Cement Stronger Customer Relationships By Following The Confirmation Letter ABC's

As more entrepreneurs enter into online commerce, many make a common mistake: they get so involved with the technology that they forget that there's a live person on the other side of the computer screen. They forget that they're dealing with PEOPLE.

As a result, the Internet has begun to get a reputation for being cold...lacking in the personal touch. And it's this personal touch that forges a strong customer bond. Ignore this and you may find your customers drifting over to your competition.

You must give them a reason to stay loyal!

Did you know that sixty-eight (68) percent of customers who quit buying from a company do so because they feel that the company doesn't care about them? Just their wallets?

And never assume that since you don't hear any complaints that all is well. Of the above mentioned sixty-eight percent, 96% will not let you know how they're feeling...they'll just disappear.

And though they wouldn't tell you, rest assured that they'll probably tell their friends - statistically, one person usually shares a bad experience with nine other people. And 13% will even take this one step further - spreading the bad experience to 20 or more.

Can you see, by not reinforcing customer satisfaction and loyalty, that this could become a costly business mistake?

Savvy marketers make sure to establish this human connection early...one of the easiest (though often overlooked) tools to launch a strong relationship is a well-executed order confirmation message.

A well-planned confirmation message is often the first contact a merchant makes with a customer after the initial sales letter. It doesn't have to be elaborate...just make sure you're not missing the basics.

For instance, does your message hit the following ABC's?

A - (A)cknowledge Their Positive Action.

By instantly reinforcing their wise decision to purchase your product, you may be able to head off a number of cases of 'buyers remorse,' thus cutting down on refunds.

With ezine signups, by sending a confirmation message, you're reminding a prospect that they'd requested the information. Often subscribers forget that they've signed up. Or, someone may have signed them up without their knowledge or approval - a confirmation message notifies them of the action.

Some ezine publishers are using their confirmation message to set up a double opt-in, requiring a new subscriber to physically respond that they wanted the subscription. Done by requiring a return email or click through, this has become an effective way to offset spam complaints and unauthorized sign-ups.

B - (B)enefits They'll Receive From Their Purchase or Free Subscription

After a transaction, the confirmation letter should reiterate the benefits of signing up or purchasing a service or product. Reinforce this positive action by reminding a customer of the value they will be receiving (this also underscores their perception of you as a quality merchant).

C - (C)larifying Terms Of Product Delivery

If the product is digital, and will be delivered sequentially (like an ezine or mini-course) the confirmation letter will remind the customer or prospect how often to expect an installment (daily, weekly, bi-weekly, monthly, quarterly). A gentle reminder makes for good customer relations, and, again, cuts down on potential accusations of spamming.

If the product is available immediately, the confirmation should reconfirm that it is digital, available through instant download, and then give clear instructions on the steps involved. Not everyone is a download veteran; you can't assume that they'll know what to do. Head off any potential frustration with step-by-step instructions. To those that need this extra help, you'll be an instant hero.

By keeping it personal, anticipating requests and questions, and by extending professional courtesy, you will be on the right track to forging a strong online relationship with your customers -- ultimately leading to a smoother and more profitable online experience for everyone involved.

Paula Morrow heads http://www.idealmarketingcorp.com She specializes in public relations, information marketing and creating cashflow systems. Her newsletter, IDEALProfits, is now read in 12 countries. Subscribe and receive 5 BONUS ebooks! http://www.idealmarketingcorp.com/subscribe.html
 

Paula Morrow is webmaster of http://www.idealmarketingcorp.com and has extensive marketing experience earned from 20 years in the public relations, entertainment and advertising worlds. Now applying this experience to the Internet, she enjoys creating cash-generating systems and coaching new marketers on innovative ways to promote their businesses both online and off.

Customer Relationships How To Build Them

The Gurus all tell us this is the way to sell on the web
or this is the way. New ways and techniques are daily
mailed to my inbox telling me if I just do this then
I will be a success selling on the web.

However, the psychology of selling everything goes through
A simple process that is not a secret. The formula has been
taught us ever since we have first been on the web.
You know this secret if you are a newbie or a
seasoned veteran selling on the web.

First you must get the customers attention. How do you
do this? First of all the customers on the web are searchers
by that I mean they get on their computers, go to a search
engine and search for specific things they want to know about
or buy. So it makes sense that your site title, where you
are ranked on the search engine and your description of your
site are the first ways to get their attention. Ok, say you
have done a good job of that so you get them to your website.

