Your sales reps are the frontline soldiers, out there making connections, nurturing relationships, and closing deals. However, there's a common issue that can hamper their productivity and morale: access to relevant, actionable data. Weighted pipelines and stage three deals with a 32% chance of closing might be valuable for strategic planning, but they don't always help your reps in their daily grind.

What your sales reps really need

Sales reps are most effective when they have simple, essential information at their fingertips, such as:

• Current monthly sales: A clear picture of how they are performing in real-time.
• Last invoice details: Immediate access to the last transaction for each customer.
• Customer purchase history: Insight into what products a customer has been buying.
• Recent order dates: Information on the last time a customer placed an order.

This straightforward data is crucial because it enables your sales reps to engage in meaningful conversations with customers, tailor their pitches based on purchase history, and ultimately close more deals. Unfortunately, this critical information can sometimes get buried in complex customer relationship management (CRM) systems.

The CRM conundrum

CRMs are designed to manage customer interactions and data, but they often become overly complicated with functionalities that aren't always useful to sales reps on the road. When theoretical sales processes take precedence over practical data retrieval, the result can be a tool that hinders rather than helps.

Simplifying the sales tool

From our perspective, a great sales tool should strip away the fluff and focus on the key information that genuinely supports a rep’s daily activities. This philosophy has been the driving force behind every improvement we've made to Numerik. By continuously asking ourselves what data truly matters to your reps, we've been able to create a more effective and user-friendly tool.

The shift to online orders: a double-edged sword?

As more wholesalers encourage customers to place orders online, there's a new dynamic at play. This shift, often motivated by cost savings and customer convenience, has seen a dramatic increase in online orders. Take, for example, an automotive parts wholesaler who shifted from 20% online orders and 80% phone orders six years ago, to the exact opposite ratio today.

The upsides of online orders

1. Cost reduction: Fewer staff are needed to handle phone orders.
2. Customer convenience: Customers can place orders at any time that suits them.
3. Upselling opportunities: Online platforms can showcase additional products, encouraging more sales.

Visibility of online sales to reps

However, a crucial question arises: how visible are these web sales to your sales reps? If your reps are driving customers to order online, they need to be able to track these sales just as easily as their direct orders.

1. Tracking online orders: Can your reps see at a glance the trends in a customer’s online orders?
2. Comparative sales data: Can they compare online sales performance year over year?
3. Sales call preparation: Do they have access to this data before a sales call to drive more online orders effectively?

The risk of demotivation

Without this visibility, there’s a risk of demotivating your sales team. If the results of their efforts to drive online sales are invisible to them, their morale could take a hit.

Building better tools for better sales

Recognizing these challenges, we're integrating features into Numerik to track web sales as a percentage of all sales. This addition aims to give your reps the visibility they need to feel connected to the outcomes of their efforts, whether the orders are placed online or directly through them.

Stay tuned for more

We're excited about the enhancements we're making to Numerik, and we'd love to share our progress with you. If you're interested in learning more about how we're evolving to support your sales teams better, drop us a message. Together, we can ensure that your reps have the tools they need to succeed in today’s digital sales environment.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the success of your sales reps hinges on having access to the right information at the right time. By focusing on essential data and ensuring that online sales are visible and trackable, you can empower your team to drive more sales and maintain their motivation. At Numerik, we're committed to providing the tools that make this possible, simplifying complex processes and keeping your reps equipped with what they need to excel.

FAQs

Q: What is the most important type of information for sales reps to access?‍

A: Current sales figures, last invoice details, customer purchase history, and recent order dates are crucial for meaningful customer interactions.

Q: Why do CRMs often fail to help sales reps?‍

A: CRMs can become too complex, with functionalities that do not directly support the day-to-day needs of sales reps, making it difficult to retrieve essential information quickly.

Q: How can online sales visibility affect sales reps' motivation?

A: If sales reps can't easily track the results of their efforts to drive online sales, it can lead to demotivation as they feel disconnected from the outcomes of their work.

Q: What changes are being made to Numerik to support sales teams better?

A: Numerik is integrating features to track web sales as a percentage of all sales, providing reps with the visibility they need to see the impact of their efforts.

Q: How can businesses ensure their sales tools are effective for reps on the road?

A: By focusing on simplifying tools to highlight essential data and removing unnecessary functionalities, businesses can create more user-friendly and effective sales tools.