challenges, Skynamo stands out year on year.

Deep ERP integration capabilities. We get it – your ERP is the beating heart of your operation, whether it’s Syspro, Pastel, or a custom beast from the ’00s. Skynamo’s dedicated integrations team has nailed over 700 successful hook-ups with ERPs, inventory, and accounting systems. No risky bolt-ons or data silos here – we’re talking seamless, real-time syncs that minimise errors and maximise uptime. So orders flow from your sales reps’ phones to your stock ledger without a hitch, pricing updating live, and reports pulling straight from the source.
Real support, from real people. Then there’s the incredible after-sales service from our support team. We’re real humans, not chatbots spouting scripted nonsense. No hidden fees, no “press 1 for frustration” – just dedicated teams in Cape Town and beyond, ready to jump in.
ISO-certified for optimal data security. Your data is safe with us.

And the cherry on top? Constant improvements and development based on evolving user requirements. We’re not sitting on our laurels; we’re listening.

User targets that keep you focused, help you hit goals faster and feel in control.
Multi-pack denomination functionality so you can order in volumes your customers want.
Order AI turns WhatsApp messages, PDFs, and spreadsheets into orders – no retyping that WhatsApp special your rep just negotiated over braai.
Skynamo RADAR dives deep into product, stock, and customer behaviour analytics (RFM scoring, team targets) to spot trends before they trend. Profit margins per order line and multi-pack pricing keep your deals sharp.

These aren’t random updates; they’re born from chats with folks like you – reps in the field, managers in the boardroom. As B2B sales evolves, Skynamo evolves faster, so your team stays ahead of the curve, not chasing it.

How to Get Started? Upgrade Your B2B Sales Software Today

Ready to ditch the dusty ledgers and slow systems? First, don’t panic – this isn’t one of those “rip and replace” nightmares. Skynamo’s team works with you to map out your processes, integrate with your ERP (no matter how quirky), and train your team without disrupting the daily grind. The Skynamo Academy’s got your back with onboarding that’s smoother than a body builder’s body.

Start small if you like – pilot it with one team in Durbanville or a single territory in Gauteng. The app’s intuitive, so your reps won’t need a tech degree to get rolling. Most users are quoting and ordering within a day, and managers are pulling reports by week’s end. Plus, with real human support (not some offshore call centre), you’re never left in the lurch.

Cost? I won’t bore you with numbers (mostly because I’d rather you see the value yourself). Head to Skynamo’s pricing page for more on Skynamo monthly, annual, or RADAR options, or chat to one of us directly. The ROI speaks louder than any price tag: think 30% sales growth, 50% less admin, and a team that’s actually excited to clock in.

Talk to a Skynamo expert today.

FAQs

What are the biggest challenges in managing B2B sales teams in the field?

Field reps often grapple with manual processes like paper-based orders and disconnected systems, leading to errors and wasted time. Poor visibility into stock or customer history can also frustrate deals. Ready to streamline your B2B sales? Book a demo with Skynamo!

How do outdated sales systems impact B2B profitability?

Clunky systems cause delays, pricing errors, and missed upsell opportunities, potentially costing SMEs 20-30% in profit through inefficiencies. They also slow down sales cycles, hurting cash flow. Discover how modern B2B sales tools boost profits – schedule a demo with Skynamo.

Why is real-time data important for B2B sales teams?

Real-time data ensures reps have accurate stock levels, pricing, and customer insights on the spot, reducing errors and speeding up deals. This agility is critical in fast-moving markets like South Africa. See real-time sales data in action – book a demo with Skynamo.

How can B2B sales reps improve customer relationships in the field?

By spending less time on admin and more on face-to-face interactions, reps can understand client needs better and tailor solutions, building trust and loyalty. Tools like Skynamo that free up time make this possible. Want stronger client bonds? Request a demo.

What are the 7 steps of the B2B selling process?

The B2B selling process typically includes: 1) Prospecting to identify potential clients, 2) Qualifying leads to ensure they fit your offering, 3) Researching to understand their needs, 4) Presenting tailored solutions, 5) Handling objections with clear responses, 6) Closing the deal with agreements or orders, and 7) Following up to nurture long-term relationships. Streamlining these steps saves time and boosts success. Want to simplify your B2B sales process? Book a demo with Skynamo.

What is the key to B2B sales?

The key to B2B sales is building trust through strong, personalised relationships backed by reliable data and efficient processes. Delivering consistent value with accurate pricing, stock availability, and responsive service turns prospects into loyal clients. Ready to unlock better B2B sales? Schedule a Skynamo demo.