You are still trying to capture their attention. So snappy
headlines and good content will get their attention. They are
not ready to buy yet. You shouldn't even be trying to sell them
at this point. What you present on the website will either
encourage them to come back or they will just click away and
never return. So not only good content about the subject
that they are looking for is essential. How about a five day
course. This accomplishes two things it gets them to give you
their email and you are giving them good content. Make this
course personal and dynamic and you have gained trust. Perhaps
you first get them to join your ezine. Where again you get their
email, give them really good content and have a chance to interact
with them. Again you are building trust and forming a relationship
with a real person. This is not instant. Relationships take time.

After you have built a relationship you can then recommend to them
products, and services. But even then you cannot sell to them if
they do not need your product. If you don't believe me try selling
ice in the artic. So try and target your market. Find out what your
customers need and then fill that need.

The last thing you are going to do is to send your prospects to your
product page. This is the one of the most important pages you
will ever write. It has to tell them what your product can do for
them. How it will change their lives to use your product. In other
words make them really want to buy the product.

Now you are at a point in your sales that you will be sucessful. But
to recap you can not go from get the customer's attention to sales
selling is a relationship between two human beings and relationships
take time. Judi Singleton is the publisher of Jassmines

Journal
A targeted daily ezine.
You can subscribe at http://www.motherearthpublishing.com

How To Build Customer Relationships Online

Marketing is not just about getting an order, it's about getting a customer and keeping them. Nurture your customer relationships with regular e-mails.
Marketing is not just about getting an order, it's about getting a customer and keeping them. Nurture your customer relationships with regular e-mails.

With regular e-mails you can build relationships and gather market intelligence. Send regular e-mails to your online prospect list containing special offers, useful information, resources and links, product or service updates, new offers or free reports and surveys.

You can also establish yourself as an expert, as a resource for invaluable information. At the same time, you can find out what offers your audience responds to best, and what they want to gain or achieve.

Build Your Own Prospect List On your Web site, build an opt-in e-mail prospect list by capturing your visitors' e-mail addresses and asking them to "opt-in" to receive more information. They are giving you permission to send information; keep them updated; announce special offers and so on. They want your information, so they are good prospects. You can sufficiently build your list by offering a free e-zine, articles or reports. (For those who don't have good writing skills, some companies (such as http://www.webcritique.co.uk) write an article or report for you with your byline and ad at the bottom.

Opt-in e-mail allows you to qualify your online prospects, and ensure they are interested in the topic your site covers, your products and your services. Only those interested will opt-in or register. And, once they've permitted you to send them regular e-mails, you can use e-mail as a tool for getting your message across, gaining credibility, and building your relationships with them.

For example, your opt-in box text might say: "Enter your name and e-mail address below and we'll keep you posted about the latest ideas on Internet marketing." The Web site visitor simply enters his or her details and clicks a button. They've then opted-in to receive further information from you.

Another way to build your prospect list is to establish your credibility and get involved in relevant online discussions. You can position yourself as an expert in your field by visiting forums and discussion boards and answering questions on hot topics. By advising and offering help you can build trust, confidence and loyalty, and attract people to your site, therefore building your prospect list.

Gather Market Research Information Send out online questionnaires to your e-mail list to find out how they learn and what they read. Find out what magazines and e-zines they subscribe to, what their favorite Web sites are and which sites they have bookmarked. You can then use this information to amend your promotional campaign accordingly.

You can also ask prospects and customers what they like or dislike about your product, service, Web site or offer. Get feedback. Find out what they want or need to gain, learn or achieve. If you know exactly who your market is, where they go and what they want or buy the most, you can position and structure your e-mails, marketing messages and Web site offers, to appeal to those wants.

Limit online surveys to 10 questions. Yes/no and multiple choice answers are the easiest to analyze, but you might also want to leave space for people to elaborate with comments. Always make the survey quick and easy to complete. You might even reward those who complete your survey by offering a free booklet or report. You might also use a guestbook on your site, which invites visitors to make comments. Reward those who enter their details with a gift certificate or discounted product.

Once you've researched your target audience, and know as much as you can about your online customers, you can prepare a profile. This will help you aim your online marketing at an accurately defined group of people, and appeal directly to their primary wants and needs. Remember, the secret to success online and offline, is to find out what people want and give it to them.

Getting your website right

www.applythis.com/browsersizer Check how your web pages appear on various screen resolutions.

http://www.webcritique.co.uk Have your website professionally appraised by an expert. You get a 40+ page in-depth report with recommendations to improve navigation, usability, copy, content, appearance and search engine readiness, with revamped copy, site layout suggestions, analysis of your site's key strengths and weaknesses and content idea generator and accessibility guidelines. A quick and easy way to improve your website without spending a fortune, and attract/retain more visitors.

http://www.webdesignclinic.com This site offers information on colour theory and how to get your website design right.

http://www.webtrends.com This site offers one of the most popular analysis products available. Provides info on site visitor numbers, how they find you, where they go and where they exit. This allows you to get a better idea of your target audience and tweak your site and content accordingly.

http://www.siteconfidence.co.uk Site Confidence offers a free trial of the website monitoring package. This reports any site downtime, and is a great way to monitor when your site goes down - it may happen more often than you are aware of.

