Show Me the Data by Glenn Geho
Today’s companies have all sorts of data that is interpreted by analysts and packaged into great charts and tables. These figures and graphics look impressive in the board room or at a product launch, but how much of this information is benefiting the sales force in the here and now? Field sales representatives are able to bring products to their customers and gain customer loyalty from either the solid product or the strong sales relationship, but think about how much more powerful the sale could be with hands-on information and statistics.
Many field sales representatives have the obstacle of receiving delayed information. Valuable sales information is being gathered and millions of dollars are being spent on syndicated data, but how much of this information is being trickled down to the day to day functions of the sales division? There are several obstacles that can stand in the way of the field sales reps being able to retrieve and bring this knowledge to their customers. Such obstacles include:
- Denied Access: The field sales force may not have software license keys due to the fact that some software companies sell the software per user and the field sales organization may not be included as a cost savings measure.
- Time Constraints: The field representatives may have access to the data, but they don’t have the time to retrieve and manipulate the data. Despite their concern for the analysis, they may not have the luxury to consume themselves with the retrieval of the data. Therefore, powerful conclusions may be missed.
- Duplication of Analysis: Sales teams are often assigned analysts to supply information to various account managers on the team. The account managers may need data analyzed for numerous accounts and, often times, the analyst will need to generate similar reports for different sales managers. Reporting tools don’t always have the capability of fully automating the analytical process. As a result, the effort that is put into duplicating various reports is an unproductive use of his or her time and ultimately will affect profitability.
An organization should take these obstacles into consideration before purchasing software that will provide data analytics. The ideal software is one that automates the reporting process and provides valuable information. It should also provide ease-of-use to the field sales force. This easily retrieved data will help the field sales representatives to gain powerful insights that can be relayed to customers in a timely and cost-effective manner. Empowering your sales force with quick actionable information can help forge better relationships with trading partners.
Glenn Geho – Kenosia COO
Glenn Geho has been using DataAlchemy for over nine years and previously served as vice president of consulting and product development at Kenosia. Mr. Geho has over 21 years of CPG industry experience including positions at GlaxoSmithKline Consumer Healthcare and Acosta Sales & Marketing.
