2 min read
It’s a fact. Mobile technology significantly improves the quality of field sales management. Tablets and smartphones are becoming essential tools for sales forces that want to excel by closing more deals – and increase profitability. Mobile-based technology, used effectively, helps you perfect conversations with your customers on a daily basis, and automate a large part of your sales activity.
Here are some of the more obvious reasons why: mobile devices are intuitive, user-friendly, visually attractive, cost less than a laptop and have more durable batteries. Tablets make selling more efficient because you can take them on sales calls out in the field. You therefore have lower printing costs and, with one click, can engage customers with presentations that are rich in content.
According to Gartner, sales automation systems for customer collateral, sales presentations, and ordering systems are among the top 10 business application categories a tablet can bring to sales negotiations. And yet, it’s predicted that by the end of 2014 only 20% of sales organisations will regard tablets as the leading mobile platform for sales forces.
Does that figure seem a little low to you?
The service ForceManager offers is based on this very technology. Learning to sell
with the help of a tablet and/or smartphone has so many advantages, we’ve decided to try and convince the doubters. Investing in mobile technology is synonymous with productivity, innovation, differentiation – in short, with sales success. Here’s why:
Enrich your presentations. Yes, you can continue using the classic catalogue that summarises your product features… or you can wow potential customers with an interactive, tactile presentation that updates statistics in an instant, and send additional material directly to your customer by email.
Which sounds better to you?
Tablets are not just screens for displaying your message in an attractive way. When you integrate all the benefits of the internet, real-time updating of your CRM and the features of a good tablet, you offer an added value that will genuinely engage your prospect.
Benefit from on-the-spot content. The state of mobile enablement, a study by Corporate Visions and SAVO, reports that three-quarters of respondents believe that deploying content and training to sales teams in the field using tablets, would increase the success of product launches and the use of marketing messages.
Now more than ever, companies need to seize opportunities to become more visible. Mobile technology facilitates the use of messaging, both within the company and with customers. It also gives you access to attractive content that supports your sales pitch.
Cut down on admin. All data is recorded in the software you work with. You can consult it in real time, adding information via the device. In a matter of seconds you can update your entire database and synchronise it with that of your colleagues, leaving you more time to pursue new sales opportunities.
Capitalise on technology expansion. The tablet market is continuing to expand significantly, growing by 53.4% in 2013 compared to an 11.2% decrease in the PC market. B2B companies, it seems, are not following the trend. Only 23% of sales and marketing professionals say their companies are equipped with tablets, and 82% don’t plan to innovate with the solution. That’s a lot of companies losing out on a fantastic opportunity.
Is your company one of them?
Bolster your strategy. These sales tools concentrate large flows of digital data, in addition to analysing that data. Which is why it’s important to have a good CRM based on mobility. The challenge then comes in using this information to design a strategy that drives your sales force to an optimum performance.
You can personalise the content of your offering, focusing on opportunities specific to your customer. And armed with a high level of knowledge and with technological support, you’ll become a sales consultant par excellence.
For more information check out Selling more with mobile solutions, by Accenture.
