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6 Features of Highly Effective Sales Rep Software

Written by Now Commerce Team | Jan 7, 2016 7:58:06 PM

Managing your sales representatives is an absolutely vital part of any business. Although old techniques still work, you'll notice that you are falling short of the marks that your competitors reach without using modern technology and management software for your sales team. Great sales rep management software provides your sales reps with more vital information when they need it most throughout the sales process. There are many options for sales rep software out there today. Still, the one you choose should provide you with some standard features that help your sales reps do a better job, grow your company revenue, and better interact with customers and prospects on a day-to-day basis. Take these features into account when you are searching for highly effective sales rep software.

1. Communication and Relationship Management

Perhaps the most important part of the sales process is communication and relationship management. Ensure you can effectively communicate with current, past, and prospective customers in a way that builds upon your previous communications but opens new doors for new interactions. Nothing is more frustrating for a customer than feeling like they are starting over with a company every time they speak with a new representative, and great sales rep software can help you greatly reduce how often that happens for your customers.

2. Placing Orders

The sales reps can place orders into the system without sending them to the office, significantly reducing the sale cycle time.  Inside sales staff no longer has to decipher a salesperson's order, which can be shipped to the warehouse.  The fewer hands touching the order, the less chance of error.

3. Keep Track of Inventory

Knowing how much inventory is on hand is an absolutely critical aspect that sales representatives need to know to do their job appropriately. Great sales rep software will be plugged into your inventory processes and give your team a good idea of what is currently on hand while going through the sales processes. Not only does this help them better interact with their customer, but it also allows them to set timetable expectations throughout the process and reduce the number of angry customers they must deal with due to out-of-stock products.

4. Detailed Account History

Having a detailed account history is vital for your sales rep team. Being able to scroll through the system and look at every order a particular customer has placed with your company is absolutely imperative and will help ensure you can deliver a high-quality experience to every customer who calls your company. Additionally, the ability to accurately detail their interactions with customers will allow them to examine their efforts and improve their processes as time goes on.

5. Monitor Customer Activity

Once a sale has been made and the order moves through the system, it is important that sales reps can monitor the activity of those orders. Giving their customers up-to-date shipping information is imperative for a good relationship.  When sales reps are on the road, they can still check the status of orders with a few clicks rather than calling the office and waiting for a response.

6. Real-Time Alerts

One of the most crucial and often overlooked aspects of an excellent sales rep team is the ability to identify opportunities and issues and act on them quickly. Real-time alerts will allow your business to ensure that no new order, cancellation, or support ticket from a current customer goes unnoticed and also allow your sales rep team to respond quickly. Real-time alerts are excellent for building trust with your audience.

Great sales rep software can mean the difference between hitting your sales growth goals and having another average year. By giving more power and information to your sales reps, you allow them to be creative and find new, innovative ways to grow your revenue and make new sales rather than being bogged down with placing orders and chasing information.