Everyone is in sales. It doesn't matter what industry you are in or your role within an organization. We're all selling something. And the most successful people not only know this, they embrace it and look for ways to make selling easier.
According to IDC, the global mobile workforce is on course to reach 1.3 billion people by 2015. Whether you are on the road or behind a desk, there are distinct mobile tactics that can help all employees communicate more efficiently and collaborate with team members. For example, the ability to easily track calls, log back conversations into the CRM system and even showcase inventory by gliding through an iPad are just a few ways that sales teams are using mobile apps to conduct business. Given the amount of time spent on the road, a mobile sales app is a great place to start testing corporate mobility, but it shouldn't stop there. Having a cohesive mobility plan that spans across the entire organization will empower employees and increase engagement internally as well as with customers.
Every business is evaluating mobile solutions into their core processes. Below are a few surprising "sales" roles where mobility is helping to improve the workflow process.
Customer SupportNot surprisingly, smartphones and tablets are increasing the time we spend online and changing the way we communicate. Mobile apps allow us to read the news, book travel reservations and buy movie tickets all with a few taps of our fingers. As a result, the way that the enterprise interacts with customers is also changing.
For customer care professionals, the ability to provide personalized solutions to service problems can set a company apart from its competition. Providing access to mobile solutions allows anyone within the organization to help troubleshoot a customer problem and answer questions that might not directly relate to their role. The result is faster response time, increased customer satisfaction and loyalty and the potential to create new revenue streams.
Product development The biggest struggle many project managers face is bringing a product to market on time and on budget. Resources are often limited and each project is unique and subject to change throughout the product development cycle. Project speed, efficiency and output quality can be improved by facilitating a mobile feedback loop into the development process. Apps can help track customer feedback during development, provide an easy way to solicit advice among the team and even find early partners for a sale - all before the product is on the market.
EveryoneWith so much importance being placed on social networking, it's easy to overlook our ability to actually make connections in person. The two shouldn't be viewed as separate entities, but as complimentary skills that every employee should feel empowered to leverage! Now more than ever it's easy to bump into someone at a wedding or social event, connect with them via LinkedIn, look up their needs and interests and map to company products.
Regardless of how and where people do their work, having customer, product and support content at your fingertips makes it easy for anyone to sell. The best strategies that leverage mobile do so to ultimately empower employees and increase time spent selling so that, without adding headcount, a company can grow lead generation and drive revenues.