Chapter 5. Automating the Sales Force

Article

Building Relationships Computerized Sales Support
CSS Functions Center around	Productivity Information Customer Support Communications
The Salesperson's PC becomes	a tool to help salespeople conduit for information
Hard Benefits	increased revenues lower costs
Soft Benefits	Confidence in information Greater sense of professionalism Can do presentation that could not be done before

Introduction
Companies are under pressure to reduce costs and increase profits	Daily cost to support a field salesperson	$500
	Cost of an average sales call	$250
	Salespeople are spending more time	travel reports meetings
Sales force automation (SFA) has become a competitive necessary SFA combines automated sales support integration of sales data SFA encompasses technologies, both hardware and software, tailored to the sales function CRM is the next step up from SFA

Virtual Office
account information order forms pricing sales presentations e-mail	Allows salesperson to function as though the customer came in to the office.

Components of Sales Force Automation Systems
Product performance Customer performance Market performance Territory performance Salesperson performance Promotion performance		Sales analysis
Territory Management	Sales territories formerly developed by hand Can respond to changes in the territory environment Mapping software is not easily integrated Maps will be linked to census data via TIGER codes (Topographically Integrated Geographic Encoding Reference)
Outbound systems Inbound systems Support systems Customer qualifying and prescreening		Telemarketing
Teleprospecting	Generate leads Qualify prospects Lead follow up Automated scripts Automated routing Automated call back
Special presentation software Low cost projectors Customized on the spot Digital camera usage		Sales presentations
Disk-based sales presentations Video CD Floppy Zip Drive Catalog		Components
		Content Structure Interface Aesthetics
Software makes great looking proposals easy		Sales proposals
Customer service	Product lines more complex Customer needs more diverse Information needed Faster More accurate More detailed Products Prices Orders
Customer buys through dedicated line Many applications moving to the web Many integrated with CRM		Computerized ordering
Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)	Links buyer and seller Information flows both ways Reduce paper consumption Eliminate data entry errors Speed up transfer of business information Facilitate "Just in Time" processes There are two main formats for the transfer of business documents ANSI X.12 which is used mainly in North America UN/EDIFACT which is used worldwide. There are also older national or industry specific standards which are still in use.

Implementing EDI Steps to be considered
Management Commitment	EDI is a part of your Business Strategy Its not a Technology It must have management direction.
Determine Benefits	Quantifiable business objectives with respect to	New Revenue
		Revenue Retention
		Cost Reduction
Assess Your Current Situation	Your present costs of paper based transactions Your present capability for EDI
Identify Your Needs	Get more information on EDI Determine what external assistance you will need.
Prepare an Implementation Plan	Roles	Deliverables
	Timelines	Budget
	Responsibilities
Manage the Plan	Conduct frequent review meetings to determine progress.
Review the Results	Did the outcome meet your expectations?

Implementation
The pilot program
Select Test Personnel	Use a treatment group and a control group
Training Test Personnel	2-3 days Focus on tasks that will payoff right away
Software Application	Off the shelf may work
Backup Support	Hardware and software What can go wrong, will go wrong
Software
Vendor reputation	Postsale services Upgrades Tech Support
Software Functionality	Sophistication Customizability Corporate Fit Upgradability Compatibility with other software
Software Pricing	Multi user pricing Network versions Support packages
Hardware
Desktop and Laptop PCs	Good desktop under $1000 Good laptop under $2000
Pad or Tablet computers	Software should be compatible
Wireless Technologies	Bluetooth
PDA's	Catching on fast
Implementation Pitfalls
Responsibility without authority Failure to define information needs Automating a flawed manual system Inadequate planning Failure to win top management support	Overlooking the people Ducking the "Big Brother" issue Uncontrolled departmental rivalries Bypassing the pilot test Scrimping on training and support

Summary

Momentum for SFA is building rapidly
Free-fall in prices of personal computers
Laptop computers that are portable, light-weight, and powerful
Intense competition
Consensus that computers can contribute to improved customer service
SFA will continue to enhance the salesperson’s ability to satisfy information needs
SFA is redesigning the sales office of the future – selling without the sales force may occur more and more often
Future technological advances will bring increasingly new developments