Sales force automation systems can be aimed at specific divisions or sections of a business. Furthermore, in small and medium enterprises, these are used as a primary method to help enhance the sales force and their business reach and sales achievement. Utilizing these mobile based systems in the sales division makes it possible for the sales fleet on street remain on top of their everyday activities like target potential customers, sales visits, orders collected, promotions activated and supporting the customers with latest business information.
FMCG companies with standard processes adopt a proper execution of When distributor management software, since sales force productivity is of critical importance for FMCG industry on a daily basis, business strategy makers ensure that distribution management system is integrated with mobile based sales force automation solution. This not only allows them to monitor business growth as planned but also create a plan with forecasting for future.
Distributor management system FMCG: Pros & Cons
Pros
Faster Response Time
Your customers in the length and breadth of the sales channel onsumers will be more than pleased because they do not need to wait for manual inputs, they can see status of orders, billing, stock movement, claim settlement on the go. This will also help them plan their sales, payment as well as future order for different products. As a Brand, this enables real-time view of all sales & distribution activities happening across the entire region, country, area, etc.
Relevant Details on time
Since distribution inventory management software’s most significant feature is to maintain, track and trigger all the relevant business information about the transactions and interactions with your customers, you will always have the most recent details. You can also check out the historic data related to a particular customer and build a strategy for credit, payment and scheme promotion.
More Accurate Sales Planning & Forecasts
With the use of the Mobile SFA application, every activity done in the field is captured in real-time and the same is synchronized at the back-end on distributor systems as well at Head Office. This enables realistic sales planning, and sales forecast at every level. Distributors are able to place realistic orders with the primary sources and the main brand or organization is able to plan sales growth, production, supply chain, logistics, and overheads with more and more accuracy. sales prospecting tools that will rock your world have a positive impact on rising in sales in the organization by finding the right buyers. All information is available at H.O. in the form of easy-to-understand dashboards which itself allows quick decision-making.
Cons
System dependency
Implementing distributor management system across the distribution and supply network with mobile based salesforce automation solutions requires the channel to depend on computer, software licenses and trained resources to handle the same. This also requires 24×7 internet connectivity with all users. Although internet and computer systems are readily used by most of the users but at times it may become a bottleneck in remote areas.
Investment in IT Infrastructure & Software Solutions
Implementing a proven distribution management software will require good one time investment in procuring computers, software licenses, mobile phones, good internet connectivity, proper office space and resources to handle the back-end. Although the Return on investment into such systems is huge and long-term it may become a burden on overall IT budget. With the advent of cloud bases solutions for distribution management, upfront investment can be brought down and can be a win-win situation if a proper strategy for overall roll-out is built.
Hands-on Training of resources
Procuring a Distribution management systems and mobile sfa solutions can be a good decision, however proper training, roll-out and implementation is the key to the success of such systems. Although it looks easy to say, it is actually a humongous task to plan training and roll-out of software applications across the length and breadth of distribution and supply network. Many a times, even the best of the systems fail due to poor planning of roll-out or ineffective training of the users of the system, be it back-end resources or the sales people using mobile sfa solution. Since different regions have diverse language and other skills, it is key to have easy to understand training material for every region.
Final Words
Implementing sales force automation for fmcg industry is of terrific advantage to most of the brands where competition is huge, market demand and supply is dynamic and customer preferences keep changing based on seasonality and promotions offered.