Cheryl Rickman is author of 111 winning ways to promote your website successfully and runs http://www.webcritique.co.uk where she offers in-depth website appraisals and personalized web marketing plans, plus web copywriting services, a free e-bulletin on web promotion and links to useful resources.

Cheryl Rickman is author of '111 winning ways to promote your website successfully' and contributes regularly to Better Business magazine, Digitrends.com and Internet.com. She offers website appraisals, copywriting and marketing via http://www.webcritique.co.uk

What is Customer Relationship Management (CRM)?

 Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a phenomenon that is becoming a major discipline within business. CRM can be traced back to the airlines attempt to gather information about their customer flying habits in order to stop their high-fare airliners choosing low-fare carriers, however, the concept was invented even further back, when the shop owner knew all his customers by first name and they knew his name.

In 1998 The Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) in conjunction with Andersen Consulting published the result of a CRM survey of different companies around the world. The survey revealed a new heightened focus on CRM as a discipline, where companies increased their customer focus and using a process approach to customer relationship management. This was a market shift from the traditional transaction-based and functionally managed approach where the relationship with customer was divided up and dealt with by different departments. The EIU report also showed that between 1994 and 1997 the spending on customer relationship management software and services grew from $200 million to $1.1 billion in the USA. The EIU report is one of many investigations that indicate a growing interest in CRM and some literature concerning CRM even postulate that companies will have to adapt it to survive.


Several researchers define CRM differently. Couldwell defines CRM as:

Customer relationship management is a combination of business process and technology that seeks to understand a companys customer from the perspective of who they are, what they do, and what they like

and Hobby, defines CRM as:
A management approach that enables organisations to identify, attract and increase retention of profitable customers by managing relationships with them".

However, I have found the following definition of CRM, to be the most adequately:

"CRM is a business strategy - an attitude to employees and customers - that is supported by certain processes and systems. The goal is to build long-term relationships by understanding individual needs and preferences - and in this way add value to the enterprise and the customer".


This definition places the strategy of adding value to the customer in the focus, whereas the first mentioned definition gives technology and processor first priority. As the chosen definition explains, the systems and processes are vital support elements in creating value for the customer. The second-mentioned definition is found to be somewhat thin and practical useless but it notice an important aspect of CRM, that the organisation has to learn how to listening to customers. In the definition, CRM is defined as a business strategy. This is an important aspect, as CRM is not to be seen as a concept or a project but as a business strategy, which affects all parts of the company.

CRM is about identifying, retaining, and maximising the value of a companys customers. CRM is a sales- and service business strategy where the organisation wraps itself around the customer, so that whenever there is an interaction, the information exchanged is relevant for that customer. This means knowing all about that customer and what the profitability of that customer is going to be. CRM is an effort to create the whole picture of a given customer, bringing together consistent, comprehensive and credible information on all aspects of the existing relationship, such as profitability information, risk profiles and cross-sell potential.


To keep customers satisfied and make them return, CRM, as a strategy, is not a new phenomenon. Every company wants profitable and loyal customers. The new aspect is that companies start to measure this profitability and loyalty and use this information to segment customers and develop strategies for approaching these customers.


However, before implementing CRM, companies need to have some basic foundations settled. First of all, the basic quality of the products has to be in order, i.e. if the product does not live up to the expectations of the customer, he will not be satisfied, hence loyal for long. The typical strategies prior to CRM are quality control systems such as Total Quality Management (TQM). Secondly, companies also have to know more about their customers before implementing CRM. I.e. they have to evaluate, which customers are most valuable in terms of profitability, loyalty and future expectations. Thirdly, the companies have to have the necessary technology to enable the employees to access information about customers in order to offer customers the best service. Finally, CRM needs full support from the management of the company to stand a chance of success.
Rasmus Nielsen has specialised in CRM for several years and been consulting to various companies in Denmark and Australia on the topic.
Rasmus also holds a M.Sc. International Business Economics
 

Sales Force Management and Leadership: Increase Profitability By Understanding Your Sales Team

Have you ever closely examined why some people are wildly successful at selling, meeting and exceeding every goal placed in front of them, while others lack either the self motivation or certain key skill sets to get them to their next level of growth and performance? After all, they all have the same product, the same tools, and the same compensation structure. They?ve all been through the same sales management-training program. In my experience of 25 years selling, building sales organizations and leading and managing thousands of salespeople, the answer has to do with the fact that virtually all sales? organizations are comprised of four different kinds of salespeople:

1. The Performers ? The Top Producers

These high achieving sales executives are the best at bringing in the numbers, but chances are that you spend a fair share of your time cleaning up her messes. Seems like they?re either sky-high or down in the dumps. When the performer is down, they are out of their selling zone, and productivity comes to a standstill. But when the performer is up, look out world!