How Field Sales Managers Can Tackle End-of-Year Fatigue

Posted on August 18, 2025 by Team Skynamo - Be a better manager, Build a better business

End of year tends to hit hard, especially when you’re juggling a squad of field sales reps and closing those critical deals. It’s very real: sales managers often feel stretched as EQ and admin collide in the busy run‑up. But you don’t have to stay stuck in that zone.

Bring your team into a clearer rhythm by resetting how you manage and leaning on the right sales tech to ease the load while boosting results.

Jump ahead: The top B2B sales software

How to beat fatigue in sales teams

1. Spot it early, and talk about it

One of the easiest ways to prevent burnout is to call it out. When your reps start showing signs such as low energy, foggy focus, or just being “off”, use that as an opener to ask, “What’s slowing you down?” Shared struggles build empathy, not drama. And you’ll often find that a quick check‑in does more to revive energy than a pep talk ever could.

2. Pause and celebrate what’s working

We’re not talking about scheduled or contrived team‑building; no, this is more about grounding your team in wins, even the small ones. “Hey, remember when you pulled off that tricky account turnaround?” Recalling these moments brings perspective and momentum, and helps repurpose exhaustion into forward thinking.

3. Prioritise ruthlessly, and delegate effectively

Be crystal clear about what must get done this quarter, and what’s safe to let ride into January. Assign tasks based on each rep’s win‑zone, whether that’s follow‑ups, admin, or new business pursuit. Shared clarity on where time should go creates unified momentum and stops everyone from spinning their wheels.

This can be tricky if you have no data to go on, and all you have is gut-feel and recent memory. Sales managers with field sales reps now turn to sales tech to sort through the data chaos, and bring clarity.

Check out: Sales apps for sales managers

4. Set the stage, and let the team run with it

Once priorities are locked in, resist the urge to tweak. Avoid unnecessary meetings and constant check‑ins. This keeps your people focused, while they’re still in the zone. It’s a small shift, but smart space equals sharper performance.

5. Keep healthy habits visible

When the job gets heavy, routines slide. Don’t let them. Promoting healthy habits—good sleep, proper meals, even a brief walk between calls—isn’t fluff. It directly feeds motivation, resilience, and creativity.

How the right sales tech can lighten the load

If you feel like admin is stealing your team’s selling time, you’re not wrong. Studies found field reps spend as little as 27% of their working hours actually selling. That’s almost a full day lost to admin tasks each week.

Here’s how a top B2B sales rep app like Skynamo can help free you from that grind.

Instant visibility and fewer surprises: Track your team’s location and tasks via GPS (with privacy‑friendly options), so you’re informed without micromanaging.
Simplified ordering, dashboards, no data blindspots: Order capture, inventory, customer data, all lives in one place, accessible even offline.
Insight‑driven coaching: Skynamo dashboards show call frequency, average order size, conversion rates, letting you lead with data, not gut instinct.
Execute faster, defer stress: With digital tools keeping things flowing, your team spends less time rewriting orders or wrestling with paperwork, and more on selling.
For your field sales reps: Works offline, full-colour interactive digital catalogue with the latest prices and products, instant on-site ordering, instant reports, so your reps can spend more time selling and less time fighting admin.

Check it out: Best apps for sales reps

Beat the year-end slump. Let the best sales tech do the heavy-lifting for you

As a sales manager steering a field team, your biggest win may lie not in pushing harder, but in working smarter. Set the finish line, plan the chase, and let the right tech do the heavy lifting. You’ll close stronger, and head into the new year with less drag, and more drive.

FAQs

What is B2B technical sales?

B2B technical sales involves selling complex or specialised products, often with a strong technical component, to other businesses. It’s about understanding both the product’s capabilities and the customer’s operational needs, so you can recommend the right solution. If your technical sales team is in the field, see how Skynamo can help them capture orders and data on the spot, even offline. Book a demo today.

What is B2B in tech?

B2B in tech refers to technology products or services sold from one business to another, such as software platforms, IT infrastructure, or industry-specific tech solutions. It’s all about helping other businesses run smarter, faster, and more efficiently. Discover how Skynamo fits into the B2B tech ecosystem by streamlining field sales for other B2B brands. Find out more.

What does B2B sales mean?

B2B sales means selling products or services from one business to another, rather than to individual consumers. It often involves longer sales cycles, relationship-building, and a consultative approach. Skynamo helps you keep those relationships strong by giving reps the data and tools they need, wherever they are. See how it works.

What are the 4 types of B2B?

The four main types of B2B are producers (selling parts or materials to other businesses), resellers (wholesalers and distributors), governments, and institutions (such as schools or hospitals). Each has its own buying patterns and priorities. Skynamo is built to support sales teams across all these sectors with one easy-to-use field sales app. Request a demo.

