Keeping track of status
Tracking status is a bi-directional problem. Headquarters want a real-time executive dashboard on the sales pipeline and the key players at each prospect that'll make or break the sale. The sales person wants a real-time portal into inventory, manufacturing, production queues, field service work dockets, etc. Handhelds satisfy both parties' needs.

Making things happen at corporate
Almost any field sales person has the chronic complaint that it's difficult to get the necessary level of logistical support from corporate in order to be able to support their accounts. It's a constant battle to ferret out inventory levels, customer service schedules, manufacturing plans, etc. -- let alone get their sales accounts "booked" into the necessary functional groups' schedules in order to predict the final delivery of the fully customized, configured, and installed products and services to the customer. Handhelds empower the sales staff by enabling them to input scheduling data from the field, while accessing delivery estimates in near real-time.

Handhelds bring home the money
The field sales force is really just a particular flavor of field force application. As was discussed in last month's "Keeping Score" column, handhelds deliver several key areas of value by improving data accuracy through real-time capture and the elimination of paper, and they lower field service costs by getting things right on the first field visit.

Handhelds lower shipping costs by not having to ship field information to and from headquarters. Administrative costs are avoided by eliminating the need to manually re-key field data at headquarters. Field force efficiency is increased through better communication and coordination between the field and headquarters.

With handhelds, headquarters and the field agent will make better business decisions and create stronger project management by in better touch with the entire business. Increased customer satisfaction is accomplished by working with customers in an informed, efficient manner.

The good news is that handhelds surpass this already impressive value list for field sales. Sales forces enjoy the extra benefits of pursuing more sales opportunities, achieving higher sales close rates, and shortening the sales cycles. Let's explore how this is so.

More sales opportunities
It's a fact. Sales people work more effectively when they're totally tapped into the corporate communication chain. Handheld-equipped sales staff are consistently notified of business changes and rescheduled meetings, avoiding re-work and wasted customer trips.

They work more efficiently, and can pursue more sales opportunities in tandem as a result of this efficiency. A larger sales load per sales person means a bigger pipeline. Eliciting probability theory and actual enterprise case studies, handheld field sales solutions lead to more sales -- and more revenue.

Higher sales close rates
Get 'em while they're hot! That's a motto that's well understood by sales teams. When a prospect is ready to make its sales decision, and the right decision-makers are in the room, it's simply not good sales psychology to say, "Let me get back to you with that inventory data, pricing data, or production schedule data..."