2. The Professional ? Another Top Producer

This top producer is very consistent, a total team player, even tempered, patient, and consistently bringing in the numbers. Professionals are also part of the elite members on the sales team, but they seem to be missing some opportunities that would catapult them to super stardom if they made some slight changes to their selling game. Instead, they stick to self-proven conservative approaches.

3. The Caretaker ? Stuck In A Major Comfort

These are the sales executives that are simply stuck in their lackluster comfort zones -- giving you a solid month about every third month, or giving you about seventy percent of what they have all the time. They have the potential, but they?re consistently mediocre. You just can?t get them to perform the difficult tasks that it takes to produce at top levels with any regularity. Worse yet, they?re passive aggressive. You say to yourself, ?If I could only wake them up, they?d be right up there with the best.?

I was giving a speech on ?Four People, Four Paths? to a leading company in the California real estate industry where I was emphasizing the importance of knowing exactly who you are. While I was quoting my book The Four Kinds of Sales People and explaining in detail the struggles and breakthrough opportunities for each of the four kinds of sales people, a woman in the audience yelled out, ?Oh my God, I?m a Caretaker!? The crowd laughed and I congratulated her on her honesty and pointed out to her (and others who were not so forthright) the tremendous opportunity that existed if she made the conscious decision to change and begin doing the difficult things that it takes to produce top results on a consistent basis.

4. The Searcher ? The One That Belongs In Any Career But Sales

All sales leaders have made some bad hiring decisions that result in sales reps that just don?t belong in sales. They perceived a sales career to be easy and they were wrong. Producing top sales is hard work. These misfits are consumed with fear, and if truth be told, they honestly hate sales. They have no real intention of making the necessary changes to be successful. You?re better off helping them find more fulfilling careers.

My point is that while the individual make-up of sales forces may vary, there are always only four kinds. Management?s goal is to get the best to keep getting better while building a team with as many top producers as possible. That means management must influence those that are ?stuck? in their comfort zone to break through to the next level. That means management must perform the unenviable task of helping those that don?t belong to find other career paths. In my experience, management gets too preoccupied with these two challenges and neglects the opportunity to get their top producers to reach for their next level of achievement. They have more potential. That?s why they?re the best. And can be even better.

If you want sales to improve, particularly in highly competitive sales environments, then leaders must create a growth-oriented atmosphere that thrives on constant improvement, regardless of market conditions. By the way, that means leaders and managers must also be striving to break through to their next level as well. Sales is about creating and sustaining momentum, and then creating even more of it. Consistently.
Breakthrough mentor and sales guru, Chuck Mache, has more than 25 years experience in selling, managing, building and leading sales organizations regionally as well as internationally. Use his transforming knowledge and expertise in building heavy-hitter sales organizations, by buying his book, "The Four Kinds of Sales People" today at http://www.thefourkindsofsalespeople.com/PR/ and increase your organization?s productivity and profitability.

Sales Force Management & Leadership: Increase Profitability By Understanding Your Sales Team

Some people are wildly successful at selling, meeting and exceeding every goal placed in front of them, while others lack either the self motivation or certain key skill sets to get them to their next level of growth and performance. To improve sales in highly competitive sales environments, leaders must create a growth-oriented atmosphere that thrives on constant improvement, regardless of market conditions.

 

Have you ever closely examined why some people are wildly successful at selling, meeting and exceeding every goal placed in front of them, while others lack either the self motivation or certain key skill sets to get them to their next level of growth and performance? After all, they all have the same product, the same tools, and the same compensation structure.  They?ve all been through the same sales management-training program.   In my experience of 25 years selling, building sales organizations and leading and managing thousands of salespeople, the answer has to do with the fact that virtually all sales? organizations are comprised of four different kinds of salespeople:

 

1.   The Performers ? The Top Producers

 

These high achieving sales executives are the best at bringing in the numbers, but chances are that you spend a fair share of your time cleaning up her messes.  Seems like they?re either sky-high or down in the dumps.  When the performer is down, they are out of their selling zone, and productivity comes to a standstill.  But when the performer is up, look out world!

