Here Paul Black, CEO at sales-i – a specialist in sales performance software, discusses the benefits of mobile technology and how it can help fastener manufacturers, distributors and wholesalers boost sales and scale business.
The fastener industry is no stranger to technology; the manufacturing and industrial world it operates in is testament to the genius of technological advancement – think automobiles, aviation and construction. And yet it has been slow, if not wary, when it comes to embracing the digital age – namely mobile technology.
The wider world, however, is responding to the mobile age with enthusiasm, taking full advantage of its business benefits, all of which are changing how people engage with each other – and their service providers. Thanks to Uber we no longer need to wait in taxi queues or walk the streets looking for an empty cab. Airbnb™ offers its users quick access to affordable accommodation in almost any country, and Skype enables us to call friends, family and colleagues anywhere in the world, for free.
Technology is transforming almost every industry and traditional fastener manufacturers and distributors need to keep up in order to stay relevant and competitive. The bottom line is that Customer Relationship Management (CRM), Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and Business Intelligence (BI) tools can increase company profits. These cloud-based, mobile friendly solutions can help organisations improve their productivity, identify new opportunities, enhance the customer experience, decrease costs, and streamline operational processes.
If that isn’t enough, the Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) pricing model enables businesses to only pay for the technology they use, rather than paying upfront for the whole product. In other words, whether your company is just starting out or is well established, it can afford the benefits of the latest business software anywhere in the world via any mobile device.
If your business is still relying on manual data entry and disparate communications to manage customer relations and business operations, chances are it’s not performing as well as it could. It may be time to consider implementing off-site mobile software solutions.
Choose SaaS over SaaP
Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions are more cost-effective and potentially less of a headache than Software-as-a-Product (SaaP) solutions. SaaP requires you to invest in physical, on-site hardware in order to run your software, including set-up, installation, and maintenance fees. With SaaS your provider’s off-site data centre takes care of that, while you still get to enjoy all the resources and functionality. Cloud-based tools are more reliable than the alternative, with most of the top cloud computing platforms experiencing minimal (<1%) downtime annually. The SaaS structure offers flexible pricing models for smaller businesses with stricter budgets, but it’s easily scalable; as your business grows, or the technology improves, you can adjust your solution to suit your needs.
Build better relationships
Any good salesperson knows how important relationships are to business success. What they might not be aware of is how much technology can enhance them. Put your employees’ smartphones to better use and install mobile friendly business software tools that will help your sales people boost their performance. With the right App they will be able to quickly access all customer interactions for instant insights, review or update customer information in real time (whether on the road or in the office), and receive alerts for business opportunities or issues that need immediate attention. This increased agility means that your customers’ ever changing needs will be met swiftly, leaving no room for your competitors to muscle in.
Close more sales
Our sales performance software solution, sales-i, is mobile technology specifically designed to support the needs of the fastener industry. It will give your team the information it needs at their fingertips to close sales anywhere – either down the road or across the ocean.
sales-i can track and pre-empt your customers’ buying patterns and behaviour. It analyses data to deliver actionable insights straight to your mobile phone. If, for example, customer X likes to buy nuts and bolts at the same time as oils and lubricants, you’ll be alerted to this trend and can approach them with a tailored offer before the competition does. Or they may buy in bulk during a particular time of year, enabling you to strengthen your relationship by proactively offering them a special discount.
Designed to make every sales call more personal and profitable, sales-i enables professionals to clearly identify and target high-quality sales opportunities within their current customer base. Equipped with customer buying behaviour alerts, sales people can make insightful, personalised, and quick business decisions, realising repeat sales, reduced customer attrition and maximised profit margins as a result.
Mobile technology is not only the future; it is very much the present. Those companies that are able to realise the benefits it has to offer will win out in the end.
Will joined Fastener + Fixing Magazine in 2007 and over the last 15 years has experienced every facet of the fastener sector - interviewing key figures within the industry and visiting leading companies and exhibitions around the globe.
Will manages the content strategy across all platforms and is the guardian for the high editorial standards that the Magazine is renowned.
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