Improving Sales Force Productivity through
Mobile Applications

Can you imagine a sales rep working today without a Smartphone? Sales reps have been using these devices for years to enable them to be more productive when they are on the road. While initially used to handle email from the road, companies are now looking to develop customized applications ("apps") that streamline their sales force business processes and enable the sales force to improve productivity and be more effective wherever they may be on the globe.

Customized apps have been developed to manage sales force marketing collateral and deliver tailored, on-the-fly presentations to prospective customers. Some have been developed to enter orders, process applications or capture and share information with the enterprise during or directly following sales meetings. Still others utilize GPS technology and market databases to locate attractive nearby prospects and plan productive travel days. Whether you operate in a B2C, B2B, or even B2B2C environment, mobile technology can be leveraged to improve the effectiveness and ROI of your sales investment.

The Challenge
Developing a stand-alone app is relatively straight forward given the flexibility of the common IOS and Android operating systems. Certainly sales reps have no shortage of ideas on what can make them more effective from the road, and given the opportunity will source their own non-standard solutions. But there are a number of critical decisions companies must make to ensure the use of mobile technology delivers the desired results:

5 Questions to be Answered Before Developing a Mobile App

1. What capabilities are required of the mobile app(s) to generate the highest success rate and adoption? Which ones should I invest in?
2. Should I integrate my mobile apps with our other enterprise systems? How?
3. Which devices and operating systems will I support for mobile operations?
4. How will I keep our valuable, sensitive data secure in a mobile world?
5. How will I measure the results to ensure our investment is profitable?

Most companies have learned the lessons and risks of investing in technology on a piece-meal basis to develop point solutions that operate independently from other enterprise systems. To develop and deploy effective mobile applications, determining when and how to integrate those mobile apps with enterprise systems (CRM, ERP, Business Intelligence, etc.) is critical.

Companies must think strategically about which operating system and devices they will support. While Apple pioneered the app concept with its iPhone and App Store, in just a few short years Android devices have overtaken the iPhone as the top Smartphone platform. Apple still enjoys top market share for its iPad tablet PC, but might other devices knock it off its perch in the future? Given the fragmentation and rapid evolution of the market, determining which device(s) and operating systems to support requires careful thought and a well-developed strategy.

The Solution
Adroit has developed a comprehensive approach to mobile applications that addresses the challenges and ensures that your forays into customized mobile applications are successful. This approach allows organizations to develop a mobile application quickly, get payback sooner, and leverage the knowledge of our experts in sales operations and CRM technology:

The Mobile App Development Process

Explore: Utilize our rapid Accelerated Solutions Workshop™ approach along with quantitative survey techniques to develop and prioritize mobile app ideas for your organization

Develop Requirements: Develop detailed technical and functional requirements that must be in place to make the app successful, including defined integration points with enterprise systems and defining the appropriate operating system(s)

Design App: Turnkey development of the mobile app to meet the business requirements and address any adoption hurdles

Test: More than just "does it work" but "how is it helping" and "how can it work better"

Refine and Continuous Improvement: The beauty of mobile device platforms is the flexibility to adapt and improve as your business changes

Mobile Apps are a component of the rapidly evolving CRM Ecosystem. To learn more about how Adroit Consulting has helped its clients successfully navigate the CRM Ecosystem and transform their businesses, visit our website at www.adroitconsulting.com.

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Adroit helps companies with increasingly complex sales environments deploy effective business practices and utilize technology to improve performance. Learn more about how Adroit can help your organization.