Mobile-Powered Sales: 5 Reasons to Go All In

Written by Larry Ritter

There is no doubt tablets and mobile devices are rapidly becoming an essential means of communications and connectivity for individuals and businesses alike.  In just about two years of the iPad’s existence, approximately 11% of Americans already report owning it – or its Android equivalent - and 25% of worldwide mobile PC shipments in 2011 were tablets.

For small to midsized businesses, just 18 to 24 months ago, mobile extension of IT tools was still considered an extra, even a luxury, due to its complexities and costs. Today, the emergence of tablets and advanced handheld devices, apps aplenty, and technologies like HTML5 that offer integrated solutions has changed all that and 75% of U.S. small and midsize businesses are planning to purchase tablets in the next 12 months. Mobility is no longer just an option –it’s a must-have.

If you haven’t already, here are five reasons to make the jump to mobile.

1.Everything is lined up. Devices used to be proprietary, too varied in capabilities and cost-prohibitive to support a wide range of them. Today a competitive marketplace of vendors and wireless providers offers high performing and affordable mobility.  Wireless access is increasingly reliable and public hotspots are nearly ubiquitous. Factor in the depth and breadth of mobile applications and you’ll find all the essential pieces are in place.

2.Untethered is better. Mobile devices free entrepreneurs and business professionals from their desktop computers – actually, they extend them. The read/write capabilities most mobile apps have mean users can not only access important customer details like contact information, sales history and negotiable price points, but also make edits, create new entries and use many of the features they normally use at their desks.

 Employees can even stay productive during flights via “airplane modes” most devices and mobile apps now support.

Security gives you peace of mind too. Topline wireless encryption is becoming standard and many devices and apps have password protected log-ins as well as kill switches to disable an entire device or application-specific data in the event of theft or loss.

3.It’s how you look! Let’s admit it, professional appearance is part of successful selling. Fumbling to boot up a laptop or revealing an aged and weathered smartphone may not make the best impression on clients and prospects.  Providing employees efficient access to critical information while meeting with prospective customers is reason enough to invest in mobile technology.

4.Time drain becomes time gain. Sales personnel can increase productivity by “stealing” time from traditional downtimes such as during a cab ride or waiting for others to arrive for a meeting. Mobile devices help users manage their workloads by breaking up tedious tasks into bite-sized pieces. An extra few minutes of effort in flight and a few more standing in the cab line, for example, can turn even the most loathed yet essential tasks into more productive and profitable outcomes.

5.Mobile is for closers. For salespeople, success is found at the intersection of opportunity and availability. Timing! Being able to access customer information anytime, anywhere gives businesses a competitive advantage. Adding the capability to accept credit cards on the spot leverages this advantage even further – employees can use a mobile payments app and snap a card reader onto their devices for secure, Payment Card Industry (PCI) compliant processing.

Having mobile capabilities available right out of your pocket or briefcase can often be the difference between a sale or a “so long.”

Canadian high-end menswear retailer Harry Rosen Inc. uses a mobile customer relationship management (CRM) system. The company’s sales associates are actually asked to purchase their own mobile devices but they don’t mind because having each customer’s history at hand whenever one walks in a store helps close more business and increase their commissions; they’re happier still to have CRM access on whichever device they prefer. One associate tells of a client unsure about purchasing a new suit. The associate, with permission, snapped a picture of him wearing the suit and emailed his wife whose approving response was returned minutes later. Abandoned suit averted. Immediate sale secured.

Above all, consider how the smartphones and tablets already at use in our personal lives add value, because this easily transcends to business too. People inherently know how to use mobile devices and are growing quite accustomed to them.  The next generation of employees will simply expect mobile access, so committing now aids readiness too. Now is the best time yet to fully adopt mobile and trust it can generate measurable benefits for your business.

About the author: Larry Ritter is senior vice president and general manager with responsibility for Sage’s Contact Management Solutions, most notably Sage ACT!. Previously he led product strategy, product management, product marketing and user experience for the Sage CRM Solutions product family comprised of Sage ACT!, SageCRM, and Sage SalesLogix.

Mr. Ritter has 20 years of software industry experience and, prior to Sage, led product development efforts for Citrix Systems and Hewlett Packard. He joined Sage in 2004 and, as a senior executive within the company’s global CRM organization, has helped evolve the Sage ACT! product line for use by corporate customers and specific industries, guide Sage CRM and Sage ERP front- and back-office integration, and led the re-architecture of the Sage SalesLogix platform.