Visit stages for sales representative

The visit of a sales representative to a sales outlet, the events preceding and accompanying it, are the main moments in their working activity. Sales representative's profits and earnings directly depend on how successful the visit is. Another important factor is the speed of work and time they spend at the outlet. If the agent will linger at each point for a long time, they may not have time to visit the others, they will not fulfill the visits plan, and this may cause decrease in the number of orders.

Under the stages of the visit we will understand an algorithm, a certain order of actions, allowing to achieve the maximum effect when visiting a point of sale.

First stage: Route planning

Automating the processes of the first stage allows the employee to save a lot of time when preparing for the visit. Using a specialized mobile application, the agent sees a list of outlets to be visited, can choose the nearest one and go to it using the shortest route suggested by GPS. Using the same scheme, the agent chooses the route of further movement to another point of sale.

Second stage: Preparation of visit

When using a visiting field teams automation system, the second stage also takes minimal time in the work of a sales representative. All data about the sales outlet required to prepare for the visit - the history of the relationship with the outlet (past orders, comments, information about staff and address, accounts receivable and much more), is contained in the app on mobile device and is available in a few clicks. They no longer needs to take any other information on paper, presentation materials, etc.

Third stage: Merchandising

For sales agents who use a visiting field teams automation system, the time costs of merchandising process greatly reduces. The merchandising document can be already filled with data from the previous visit, and the sales representative only needs to actualize it - check rests, advertising, layouts and current prices. All this data is sent to the server during the exchange process and gets into the distributor's accounting system in a few seconds.

Fourth stage: Receiving order

The main tool of sales is a competent presentation. When working "the old fashioned way", on paper, sales representative has to carry presentation materials, product cards, etc. with them. When working with an automated system with mobile trade app, an agent can show a qualitative image of any product from the promoted range on his mobile device. It not only reduces the time spent, but also saves money for the organization.

The main advantage of the automated visiting field teams system at this stage is that the information about the order comes into the distributor's accounting system almost instantly. The sales representative may not even leave the point of sale yet, but their order is already being processed and formed for shipment. The speed and efficiency of order processing is much higher than with traditional paper-based methods. Through exchange with the accounting system, the agent can see at his device current inventory levels and receive an order in the amount actually in stock.

The use of an automated visiting field teams system greatly speeds up all processes at all stages of the sales representative's visit to the sales outlet. And the agent can spend the saved time to visit an additional point and take more orders in a working day, raising the efficiency of his work and increasing sales for the company.

At a number of stages, the organization benefits from the use of automation in the form of savings on presentation materials, papers, stationery, etc., as all this information is provided electronically.

Another serious advantage is the increased speed of interaction between a sales representative and a supervisor, or, more precisely, between an agent's mobile device and the accounting system. The supervisor at all stages of the visit can monitor the actions of his employees and have information in real time, which greatly increases managerial and organizational interaction, and the effectiveness of the firm.