The ultimate guide to better field sales for building and hardware brands

Posted on July 4, 2025 by Team Skynamo - Build a better business, Sales & Technology (how tech is helping, trends), Building & Hardware Industry, Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Volatile input prices, supply-chain shocks and a customer base that still values face-to-face advice make field sales the make-or-break channel for building and hardware-focused wholesalers, distributors and manufacturers. Yet too many B2B building and hardware sales reps still juggle paper catalogues, outdated price lists and after-hours admin.

This whitepaper outlines a practical, five-pillar framework, backed by data and real-world customer results, to turn an old-school sales field force into a modern revenue engine, powered by Skynamo’s mobile-first platform.

1. The industry landscape

South Africa’s construction value chain is anything but predictable. Research & Markets expects the sector to grow by a CAGR of 2.0 percent during the 2024 – 2028 period, with construction output expected to reach R190.66 billion by 2028.

In stark contrast, a recent industry tracker predicted a 0.5 percent contraction in the industry due to rising material costs and weak residential demand. According to Stats SA, the average construction materials price index climby by 6.5 percent year on year in the first ten months of 2024, and by 6 percent for civil engineering in the same period.

Callout: It is clear that margin pressure and product complexity are climbing for wholesalers, suppliers, importers and manufacturers of building and hardware materials.

Meanwhile, buyers still insist on human guidance before signing a purchase order. According to Deloitte, as much as 34 percent of B2B buyers prefer to buy from companies who are able to provide a good customer experience than from those who don’t.

That reality places a premium on well-prepared, data-armed field sales reps who can land the order on the spot and keep shelves full when supply chains wobble.

2. The top five challenges field sales reps face in this industry

Brands in the building and hardware space face several challenges when it comes to field sales.

3. The optimisation framework

Pillar 1: Data-driven territory and route planning

GPS-enabled sales rep apps show every account on a map and identify your customers’ locations. Skynamo customers report more customer touches with 30% higher quotas when reps plan stops in-app rather than in Excel.

Quick win: Segment customers by revenue and visit cadence; then lock-in “A-tier” stops into the rep’s calendar before anything else.

Pillar 2: Digital catalogue, real-time inventory and dynamic pricing

A single source of truth for stock and price prevents costly back orders. Skynamo’s offline catalogue lets reps quote confidently, even in concrete basements, then syncs once coverage returns skynamo.com.

Quick win: Integrate your ERP to surface live stock levels and automatic “buy-more-save-more” breaks inside the order screen.

Pillar 3: Mobile-first, paperless order capture

When reps capture orders on their phones, they flow straight into the ERP, which avoids finger errors and delayed invoicing. Boltfast’s Managing Director credits Skynamo for “improved visibility of reps in the field and streamlined processes”.

Quick win: Ditch handwritten carbon books; enforce digital signatures for every order to cut disputes.

Pillar 4: Field analytics and coaching loops

Sales managers need more than kilometres travelled. Skynamo tracks call frequency, conversion rate and average order size, and brings to light coaching moments and under-served areas.

Quick win: Run a weekly 15-minute “data huddle.” Share one insight, e.g., customers who haven’t ordered fasteners in 60 days, and set an action.

Pillar 5: Supply-chain resilience

When shortages hit, the winners are those who communicate fast and offer substitutes. Our supply-chain playbook recommends automated stock alerts, alternate-SKU suggestions and route rescheduling, an approach born from the worldwide 2022 disruption lessons.

Quick win: Preload substitute SKUs (e.g., fibre-cement board for gypsum) in your catalogue so reps can pivot in real time.

4. Technology spotlight: Why building and hardware leaders pick Skynamo

Offline capability: Quote in remote job sites.
Granular product images: Reps show customers bolt dimensions and colour options on screen.
Photo proof: Reps upload shelf-display images; managers comment in real time, as Safe-Top’s retail GM notes, turning visual merchandising into a collaborative exercise.
ERP integrations: From Sage and Syspro to Xero, to reduce re-keying.
Advanced Analytics: Out-of-the-box dashboards benchmark reps and highlight dormant SKUs.

Result: Customers that use Skynamo achieve 30 percent higher close rates and 130 percent bigger deals compared with pre-implementation baselines.

5. Your six-step roadmap to field sales excellence

Audit your current sales processes: Capture time, duplicate admin, return rates.
Define KPIs that match board-level goals (e.g., OTIF delivery, margin per route).
Pilot Skynamo with one region or product line; measure lead indicators weekly.
Train and coach reps on mobile workflows and data storytelling, not just button clicks.
Integrate ERP/finance for friction-free order-to-cash.
Iterate using RADAR insights; adjust territories, promotions and training every quarter.