 

2. The Professional ? Another Top Producer

 

This top producer is very consistent, a total team player, even tempered, patient, and consistently bringing in the numbers.  Professionals are also part of the elite members on the sales team, but they seem to be missing some opportunities that would catapult them to super stardom if they made some slight changes to their selling game.  Instead, they stick to self-proven conservative approaches.

 

3. The Caretaker ? Stuck In A Major Comfort

 

These are the sales executives that are simply stuck in their lackluster comfort zones -- giving you a solid month about every third month, or giving you about seventy percent of what they have all the time.   They have the potential, but they?re consistently mediocre.  You just can?t get them to perform the difficult tasks that it takes to produce at top levels with any regularity.  Worse yet, they?re passive aggressive.  You say to yourself, ?If I could only wake them up, they?d be right up there with the best.?

 

I was giving a speech on ?Four People, Four Paths? to a leading company in the California real estate industry where I was emphasizing the importance of knowing exactly who you are.  While I was quoting my book The Four Kinds of Sales People and explaining in detail the struggles and breakthrough opportunities for each of the four kinds of sales people, a woman in the audience yelled out, ?Oh my God, I?m a Caretaker!?  The crowd laughed and I congratulated her on her honesty and pointed out to her (and others who were not so forthright) the tremendous opportunity that existed if she made the conscious decision to change and begin doing the difficult things that it takes to produce top results on a consistent basis.

 

4. The Searcher ? The One That Belongs In Any Career But Sales

 

All sales leaders have made some bad hiring decisions that result in sales reps that just don?t belong in sales.  They perceived a sales career to be easy and they were wrong.  Producing top sales is hard work.  These misfits are consumed with fear, and if truth be told, they honestly hate sales.  They have no real intention of making the necessary changes to be successful.  You?re better off helping them find more fulfilling careers.
   
My point is that while the individual make-up of sales forces may vary, there are always only four kinds.  Management?s goal is to get the best to keep getting better while building a team with as many top producers as possible. That means management must influence those that are ?stuck? in their comfort zone to break through to the next level.  That means management must perform the unenviable task of helping those that don?t belong to find other career paths.  In my experience, management gets too preoccupied with these two challenges and neglects the opportunity to get their top producers to reach for their next level of achievement.  They have more potential.  That?s why they?re the best. And can be even better.

 

If you want sales to improve, particularly in highly competitive sales environments, then leaders must create a growth-oriented atmosphere that thrives on constant improvement, regardless of market conditions.  By the way, that means leaders and managers must also be striving to break through to their next level as well. Sales is about creating and sustaining momentum, and then creating even more of it.  Consistently.

Breakthrough mentor and sales guru, Chuck Mache, President of Chuck Mache Communications (http://www.ChuckMache.com) has more than 25 years experience in selling, managing, building and leading sales organizations regionally as well as internationally.  In his Brian Tracy endorsed book ?The Four Kinds of Sales People? Mache uses his transforming knowledge and expertise in building heavy-hitter sales organizations to deliver an inspired parable that identifies exactly how and why sales people excel - or don't. Get his book today at http://www.thefourkindsofsalespeople.com/PR/ and increase your organization?s productivity, and profitability.

 

Sales Force Automation System - A System To Save Time And Money!

Sales Force Automation is a part of a company?s CRM (customer relationship management) system; A system which automatically records all the stages in a sales process known as a Sales Force Automation System (SFA).

A contact management system of SFA tracks all contact that has been made customer wise, the purpose of the contact, and any follow up that might be required. The contact management system ensures that sales efforts won?t be duplicated eliminating the risk of annoying customers.

The sales lead tracking system of SFA lists potential customers through paid phone lists, or customers of related products. Many more elements of SFA system can include sales forecasting, order management and product knowledge to make your business more effective and profitable.

Goal of Sales Force Automation System

The sales force automation system is developed to streamline the entire sales process to make businesses more efficient, improve customer interactions, increase overall customer satisfaction, and save time and money.

Sales force automation system is used by all the major industries as per their requirements and it means different things to different people. Mostly, Sales force automation includes all the technologies, techniques, and strategies on which successful sales are built. It's just like an activity that improves communications and productivity and brings you together with your customers.

Advantages of Sales Force Automation System

The sales force automation (SFA) system has so many of advantages for different-different people. It?s very helpful for sales and marketing professionals? including sales personnel, sales managers and marketing managers in improving their productivity and saving their time, by that the sales staff will use their time more efficiently and more effectively. Successful sales force automation (SFA) strategy helps minimize administrative work and cut down on operational costs while optimising productivity and enhancing customer-focused processes and SFA systems could increase customer satisfaction if they are used with wisdom.

