The personal touch is so important, isn’t it? When you think about it, it’s only natural that in an increasingly digitized and impersonal world, our customers may yearn for the personal touch that only SMEs can provide. It’s been proven time and again that while the multinational corporate titans may be able to undercut our more modest businesses on price, they can never replicate the standard of individual customer service that we can provide. Thus, while many businesses expand their reach through outbound and inbound calls and digital communications, some prefer to send their sales teams out on the road to give their customers the one on one personal attention that they deserve.
When you have a fleet of sales professionals on the road, however, it raises certain logistical and practical considerations. While you trust your team, it’s far easier to manage them and gauge their efficacy while they’re under your roof than when they’re out on the road. Abide by these tips, however, and your fleet will be a force to be reckoned with…
Ensure that they can work effectively remotely
When your sales team are out on the road, the efficient use of their time is of paramount importance. You don’t want them to waste time to-ing and fro-ing back to the office to perform administrative duties when they could be out there closing more deals. Thus, you should use cloud migration solutions to ensure that your sales team can log their deals and update your CRM remotely from the road. It’s also worth working with them to plan a schedule that allows them rest time. Hungry sales professionals left to their own devices may be a little too eager to close as often as possible and can wind up burning themselves out. It’s up to you to ensure that they manage their schedule effectively to prevent this.
Make sure they’re accountable for their behavior on the road
While your sales team are out on the road, everything they do is a reflection on your business in the eyes of all they encounter. Thus, their behaviour on the road needs to be unimpeachable, especially if their vehicles bear your branding. As the CEO of your business, it’s up to you to build accountability into their operations. Dash cams are a great way of ensuring this. Not only will they ensure that your team drives with courtesy and professionalism, it will help to counter any claims made against your sales team. Needless to say, your drivers will need to be trained extensively to ensure that they meet the standards your business requires of them. Some businesses impose a driver excess on their teams to make sure that their performance on the road is impeccable.
Invest in peace of mind with the right telematics
When your teams are on the road, every minute counts and the last thing you want is for your sales force to be stuck in traffic when they should be closing deals. They should be kept up to date with traffic news while having access to the routes that will get them where they need to be as quickly as possible. The good news is that you can have this peace of mind without spending a fortune on expensive telematics solutions. A smartphone with the right telematics app can be just as effective for smaller fleets.
With the right training, equipment and attitude, your team can be a powerhouse on the road.