It’s time to upgrade to Skynamo

In an industry where a delayed pallet can halt a multi-million-rand contact, your competitive edge is the speed at which field reps convert insight into inventory on the shelf. Adopt the five-pillar framework outlined here, and support it with Skynamo’s mobile-first platform, and your building and hardware brand can slash admin, raise hit rates and maintain customer loyalty.

Ready to improve market share? Ready to see Skynamo in action? Book a no-obligation demo and discover how Skynamo can help your team sell more, drive fewer miles and out-service the competition, whatever the market throws at you.

Digital transformation of building & hardware suppliers

Posted on May 2, 2025 by Team Skynamo - Building & Hardware Industry

If you’re in the building and hardware sector in South Africa, whether you’re distributing, importing, wholesaling, or manufacturing, you’ll know it’s not business as usual anymore. Digital transformation in building and hardware has hit like a ton of bricks.

It used to be simple. A handshake sealed the deal. Stock was ordered on a phone call. Sales reps jotted down notes in battered notebooks. Catalogues with frayed and worn edges were guarded like gold. But today? The industry is moving at a speed that demands more than tradition, it demands transformation.

The need for digital transformation in the building and hardware industry

The building and hardware sector in South Africa operates in a uniquely complex environment. Fluctuating input costs, supply chain disruptions, load-shedding delays, price-sensitive customers, and a high demand for speed and service consistency all place a burden too heavy for manual, legacy systems to carry.

Manufacturers often battle with visibility into production timelines and raw material availability, while distributors face the daily grind of stock-outs, manual order errors, and lost sales due to miscommunication between sales reps and warehouses. Add to that a geographically dispersed customer base, rising transport costs, and pressure to deliver faster with tighter margins, and the cracks start to show.

This is where digital transformation becomes a game-changer. By digitising sales, inventory, production, and communication processes, businesses eliminate duplication, reduce waste, gain real-time visibility, and make better decisions, fast.

Digital transformation: How it all started: 2000–2010

The foundation years

Cast your mind back to the early 2000s.

South Africa was laying the foundations for internet infrastructure, but truth be told, broadband was patchy at best, and many businesses were just getting their heads around email. In the building and hardware sector, “digital transformation” meant little more than trading in a fax machine for an early desktop computer.

Excel spreadsheets replaced some ledger books. Accounting packages like Pastel crept into offices. But real-time stock control? Mobile data access? ERP integration? Unheard of.

Everyone was still largely operating in silos: the warehouse, sales, finance, all doing their own thing, with a lot of manual reconciliation at month-end. Technology was still just a tool, not a strategy yet.

A new dawn: 2010–2020

The mobile and cloud revolution

Then came the smartphones.

Around the 2010 mark, mobile devices started becoming powerful enough, and affordable enough, for everyday business use. At the same time, cloud computing became viable. No longer did you need your own servers to run serious software.

Sales reps – thanks to early iterations of Skynamo field sales CRM – began using their phones for more than calls. Mobile catalogues, CRM apps, even mobile ordering, this started changing how the field operated.

Suddenly, new possibilities opened up for building and hardware businesses:

Access stock systems remotely.
Issue quotes from anywhere.
Pull reports without being chained to a desk.

But it wasn’t smooth sailing. Adoption was uneven. Some businesses clung to old ways, fearing cost, complexity, or change itself. Others embraced digital tools but found them fragmented: one app for accounting, another for CRM, another for inventory. Nothing really talked to each other.

It was progress, sure, but not integration.

The acceleration era: 2020–2025

Integration, intelligence, and insights

If the 2010s laid the groundwork, 2020 onwards hit the pedal to the metal.

The pandemic forced many businesses to rethink operations overnight. Remote working wasn’t a “future project” anymore; it became a matter of survival. Companies that had already started digitising adapted faster. Those who hadn’t scrambled.

In the building and hardware sector, three big shifts stood out:

System integration: Businesses began demanding end-to-end solutions. Sales, operations, warehousing, and finance needed to sync in real time. Explore: Skynamo integrations.
Mobile-first field sales: Sales reps couldn’t afford clumsy systems. They needed smart apps that made customer visits efficient, orders instant, and updates automatic. Explore: Best mobile sales app.
Data-driven management: Guesswork fell out of fashion. Sales forecasting, inventory levels, customer habits, all became visible through dashboards and analytics. Explore: Advanced analytics with RADAR.

Where once technology had been a support act, it was now centre stage. Digital is about faster admin and even smarter decisions.

Why digital transformation matters now

We’re no longer at the stage where you can dabble in a bit of digital here and there. To stay competitive, operationally efficient, and profitable, you must digitise properly, and purposefully.