For further information please visit us at: http://www.olivecanada.ca/workflow-management-solutions.html>http://www.olivecanada.ca

Sales Force Automation Using Lotus Notes

Sales force automation is the process by which all day to day activities and events in the sales department are automated using the help of Information Technology. It includes the automation of all the activities like daily reports of individual sales executives, order tracking, sharing information among all sales executives, inventory control and monitoring, sales forecast, etc. This will be very helpful for organisations that are geographically spread across the length and breadth of a country or even across different countries. With the right choice of software and network support, centralized control is easily possible. Access to data becomes easier and quicker without having to wait for days to get updates from sales executives.

If you have a well defined sales process, automating it becomes very productive as it can help avoiding unnecessary delay in getting each process done manually. For instance, if a sales executive located in a remote place sends a proposal to be approved by his sales manager by post or courier it will take at least 3 to 4 days to get it done. This can be avoided if the salesman uses a system and an appropriate software which could alert the manager immediately when a request has been sent to him. The manager can reply to it immediately and the whole activity can be completed in minutes. There are a numerous instances like this where unnecessary delays could be avoided and help the sales people close the orders immediately.It can also help you track the employees performance in a more organised way. Lotus Notes can be a very useful platform on which this application can be built. It can help you develop an application exactly in the way you want instead of purchasing conventional Sales Fore Automation software which may not suit your requirement.

Why is Lotus Notes appropriate for building SFA tool?
Lotus Notes is an Ideal choice for the SFA because of its unique feature called Replication. The information can be accessed from a laptop computer of a sales executive even if he is not connected to your central network. This is possible because Lotus Notes can be configured in such a way that information can be saved in a local machine and accessed even if it is not connected to the server. The modifications made in the database can be updated into the central network by a process called as "Replication".

How Does this help?
Assume that a salesman is in a remote location and not connected to any network. He can access critical information about the prospects available in the database on his local system and use it to close the deal. He can make changes in them and edit information as appropriate and save them. Once he is back where he gets access to internet he can update it to your central database and the subsequent processes can start immediately without having to wait for the salesman to return back to office. Another advantage is that you can easily assign access privileges to various users based on their hierarchy and necessity to use the application. The overall administration of the application can also be very easy with Lotus Notes.

Lotus Notes applications can be web enabled and can be accessed through ordinary web browsers to either control or access information. Notes' security is impeccable and the safety of the information is assured.

5 Minute Guide to Sales Force Automation

 

In today?s technology driven environment, many businesses have decided to use sales force automation to allow faster and more efficient production and better customer satisfaction. This technique is actually the use of software in order to automate the business tasks of sales, which includes processing orders, sharing information, inventory monitoring, order tracking, customer service, and employee performance evaluation. This type of sales automation does raise the productivity of a business but it does have its downsides. These machines are actually taking the jobs that people could otherwise perform. Unemployment could actually rise because of sales force automation, and jobs in the country have actually decreased because of it. But perhaps the up sides to SFA outweigh the down sides.

After applying SFA in a company?s sales division, salespeople actually become more efficient and can get more work done in a day. Because SFA eliminates the need to fill out forms and then transfer them into the computer after printing them out, SFA saves a lot of time and effort for salespeople. The SFA software is also a valuable training tool for employees. Because it holds the information for the products and may even have sales technique training, it will eliminate costly seminars that employees may be reluctant to go to. The bottom line is, SFA will increase the productivity of a company. It will give a company the comparative advantage because it will take fewer expenses to produce the same amount of goods.

But let?s not forget the down side. Many online businesses use automated customer service systems that give auto responses to customers who have issues or problems with their products. This gets rid of the employee who would be responding to these problems. Automated emails may also frustrate the customer and make the whole exchange feel impersonal. Also, SFA requires continuous maintenance that would incur added expenses to a company.

With that said, mobile workforce solutions has made sales force automation easier than ever simply because the software used for this type of technology can now be connected to a company?s private network even on the fly. Because of mobile computing and mobile communications, companies can now relay important sales information to the technology used for sales force automation.

Sales force automation is, all in all, a great idea for many companies. It will most likely increase productivity and will increase efficiency of workers. In economics, this is a great thing and will guarantee long term success. SFA seems to have rooted itself in this country as a solid way to increase profits and with mobile solutions getting stronger and more innovative everyday, it isn?t showing any signs of slowing down.

Natalie Aranda is a freelance writer. With that said, mobile workforce solutions has made sales force automation easier than ever simply because the software used for this type of technology can now be connected to a company's private network even on the fly. Because of mobile computing and mobile communications, companies can now relay important sales information to the technology used for sales force automation.

