Well, we’re glad you asked. Because here at JobFLEX, we firmly believe mobile technology is the key to improving your already-stellar sales team’s effectiveness.
Last month, we detailed the ways your small-to-midsize firm could empower your sales staff with mobile technology. But maybe saving over 800 hours per year and increasing organizational collaboration wasn’t enough to convince you of the effectiveness of mobile technology. In that case, here’s the first in a two-part series on how our favorite form of mobile tech, tablets, will skyrocket your sales team’s productivity, increase your quote conversion, and impact your bottom line.
For part one, let’s focus on the front-line sales team bringing in the business.
Tablets increase productivity
Consider life before the cell phone. You set an appointment with someone and you show up; they’re not there. You wait a while, then decide to head back home. There’s a message on your answering machine saying they can’t make it; sorry for the late notice! Hours wasted.
What was it like for the sales process? In addition to the threat of no-shows, sales calls used to be a time to find out more information and make a pitch, so your salesperson could head back to the office and put together an estimate. Add in drive time? This process resulted in a follow up requiring hours of work. And if you’re late to the party? You might not get to play.
Consider this instead: tablets loaded with mobile estimating software, accessible with or without internet connection. Efficiency = achieved. Tablet quoting software allows for immediate quote turnaround – critical to quote conversion. In fact, JobFLEX users reported a 10% increase in quote conversions and a staggering 85% reduction in time spent stuck in the office shuffling paperwork in order to make the quote happen.
Argument: But my sales team isn’t tech savvy! Ah, you’re in luck! The best of mobile apps designed for in-the-field quoting, like JobFLEX, are ridiculously simple to learn and easy to navigate. Your team will never feel old school when it comes to mobile tech again.
Tablets provide instant access to the right tools and resources
In a study conducted by Profitable Channels and published in a report entitled “Best practices in mobile sales enablement”, the company found that sadly, 30 hours per month are spent by each individual salesperson just searching for and creating sales materials. What’s the opportunity cost of this time? The time and effort the same person could be using to touch customers and make a sale.
How can tablets solve this problem? Simple – with the right software. With an app like JobFLEX, all of the assets and information needed to devise a quote and/or make a sale are within a tap on the tablet. This includes, but certainly isn’t limited to, pricing and material lists, databases of outside vendors and distributors, and easy contact info for coworkers. Among JobFLEX’s features is its specialized Mobile Sales Hub, with easy-to-access sales content all in one place. It’s like a notebook of cheat sheets for your salesforce.
Argument: But it will take forever to set up! Not likely. If your business has been in the sales scene for even a small amount of time, you’ve got a head start. Besides, the upfront work of updating pricing and materials lists is well worth the payoff when your sales team has them at their fingertips. Don’t just take it from us – let our customers tell you how they’ve implemented JobFLEX in a matter of days to get it working for their organizations.
Tablets improve happiness
A lofty promise, right? Let us explain: salespeople like selling. Yet sadly, the role of salesperson has grown to include so much more than the core task. In fact, the sample questioned in the Profitable Channels report indicates salespeople are spending less than 30% of their time actually making sales calls with potential customers. Add up cumbersome paperwork, data entry, and information gathering, and you’ve got yourself some unhappy campers.
When provided with everything they need at their fingertips, though? Your sales team can spend more time doing what they love with less effort, and you’re guaranteed to see satisfaction (and therefore retention) soar.
And if your business can generate more sales? We’d venture to say everyone is going to be happier.
Argument: But my sales team LOVES paperwork! Um… nice try.
Tablets impact your bottom line
The equation is simple. Greater efficiency = increased productivity, and higher satisfaction = improved retention.
When time is freed up to focus on the sale, more proposals are generated. Generating at least 1-2 more proposals per day with better quote conversion… well, you see where we’re going. It’s time to figure out the potential for tablet use in your field.
Stay tuned for Part II, where we’ll highlight the impact of utilizing tablets on the customer experience.