Here’s why:

Efficiency isn’t optional: Manual processes are slow, expensive, and prone to error. Automation cuts waste: of time, money, and patience.
Customers expect more: Whether B2B or B2C, your customers demand faster responses, personalised service, and real-time answers.
Data drives growth: Informed businesses make better decisions. Blind guessing is expensive; data-led planning is powerful.
Your competitors aren’t standing still: If you’re not digitising, someone else is. And they’ll be faster, cheaper, and better at meeting customer expectations.
Margins are tight: With inflation, supply chain pressures, and economic uncertainty, every cent counts. Efficiency isn’t a bonus; it’s a survival strategy.

The tools that matter (without the BS)

Let’s talk real-world tools that make an actual difference. Not gimmicks, no sponsored posts, just systems that help you run a better, smarter business:

For sales teams

Unashamedly, Skynamo. For building and hardware businesses with reps in the field, Skynamo is essential.

Reps use the mobile app to place orders on the spot, check stock levels, update CRM data, and even generate quotes, all during customer visits.
Sales Managers back at the office use the desktop instance to track sales activity, plan routes, monitor customer engagement, and pull real-time reports.
Seamless ERP integration means orders flow straight into your backend system without manual capture.

For operations and inventory management

Kerridge K8. Industry-specific ERP for managing stock, sales, purchasing, and customer relationships in one platform. Tailor-made for building and hardware distributors.
Dear Systems. A cloud-based inventory management system, great for SMEs managing complex inventories across multiple locations.

For finance

Sage Business Cloud Accounting. Handles accounting, invoicing, cash flow management, and compliance, with cloud access for your whole team.
Xero. Simple, powerful accounting software suited to businesses that need easy integrations with third-party apps.

For communication

Microsoft Teams. Messaging, calls, video meetings, file sharing—keeping field, warehouse, and head office teams aligned and connected.

For HR and Payroll

SimplePay. South African online payroll system that simplifies compliance with SARS, automates payslips, and keeps your workforce happy and paid on time.

Common challenges on the digital journey

Of course, it’s not all smooth sailing. Businesses face real obstacles when going digital:

Legacy systems: Trying to bolt new tech onto outdated platforms can feel like duct-taping a jet engine to a donkey cart.
Change resistance: Getting everyone, especially long-serving staff, to embrace new systems can be a cultural battle.
Skills gaps: Fancy new software means nothing if your people don’t know how to use it properly. Explore: Skynamo Training Academy
Cost concerns: Budgets are tight. Leaders worry about the upfront investment, even when the long-term returns are obvious. Explore: Skynamo pricing.

The key?
Choose solutions that are simple to implement, backed by local support, and scale as you grow.

So, what’s next?

Looking ahead, digital transformation will continue to evolve. AI, predictive analytics, smart routing for reps, automated re-ordering, these are already becoming realities in forward-thinking businesses.

But you don’t need robots and space suits to digitise your company.

Get the basics right.

Mobile field sales, ERP integration, inventory visibility, real-time data reporting, simple communication tools.

Without these in place, you can’t even begin to leverage the “next big thing.”

A practical approach to digital transformation in building & hardware suppliers

Digital transformation isn’t about chasing every trend. It’s about building a foundation that makes your business faster, smarter, and more resilient.

If you’re in building and hardware today, you need:

Sales teams equipped with mobile sales tools like Skynamo.
Systems that talk to each other.
Real-time inventory, sales, and finance visibility.
Communication channels that don’t rely on spreadsheets and Whatsapp.
Management information that’s instant and reliable.

Transformation isn’t coming.
It’s here.
Explore what that looks like for your sales teams, with Skynamo.

FAQs

How long has digital transformation been around?

Digital transformation has been around in some form since the early 2000s, but it really gained momentum in South Africa over the past decade. For building and hardware businesses, it’s only recently become a competitive necessity rather than a future ambition.

What are the 5 main areas of digital transformation?

The five main areas are customer experience, operational processes, business models, workplace culture, and data and analytics. At Skynamo, we see the biggest impact when businesses connect their field sales operations directly to the rest of the company through smart, integrated systems.

What are the 5 pillars of digital transformation?

The five pillars typically include leadership and strategy, customer focus, operational agility, culture and change management, and technology integration. Successful digital transformation is more than just new tools; it’s about aligning and optimising your people, processes, and technology to work smarter together.

How long does digital transformation take?

There’s no one-size-fits-all timeline. Some businesses see major benefits within a few months, others take a year or two to fully embed new ways of working. At Skynamo, we help our customers start seeing real improvements in sales efficiency and visibility within weeks of going live.

How Smart Tech Transforms Productivity in Cleaning Industry Today

Posted on April 16, 2025 by Team Skynamo - Cleaning Industry

Digital transformation—buzzword or business essential? In the cleaning and hygiene supply chain, it’s very much the latter. Whether you manufacture industrial cleaning chemicals, distribute supplies, or wholesale hygiene products, the right technology streamlines operations and makes businesses smarter, faster, and more competitive.