Improving Your Sales Force's Effectiveness Through Automation

 

Many smaller businesses have advanced beyond back office automation using PCs and client-server IS platforms. More owners are looking at advanced sales automation software as a way of improving the productivity of their sales force as well as customer satisfaction. Salespeople are often more resistant to using PCs compared with those working in finance, logistics, materials management and other functions. Thus, business owners need to sell the benefits of automation to both their sales managers and reps. Sales has long been considered more of an art than a science, which explains part of the resistance. Also, some businesses find themselves with older reps who, though they have critical industry knowledge, did not grow up with computers. You could just load up each rep with a laptop and all the accoutrements:
? sales management software, including automated fax and e-mail capabilities
? groupware for proposal and contact information sharing
? templates for contact reports and follow-up letters
? product, price and delivery information that can be called up via an intranet link.
Why not let them discover the value for themselves? There's a good reason: Throwing sales automation software at the reps is no guarantee it will be used. Sales automation software has been growing of late, with close to $300 million a year in revenues. There's a reason: improved functionality and user-friendly features geared to what the reps consider their priority needs are the reasons behind the recent spurt in sales. Before pushing sales automation on your reps and territory managers, conduct an audit within the company. Here are some key steps to take:
? Ask your reps what they consider to be their three priority tasks in the field. Ask for their recommendations on how to improve their productivity. For example, which tasks are taking longer than they would like, or what are the bottlenecks they face in getting prompt and accurate information to prospective as well as current customers.
? Involve all of your key functional managers in a discussion of the order management and order fulfillment processes. Although sales force automation can begin with discrete tools such as contact management software, your business may really need a more integrated and more robust information systems architecture that will improve the entire order-to-delivery process chain in the company.
? Decide whether you should try to improve sales productivity as a single function or carry out a more extensive overhaul of your business' IS platform.
? When you survey vendor offerings, involve end-users in the discussion and trial testing of the software. Many off-the-shelf products allow sufficient customization for your needs. Some of the tools have more open-ended integration capabilities with other IS tools, and it is important to know how much integration is possible. You want to avoid investing in another legacy system that could end up walling sales off from other business functions. Finally, even when software tools and other IS enhancements are the right solution for boosting sales productivity and customer satisfaction, that is no guarantee you will get buy-in from the sales force. You need to motivate use and experimentation. Besides involving end-users in the discussion and evaluation of software choices before you commit to a vendor, there are three other steps you can take to assure that your reps accept the new system: 1. Assure the sales force that the time required for getting up to speed on the software will not reduce their income if they fail to make their sales numbers at the customary level. However, set a fixed period of time for the conversion to the new system. 2. Monitor the productivity payoff among the committed users, with before and after comparisons of their sales productivity. Productivity measures should not just focus on goods or services sold but include discrete task productivity, at least initially. For example, the time it takes to get letters written, or get correct pricing information out to customers. Then, communicate the benefits throughout the sales organization. 3. Go with a software vendor or systems integrator that will stay on board well beyond the installation to provide additional customization of the tool and training if needed.

Ph.D. and MA, Kent State University Kent ,Ohio BA, Eureka College, with honors Eureka, IL. Training Programs Quality Analysis and Quality Training, 2000-2004.

Dr. James A. McCain is a Management Consultant in Rexford, New York and may be reached at Business Works, 518-383-3337, or through his web site at http://www.bizdrsolution.com

What Is Sales Force Automation?

The use of computer software to automate the tasks in business of information exchange, monitoring and controlling inventory, sales, order tracking, analyzing sales forecasts, evaluating the performance of employees, and customer management, is known as sales force automation.

The term is often used interchangeably with CRM--customer relationship management--though this term does not necessarily imply any kind of automation in business. It is really when a sales force automated system is combined with a marketing information system that it becomes a CRM.

Sales force automation systems are claimed to have the ability to improve the levels of productivity and efficiency within sales personnel. There are many reason for this. Some are as follows:

Sales force automation systems are claimed to have the ability to improve the levels of productivity and efficiency within sales personnel. There are many reason for this. Some are as follows:

* They no longer need to write out reports; these can be generated semi-automatically.

* Via a company Intranet, or via the Internet, reports can be sent electronically, which negates the immediate need for printing them out.

* Sales staff can be provided with product information and training in sales techniques without the need for time-intensive seminars.

* Staff morale can be improved if the amount of record keeping can be reduced, and the rate of sales closing can be increased through the use of additional automated tools.

* The software could generate more and better qualified sales leads.

* Precision forecasting can enable staff to take advantage of opportunities that may not have been obvious otherwise.

