What To Look For In A Field Sales Software
- Team Geo Rep
As a manager, choosing a field sales software for your sales team can be a very daunting challenge. There are too many options out there telling you that their software is better than the next – but how do you really know who’s right? Who to trust? Who to choose?
From my experience, these are the golden rules to follow when choosing which field sales software is right for you, your team, and your business’s needs.
Firstly, identify how easy it’ll be for you, and your team to adapt to using the software. Many solutions out there are overcomplicated and land up being a hassle for your field sales team to add into their day – this is not the goal – your field sales software should be simple, efficient, and easy to use. The sooner you and your team can start using the software, the sooner you will see results.
Secondly, ask the important question of – what support will I get, regardless of the package I choose? Many times, this detail slips by and only after we’ve signed that deal do, we actually notice how important a great support team is. The sad truth is most companies offer different ‘levels’ of support depending on which package you chose to go with. A great field sales software provider offers the best support – regardless of the service package you’ve chosen.
Thirdly, long term agreements are a red flag! It’s simple, if the field sales software does what its supposed to, offers a great solution and adds value to you and your team – there is no need to be tied down by a long-term contract. You should want to stay with your field sales software provider, not have to stay. The right field sales software provider won’t rely on long term contracts to keep their clients.
Fourth, you should have clarity on what you’re getting for the money you’re spending. Understand the difference in value from one package to another, from one user to another and determine, are you really getting more for your money?
In a business the roles and responsibilities of a manager vs a sales rep differs – in a field sales solution these roles should remain different. The solution should be beneficial to both management and sales rep, in different ways – a manager should be able to get an overview of all their reps, teams, clients and overall sales responsibilities, whereas a sales rep should be benefited by custom calendars, tasks and goals – specific to them.
Get clarity on all the details around the different license types your potential field sales solution offers and understand if those features will work for you and your team. At the end of the day, you should be choosing a software solution that meets your business requirements, at a price you are happy with.
Fifth, ask about their upcoming innovations and updates to the app. More importantly, ask if those updates and improvements will be made available to you, regardless of the package you choose. In my opinion, a great software company will pride itself in the innovation and improvement of their software and make it available to new and existing clients. This is what differentiates good from great service providers.
Sixth, establish if the software provider can grow and customize its offerings to meet your current and future business needs. Your solutions partner should have the capability, capacity, and willingness to adapt, build and innovate its services to help you and your team. During the sales process, we are often offered the world, but in the long term, these offerings run short. Establish a plan for the future, discuss possible future innovations and get them to give you a realistic quote for these plans (this way they can’t promise you one thing and provide you with nothing).
Seventh, never settle for anything less than a live demo of the app. PowerPoints have their place in the world, don’t get me wrong but not when trying to determine which field sales software is best for you and your field sales team. A live demo will enable you as a manager to see the true functionality and offerings of the app, it will also give you the opportunity to ask questions and get involved, enabling you to learn and experience the benefits before you make your choice. A great field sales software will offer you a free trial of the app, in order for you to get the full experience.
Eighth, in life and in business; transparency, trust and honesty are key to success. In my opinion if you can’t see the pricing upfront on the website, that screams red flag! When I see ‘Contact us for a quote’ all I think of is that they will give me a price, based on how much they think they can get me to pay – maybe it’s all in my head but its definitely something to think about next time you see that on a website.
Lastly, ask to get in touch with one of their current clients in order to get a real understanding of their service and overall product. Aside from that, do your own research on review platforms, see it for yourself. A great international review platform where you can see how different providers stack up against each other is G2.
Don’t get suckered into the wrong field sales software partner by a good sales pitch. Make sure that your needs and requirements are met from the get-go!