Thankfully, digital transformation is less about robots and space tech, and more about leaning into available technology for more efficiencies in the workplace. Very doable. Let’s break down how digital tools—from ERP systems to sales and communication tech—can simplify and improve things across your departments.

First, my question to you is, are you ready to clean up inefficiencies and polish your productivity? I couldn’t resist. Let’s dive in.

Manufacturing and Operations: Efficiency from the Ground Up

We all want this: production schedules to run seamlessly, inventory levels to never hit dangerous lows, and compliance reporting to be automatic. Good news: that’s what a modern Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system does. Some examples are Syspro, SAP, or Sage.

So much better than spreadsheets or paper notes, with real-time data on raw materials, machine performance, and production outputs, ERPs eliminate costly bottlenecks. No more last-minute scrambles for ingredients or warehouse pile-ups of slow-moving stock.

For cleaning product manufacturers dealing with fluctuating demand and strict quality controls, this kind of operational visibility is a game-changer.

Sales and Distribution: Smarter Selling, Not Harder Selling

If your sales team still relies on paper order forms, manually updated spreadsheets, or Whatsapp for comms, you’re already losing valuable time (and money).

Modern field sales enablement tools, like Skynamo, give your reps everything they need: pricing, stock levels, customer order history, all on a mobile-first dashboard, even when offline.

The result? Faster order processing, fewer errors, more revenue, and a team that spends less time chasing admin and more time with your customers.

Finance and Admin: No More Number Nightmares

Ever spent hours reconciling invoices only to discover a mismatch between sales and warehouse figures? Digital transformation ensures finance teams work with clean, real-time data rather than drowning in paperwork.

With ERP integration, invoices, purchase orders, and financial reports are instantly aligned. Systems like Syspro ERP help forecast cash flow with pinpoint accuracy, while built-in compliance checks ensure your VAT and tax filings are always on point. More than that, sales tech can even integrate with your ERP system for effortless orders, real-time inventory management, and immediate invoicing. A far cry from sifting through mountains of paperwork.

Customer Service: Instant Answers, Happy Clients

In the cleaning industry, responsiveness is everything. A delayed delivery or a stock error can cost you your contract. But with real-time access to order statuses and inventory levels via sales and ERP tech, customer service teams can provide instant updates, faster resolutions, and proactive problem-solving.

Better yet, automated chatbots and team communication platforms like Slack and Microsoft Teams enable seamless collaboration across departments—so no one is left waiting for an answer.

Warehouse and Logistics: Precision and Speed Combined

With modern ERP and inventory management tools, warehouses operate like well-oiled machines. Automated stock tracking, AI-driven demand forecasting, and barcode scanning mean that inventory counts are accurate, and restocking happens before shortages hit. Distributors and wholesalers can say goodbye to over-ordering and hello to lean, efficient logistics.

The Future is Digital—Are You Ready?

Actually, not to alarm you, but the future is right now. Businesses that embrace technology now will be the ones leading the cleaning and hygiene industry tomorrow. But don’t feel discouraged if your processes are still manual; many first-time Skynamo customers move straight from pen and paper to digital sales transformation with us with ease.

So, whether it’s ERP systems keeping manufacturing tight, Skynamo making sales seamless, or Slack enabling instant collaboration, digital transformation isn’t just about adopting new software—it’s about unlocking your company’s full potential.

Ready to discuss your future B2B sales software and mobile ordering needs?

written by Amanda Mohr (Chief Revenue Officer – Africa, Asia & Pacifics)

Commitment issues? Choose to commit how you see fit.

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Team Skynamo - Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

Do you, sales team, take us, Skynamo, to be your lawfully wedded sales tech until contract do us part?

I do… think that this level of upfront commitment can be quite overwhelming. There is nothing like staring down the barrel of a contract to make even the warmest feet feel kinda cold.

At Skynamo, we want a relationship with potential customers based on choice. Not blind commitment. We want future customers to feel like they have the chance to get to know us first, before they go “all in”.

Introducing Skynamo Monthly

Say hello to our all-new Monthly contract offering.

We hereby offer our customers a level of commitment they are comfortable with. We want Skynamo customers to get the most out of our offering and stay because they love us, not because they have to.

We want them to choose us, not because of the contract they signed but rather the deals they have signed since using Skynamo. We want to be bonded by their growing bottom line, not by a signature on a dotted one.

Love at first sign:

With all the above said and done, sometimes when you know, you know. That is why our month-to-month contract option is just that: optional. Just because we want our customers to choose us, doesn’t mean they can’t choose to commit to us.

Whilst having freedom and options are great, having security and consistency is also a solid choice.

