Mobile Enablement of Field Force

Optional after-thought to mandatory default

Mobile Enablement of Field Force

Optional after-thought to mandatory default

Mobile Field Force Enablement: What changed over the year

As the year 2020 progressed, companies changed their enablement priorities. Unlike the gradual progress of the year, the changes were pretty dramatic, based on regulations and lockdowns.

As companies changed the priorities, we worked with them on their tech feature, content, and scale requirements – to keep up with their changing requirements. That story is for another day.

Content development: It’s video, it’s agile

Content development: It’s video, it’s agile

Earlier it was SCORM 1.2 based courses. Typical courses take one month to develop. The course was of 25-30 minute duration. Training was once in a fortnight.

Now, videos are the main content format for engagement and training. Line managers and product managers are shooting quick videos and are uploading. It is typically 7-10 minute duration. The new paradigm: Train every day. React to field changes fast. Content just in time.

Agility in aligning the field is the name of the game.

Training topics focus on new age selling skills

Training topics focus on new age selling skills

Companies blend a mix of company specific trainings and generic trainings. What are the generic trainings that are popular? They are:

Google My Business, Shine in virtual meetings, Empathy, Phone selling skills, online selling skills, Mental Health, Resilience, Tech Success Mantras, Customer Experience, Customer Retention.

Companies are focusing on skilling up the team on requirements of the new age.

Generic training topics address new concerns like resilience, technology and customer experience.

Processes that can go online, have gone online

Processes that can go online, have gone online

Companies are putting in new online in place. Where processes existed, they are bringing in new tools and features to make the administration easier.

The new processes include:

The fact remains that the physical store will continue to play an important part. In a study conducted by Time trade between offline and online; an item available in both of them,

  • Virtual onboarding

  • New tools

  • Online rewards and recognition

  • Sales pitch coaching

  • Answers to frequently asked questions

  • Easy access to product brochures and videos; Easy customer share mechanism.

Field managers are using new metrics for faster decision making

Field managers are using new metrics for faster decision making

What new metrics are they looking at?

Sales Managers want quick access dashboards to be able to drive actions faster. They want dashboards for conventional metrics like sales, product mix and customer meetings.

Besides, they want metrics on whole new areas that have become important in the new age.

  • Areas of improvement of the team

  • Google My Business rating

  • Planogram compliance

  • Merchandising tracker

  • Store hygiene checklist

  • Walk-in trackers

  • Lost sales tracker

  • Competition tracker

Engagement is now more frequent and is online

Engagement is now more frequent and is online

Team engagement was primarily an offline activity for most field force teams before the pandemic. Now, engagement is predominantly online. From twice a quarter, now it is twice a month. What are the types of engagement?

Monthly zoom calls

Online video contests

Live quiz contests

Weekly sales contests

Rewards and recognition online

No customer left behind

No customer left behind

Companies have realized two unalienable truths:

Existing customers are worth their weight in gold – retain them

Every lead, every lead is very critical in this environment

Actions companies are taking towards better lead management

To accelerate pipelines, companies are:

  • Passing social media leads instantly to sales personnel – through PIN code mapping: This can be tracked and can trigger immediate action.

  • Capturing the leads from the field for ‘Lead nurturing’

  • Turning up the engagement of the existing customer base through special offer emails and other mechanisms.

So the solution to good store experience is very simple – keep your employees equipped and happy

Set up 2021 for growth. Build learning, flexibility, visibility, and engagement with your field force.
Run a free pilot of the Bsharp app until March 31st. Observe the impact.

Gear up for 2021 with the right ammunition.
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