Sales force automation systems, such as the GoldMine? software or the ACT!? software, can create competitive advantages. Productivity can be expected to increase as a result of sales people using their time more effectively and more efficiently. This will apply to the sales manager as well. Mobile sales personnel will submit their customer information more frequently, most likely following each sales call instead of once a day or once a week.

If used wisely, sales force automation systems could increase customer satisfaction. All that needs to be done is to perform careful analysis of the information obtained, then allow the system to service the customers more expertly, based on the results obtained. Managing the pipeline effectively will serve to maximize the number of opportunity availability occasions. It will also serve to raise the level of quality obtained, thereby giving your customers a greatly increased sales experience with your company.

A competitive advantage should be gained through this as customer satisfaction is likely to lead on to a definite increase in customer loyalty. This in turn will reduce the costs of acquiring new customers through repeat business, which will serve to increase the overall profit margin.

When your mobile sales people can enter their sales data in a single database, which is available to everyone, then updating and tracking all activity becomes simple. Progress can be monitored and profit opportunities can be identified, as well as being able to avoid or minimize problem areas. Powerful reporting of pipeline activity coupled with accurate analysis will enable your sales team to act whenever necessary, always backed by the right information. Productivity can increase enabling the sales process to become transparent and efficient.

Syed Ali, is the lead CRM consultant for a Toronto based company. His company offers, GoldMine Software and ACT! Software Syed can be reached at Tel : (905) 815- 1995 ext 22, email :asyed@cqsolutions.com

Sales People are NOT Immune to Bionic Automation

If you look up the definition of the word - bionic, here is what you will find:

A machine that is patterned after principles found in humans or nature; for example, robots. It also refers to artificial devices implanted into humans replacing or extending normal human functions.

In the printing industry, automation of many processes has dramatically changed the production of printing. The new digital printing systems take the traditional lithography functions of putting ink on paper and replace it with automated digital technology. In many cases, the untrained eye and even some very well trained eyes can't distinguish the difference. The quality and clarity of the images produced are excellent. This is one reason quick printers have adopted digital print technology.

However, quality is just one of the reasons. The primary reason for new technology adoption is the automated benefits of machines replacing the talented craft of a journeyman printer. Today, journeyman printers are difficult to find and traditional printing is becoming a lost craft like the blacksmith was in the horse and buggy era. The marvel of the automobile revolutionized the transportation industry just as technology and automated communications are revolutionizing the printing industry today.

If Sales Is a Process, It Can Be Automated When you ask a sales professional about what they do, they will tell you that selling is a craft and a process. When you take away the firm handshake, the voice of reason and convincing assurance you are making the right decision, the selling process can be automated. With today's technology and communication tools, 80% of what leads up to the closing sale can be diagramed and processed. This is bionic selling because these functions can be patterned after principles of humans.

If the bionic patterns of the selling process are designed to follow the best practices of selling and automated with the push of a button by a human, you have a great system.

Sales are NOT immune from automation and businesses can either take advantage of automating the selling process or fight the technology. Where does this leave a business that doesn't adopt the automation of a selling process? In a few years, you will find them listed in the white pages next to the blacksmith or you won't find them around at all.

How to Get Started If you are in a manufacturing business like printing, the production system is mapped out for efficiency and speed. Just look at some of today's digital printing systems and you will know what we mean. If you get a chance to ask a printing business owner to layout their production process, they can list this quickly and clearly. Processes in the manufacturing and printing business are foundational and printers are always looking for ways to make the production process more efficient. A perfect example of this is the Six Sigma trend towards quality and precision because it places a focus on the process of manufacturing.

If you ask most business owners to map out their selling process, you will get a blank stare and a questioned look that leads to fear. Most salespeople can't recite the selling process and some, so called experts, don't understand the process well enough to teach it. Here are a few things you can expect from a sales automation system. These are the functions I build into my sales automation solutions.

• Automation of 80% or more of routine sales activities
• On-line features that make selling and selling management a virtual process.
• Automated sales management notification of good and bad performance activities.
• Adoption and execution of the four primary methods of communications.
• A system that salespeople and sales management will enjoy implementing.
• A system that can be adopted quickly and is affordable with guaranteed results.

One of the important factors is the ability to embrace technology and NOT be afraid of change. Every industry uses a slightly different pattern of success and requires a customized sales process. This is where an expert in mapping out your selling process is required. Look for someone who understands your business. Once you have this mapped out, execute the automation with a passion and you will quickly reap the rewards of bionic selling.

by Steve Martinez, President of Selling Magic and a Mastermind Sales Process Automation Guru http://www.impactivator.com.