We may be “Mr Right Now” for some, but with those for whom we are “Mr Right” now, we go ahead and happily (and mutually) enjoy the commitment.

Benefits of commitment:

Commitment is scary. Change is scary. But committing to change… makes them both, a whole lot less terrifying.

So, whilst you can choose less commitment, there are benefits to being more committed.

Change management is the ‘couples therapy’ to making any good sales team/ sales tech relationship work. Setting up these new tech system processes with a longer-term contract involved and having this change management practices in place means you are more likely to avoid industry’s high failure rates.

As you are giving your team and tech the time to go through the turmoil of change and come out the other end and be able to deliver results.

So, within Skynamo’s new approach to contracts there is still an incentive to choose a long-term commitment. But the key is; that it is a choice. We want to meet businesses where they are at. As we know nothing in business is one size fits all and you should be able to choose a level of commitment that’s suits your specific business needs at the specific time. Regardless of a customer/future customer level of commitment Skynamo remains dedicated to the success of all of our partnerships and projects.

At the end of the day, whether it’s no strings attached, or a white picket fence you want, we’re confident we will give you the freedom to choose.

Here’s to more sales tech contracts making sense.

For you, and your business.

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.

We are built different

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Team Skynamo - Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

For that reason, we build differently

There is something special about Heritage Month. You can hear the braais sizzling, the eish clinking, and the hadedas hadeda-ing. These are the sounds that call us to come together.

As the whole country physically and metaphorically seems to thaw from the winter season, we celebrate and honour our South Africanness. Over the past year, many notable South Africans have continued to thrive on the field, on our screens, and in our hearts.

But what does this South Africanness look like? Not from the perspective of the headlines, but rather, that of the bottom line?

Local is still really lekker

Let’s face it, we do love us a locally-made product. We really embrace this philosophy, the benefits of buying and supporting local. Beyond the feel-good factor, there is an “if you know, you know” element. There are certain products and services South Africans need, that only a South African could create.

Our braais are built different (don’t come at us with no gas BBQ nonsense). Our beers taste different. And the smell of a pannekoek outside the shops on a Saturday morning, well, that just hits different entirely.

The same can and should be said about the B2B space.

We trade in trust. For reals.

As South Africans, we’ve had our fair share of broken promises. Whether it’s water, or lights or simply saying RIP to your tyres after a trip down a road that’s holier than a Sunday. Let’s face it, we have trust issues.

In fact, in the B2B space, trust is even more important because the deliverables and the services rendered are often intangible. Unlike our B2C counterparts: You buy a t-shirt. There’s a hole in it. You see it is poor quality. Much easier path to enlightenment.

In B2B, your investment is less clear. It might be in streamlined processes, increased sales, decreased risks. And the holes here are a lot harder to see.

So, trust equity is even more of a decision-making factor for businesses.

South African’s build from a place of problem-solving rather than simply product or service creation. So, we hold ourselves to a higher standard.

In SA-to-SA businesses, you’d better believe we hold it to a higher standard than “we hope it works”. It absolutely must deliver on its promise.

We invest in ‘rugged’ solutions. Because South Africa’s a tough country.

We trust certain bakkie brands with our lives, right? They have been built with our needs in mind. They have a reputation for getting the job done, no matter what.

As decision-makers, we are often tempted to look overseas for big-brand solutions. But let’s apply bakkie-thinking when we look for a B2B partner or supplier.

Why? Because most local businesses create solutions for South African problems. So, whilst B2B products and services may not rumble like an engine, taste like a beer, or smell like a pancake, we deeply meet a South African need in a way that no international brand can.

Who better to trust with your business than a business that faces the same challenges as you? On a daily basis. And, more importantly, has overcome these, and can help you do the same?

We proudly share in the mentality that “Hulle weet nie, wat ons weet nie“. But then we trust some of those who are not “ons”, with the livelihood of “ons” companies to “weet“ what we “weet“ they “weet nie”. You “weet“ what we mean?

Simply put, we are built differently. And so, we build differently.

On the sports field, in a factory or around the boardroom, we build from a lifetime of grit, resilience and passion. No one does it quite like we can. We get the value of trust equity, like no one else does.

And let’s be honest, as South Africans our BS radar is in “always on” mode. We don’t like being messed around.

South African-built businesses like Skynamo understand this. In B2B, you deal in trust, not just contracts.

So, how do you know who you can trust? Well, you look for trust cues along the way. Like testimonials, values, case studies, referrals. You find out if the company is still innovating, or if they’ve quietly stopped trying to solve new problems. You ask around and see what others think of a company before you answer their email or book a demo.

Ultimately, you want tech, services and products to be designed with you in mind, and the people you work with to do what they say they will.

And trust, in South Africa, is worth more than anything. Even more so in the B2B space where you engage in intangibles over a long period of time.

