Field sales and Toughbook
The process of field sales is based on a simple premise – going to see customers is better than hoping to see customers.
As such, its purpose is to generate maximum value from each and every customer visit. That’s achieved by recognising that every visit is an opportunity to:
- Make a sale
- Resolve customer issues
- Deliver information
- Gather information
- Overcome competitors’ sales arguments
- Improve customer satisfaction
Autonomy – to perform effectively, a field sales representative has to maintain the sale and resolve customer issues simultaneously. But they must do this autonomously, away from support teams and data access, in environments that aren’t sympathetic to the use of technology.
Travel time – travel is a constant barrier in the field sales process. Routes must be carefully planned to optimise time and cost – but routes are generally well-known. The other main issue is the loss of battery power, forcing the representative to stop travelling because his laptop battery has died.
Customer availability – sales people can spend a lot of costly time waiting for a customer to become available. This is because they usually travel to where the customer is doing their work.
Toughbooks make individual sales teams more effective. It really is as simple as that. More effective teams mean more time to sell. And more time to sell means more revenue.
Wireless access – world-class connectivity allows the sales person to co-ordinate resources from the whole company to solve customer problems and keep the sales process moving.
Form factor – the worst salespeople sit with their laptop on a desk in a customer’s back office, waiting for the customer to come to them. The best salespeople use technology with the right form factor, allowing them to continue the sales process in every customer environment – whether it’s a kitchen, a production line, a busy showroom or outdoor premises. They can then see the challenges the customer faces and understand implicitly how the customer works.
Toughbooks have these flexible form factors, being designed to perform in even the most difficult settings.
Competitor records - with Toughbooks, your sales force can collect information about the competition whilst visiting the customer and survey competitor products in the field, using the integrated camera.
Long battery life – thanks to Toughbook’s long-life battery technology and energy-efficient components, sales people keep selling, rather than sitting waiting for their laptop to charge.
Weight and portability – competitors make thin and light laptops by removing components. But that actually makes them thin, light and weak. Toughbooks are durable machines that look good in front of customers and are light enough to be carried all day.
