As the businesses are evolving with more digitization, we are constantly looking at innovating things that help us to do our business more smartly and also increase our efficiency.
It was during one of our weekly review meetings with the leadership team we came to a discussion point where we pondered on how our Channel Sales Manager, who is our frontline contact with retailers and distributors, can add maximum value during his market visit. We wanted to understand if he is planning his market visit on priority tasks and if yes, what is it that is helping him to plan better . And if there is any way we can use technology to assist him.
As the discussion progressed, we started building on his ‘Day Out’ in the field listing on the specific tasks from beginning of the day. The first question was - How is he planning his daily market visit? We realized, it’s not a simple thing to plan your day well in advance everyday. Even at senior level people at times aren’t sure how to prioritize their work.
Next thought up was how and what he talks when he meets up with the channel partner or retailer? Is there a structure to it? While there is no dearth of information available to him which he carries with him but again which are top things that he should be discussing is critical.
One of our colleagues then said “Can there be a structured data dashboard which the channel sales team can access on the move? “. This will help them refer the data and initiate the discussion looking at those data points.
The ideas then just started to come on table. Next we heard was someone saying “can there be a digital list of retailer with their performance as well, basis which sales visit can be planned and prioritized basis their performance.
That was enough to set the ball rolling for developing a SMART APP (Sales Management and Reporting Tool ) , a structured performance dashboard that each of the Channel Sales user could access and deep dive for his territory, for his team, for his zone, for his region going upwards to set of COO’s for the regional head and finally President and MD getting a national picture in a tablet screen with a click on tab.
With the SMART APP, the frontline sales user could access his set of retailer and plan his market visit in advance basis their past and current performance using the calendar in the tablet. High productivity retailers, having higher frequency of visits which is indicated by red and green dots in the app. Daily plan pops up every morning for the user to follow. On selecting a retailer/channel partner its gives a preview of performance indicators, followed by service related questions and finally remarks before submitting the visit.
Other feature like taking picture of activities done in the market, capturing competition action, guiding the user to ask business led questions and tick mark in the app where some other salient features of the SMART APP that has helped structure the business discussion not only in the market but within the organizational reviews.
A good movie has all characters playing their role as assigned, similarly here IT help join the dots with the creative sales team requirements. The developer stuck the brief given that the app isn’t complex to use. Various versions changed hands to ensure simplicity is maintained. SCM helped resourcing tablets, creating buffer for damages. The premier was done circle by circle with 100% audience attending and accessing the app during the launch session to explain all the features.
The channel sales users were initially apprehensive about being tracked through the app but after seeing the many benefits that the SMART APP would give them were delighted to accept and adapt to it as it will simplify their work to a greater extent. They are the true heroes who have been using this religiously for the last two years now.
Since inception we have rolled SMART 1.0 to SMART 4.0 version with lot many more filters making the search more meaningful and added many more tools. Today SMART is an integral part of S & D ways of working and stands a backbone of performance.
Lessons Learned
- Technology can harness and make the complex procedure simple
- Traditional sales work can be made interested by empowering the Sales person with latest information to help him make an intelligent dialogue with the retailer
- Being digitally advance leaves a better impression on the market, shows that your company is progressive not only in thinking but also making things possible
- Adaptability to technology happens faster when people see value in it , the sales team was initially reluctant to adopt this but when they realized the larger value it gives them in increasing their efficiency, they adapted to this quickly