Most sales manager dream of a more effective and more efficient sales team. Luckily, every now and then a new tool surfaces that has the ability to nudge that team further in the right direction. Strong sales managers usually jump at this opportunity. These tools are called sales acceleration tools and are by no means a new phenomenon. They are technologies that are designed, or can be used to, increase the velocity of the sales process. The fax, email, even chat applications have all served their part in facilitating better internal communication and streamlining the sales process.
For the last 10 years, CRM technology, providing the ability to analyse customer interactions and data, has been dominating the sales acceleration arena. However, now there is a new kid on the block and it’s called Sales Mobility.
Sales Mobility brings together some of smartest sales acceleration technologies and conveniently packs it into one mobile solution. It incorporates management elements like field staff tracking and business intelligence, as well as practical functions to be used by the sales force, such as on-site order placing and quoting. Sales Mobility allows management to keep track of what is happening in the field and eliminates the tedious administration processes of the sales force. Cloud storage and real time sharing makes it possible for all parties to communicate necessary information instantaneously.
At least, that is what it is supposed to do. As the need and demand for these systems rise, so more and more sales mobility solutions pop up. Even the big ERP providers are jumping in and developing their own versions. However, there are only a handful of players that have managed to create mobility solutions truly worthy of the name.
Here are some tips on what to look out for:
1. Ease of Use:
Logging a call should take no more than a few seconds.
2. Flexibility:
The tool should be flexible and customisable to ensure seamless integration into your unique sales process.
3. Instant Reporting:
A real time view of what is happening in the field will allow complete transparency in the sales process and eliminate waste.
4. Offline Capability:
Zero Cell coverage should not prevent the system from doing its job.