Account Management Needs
- Our Prospect’s Account Reps will strive to be on site with their clients often, but are typically ham strung in how to intelligently choose which clients to visit, and how often. However, these reps are not involved in the order process at all. Clients like Whole Foods submit orders using a Call Center or via EDI, so the sales data really only exists in the ERP (see below)
- For Direct Sales, tracking those sales are important, but only the Prospect can determine the level they want to track. For some customers, knowing the direct channel without customer data is enough, for others, direct is all important and we will need to know customer information for marketing and forecasting (see marketing below).
- For prospects who sell directly to retailers, in-store events are critical. Showcases for Kitchen Utensils, or customer tasting events can be key to getting the clients’ customers interested in our prospect’s products. Scheduling these events, though, take resources, time and money, and so the prospect needs solid data before deciding to commit. For customers, this data comes from ERP (see below). For leads, typically management approval is necessary to commit.
How can we Help?
- Using base Salesforce Views we can show data regarding last visit, sales volume (assuming we are integrating with their ERP), and product mix.
- However, USING Salesforce MAPS, we can put this function on steroids! Maps would be a game changer for these reps •Mobile experience would be key – even though most of the customers wouldn’t even think about it. We should be talking mobile from the first conversation – start with how reps communicate trip outcomes, understanding that most of the time the answer will be “they don’t”. (see below)
- Using base activity management and mobile experience, we can record trip outcomes, record next steps, and track basic expenses like mileage or meals. Finally, workflows and approvals can help our prospects to alert and confirm trips, outcomes or events for their leads and customers.
Questions to Ask
- What is your Channel Mix? How does the mix drive your Account Reps Daily Routine?
- How much of your business is New Clients vs Existing Clients
- How do you Find and Approach New Prospects?
- Do you plan Road Trips for Sales Reps? How is that done?
- How much of your business is New Products vs Existing Products?
- How is the Contract process managed? Do you have contracts with existing customers?
- Are you capturing ANY CRM activities? (Tracking Calls, etc.) IF so, how? (CRM, Spreadsheet, Outlook).
- How do you collaborate within the company? (Quip, Chatter, etc.)
- How and where do you manage the Sales Process?