Ultimately, that’s why we trust other South African businesses to patch the holes in our business. Because they have learned to create a solution from patching their own.

I like it when you talk foreign

So, to recap: we are built differently, and we build differently. By South Africans, for South Africans. Get it? Got it? Good. Let’s go further.

It’s not only South Africans who appreciate how we are built differently. Beyond the rugby field (where we’re numero uno, as a gentle reminder), South African work ethic, candor and creativity are widely acknowledged at an international level.

Why wouldn’t it be, right? South Africans and South African business are built on resilience, grit and passion. And the most important thing of all we build: trust.

All that‘s to say, next time you’re in the business to do business… make sure it’s a South African one.

Happy Heritage Month, fellow Saffers. You legends!

written by Taylea du Toit (Marketing Manager)

Hulle Weet Nog Steeds Nie Wat Ons Weet Nie

Posted on August 19, 2024 by Team Skynamo - Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

In a world where you can be anything, be South African.

How fitting that as we approach Heritage Month, we continue to celebrate South African success. From outstanding Olympic feats to the rugby fields, to fighting rings – there’s never been a better time to celebrate our heritage. One thing about everything synonymous with being South African, is that the pull of patriotism toward our people often provides relief from the pain of our politics.

So, what if we all decided to pull on this further? What if we all chose to dive into national pride along with those who pioneer it? What if we decided to stand tall, in a world that can often make us feel small?

To quote the ever-resilient Dricus Du Plessis, “They don’t know, what we know.” Presumably, because they never needed to “know it”.

As South Africans, however, many of us face countless opponents before we even reach the battle. We fight, we struggle, we win. Not only because we want to, but because we have to.

So, when one of us wins, we all win. Because most of us, at some level, can relate to the journey it took to get there.

Let’s get down to business

It’s phenomenal to see our sportsmen, our musicians, our people standing in their South Africanness, not shying away from it and getting the acclaim they so deserve. So, perhaps the challenge is for more South African businesses to do the same.

We find ourselves in a digital world that’s created a global village of opportunity. So, SA born-and-bred businesses can continue to grow in reach and influence beyond our borders.

However, there seems to be a misconception that – to grow into the world we aspire to – we must grow out of the one we came from. We must tweak our accents, limit our “ja’s”, and adapt to dollar tastes with rand budgets. Nee man!

As South African businesses, we should take guidance from our champions. Embrace the culture, the courage, the chaos of what makes us, us.

Lean into the accents. Embrace the anecdotes. Align businesses unapologetically to our fynbos-covered roots.

Local is still very lekker

Fact of the matter is…South African businesses are filled with South Africans, and sho, what a strength that is.

Simply put, it’s our people.

Our people who show grit simply getting out of bed in the morning.

Our people who sip on tenacity with their Rooibos tea and Ouma rusks.

Our people who, before even getting to work, have dealt with everything from lights being off to the news being on and all the potholes in between.

The resilience of our people outside our office walls is exactly what drives the brilliance within them.

While resources speak, necessity roars

They say necessity is the mother of innovation.

Well, ja, then we truly must be the motherland.

Our people want for very little but need for a whole lot. This has been the seed of many flourishing innovations, all rooted in the deep need of those who plant them.

We are the birthplace of some of the best technologies and technicians in the world and the irony is that we got used to sitting in the dark for multiple hours a day. But the key here is that we never let the realities of the current world inhibit us from creating a better one. We simply use it as fuel to drive innovation faster.

We create, innovate, and collaborate to find solutions because often we can’t afford not to. It’s this difference in having such ingrained purpose that sets our innovations apart from the rest of the world before they have even left the pitch deck. So, perhaps our most prevalent resource is often our complete lack thereof.

And, when this purpose meets the passion of the aforementioned people, well… let’s just say: they don’t know, what we know, and that’s our greatest strength.

written by Taylea du Toit (Marketing Manager)

How to swipe left on sales fatigue and fall in love with selling again

Posted on February 19, 2024 by Team Skynamo - Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

You’re just a salesperson, standing in front of a prospect… asking them to love your product.

It’s the romantic comedy of errors that can be the selling profession. See the thing is, selling and dating are a dynamic duo of similarities, that frankly we don’t talk enough about. So let’s unpack the parallels shall we?

The Rassie Effect: why your business needs coach Rassie if you want to win

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Team Skynamo - Wholesale distributors and manufacturers

You may be asking yourself, “What the ruck can my business learn from a rugby coach?”

The parallels are more than you would think and the lessons to be learnt more than you can count. From managing teams to tackling traditions, there are many lessons from the field that the boardrooms of South Africa could benefit from applying. So, put down the spreadsheets and pull up a chair.