The secret is out – sales routing apps are becoming the best tools for road warriors to save time and sell more. But with several out on the market, how do you know which one to choose? We’ve researched the top features field sales reps need to give you a complete breakdown of what to look for in a sales routing tool.
Sales Routing Tools Increase Productivity
Visualization
When you can visualize your sales data, including existing customers and leads, you are able to manage your time and territories more effectively.
A top-of-the-line mapping system will let you visualize your data in detail. Seeing your customers and prospects in color; or by last check-in, priority, or sales revenue makes your data even more valuable. The more specific your data visualization becomes, the easier it is to identify patterns and make adjustments where necessary.
Optimization
Many routing apps claim to improve your route by finding the minimum driving distance between two points. Only the best sales mapping software uses an advanced algorithm to find an optimized route for all of your daily meetings.
Optimizing your route means less travel time, which leads to a higher number of sales meetings and less expenses – allowing you to close more deals.
Route optimization doesn’t stop with distance, it takes meeting time into consideration. So if you have one stop that you need to make by 10:30 a.m., you can add the time and duration of that meeting and your routing tool will optimize around it!
Personalization
Personalization in a sales routing app means adapting to you (and your data). A standard routing tool will work with your CRM and allow you to add customers manually.
A really great routing app will also give you the option to adjust your data and daily route to meet your personal needs. Want to sort your customers by the number of cars they own? Want to add a coffee shop to your day’s route? Your routes should fit into your day, not the other way around.
Scheduling
There is a lot of variation in how scheduling works with different sales routing apps, so it’s important to do your research and decide which option is best for you. For example, some apps will allow you to schedule routes up to 28 days in advance.
High-quality routing systems can sync your schedule with your iOS, iPhone, or Android calendar and won’t put a limit on how far in advance you can schedule your routes.
Be on the lookout for other scheduling features as well. Being able to check-in at your scheduled meetings ensures you stay up-to-date on all of your notes and deal details (like the new house your favorite customer bought) that you’d otherwise forget. Small features can make a big difference!
Real Time Updates
Scheduling is only half the job when you’re on the go. As a road warrior, you are all too familiar with the trouble of dealing with last minute cancellations and rescheduling. Routing software allows you to update your route in real time if there’s a cancellation or an urgent appointment that needs to be added to your day.
Many systems take these updates a step further by syncing with your preferred map app (Google, Apple, or Waze) to give you real time traffic updates that might affect your schedule. Choosing an app that takes the hassle out of last minute changes will give you more time to focus on your sales strategy once you arrive.
Lead Generation
Lead generation can be a useful feature to fill in cancelled appointments. There are many great sales apps out there that offer lead generation in various forms, but only sales-focused routing apps will do it for you.
On top of the data you enter for your customer base, these apps make lead generation effortless by allowing you to search for prospective customers by category. So if you sell to dentists, you can search “dentist” in any area and they’ll be mapped out for you, complete with address, phone number – and everything else you need for your next sales pitch.
Choosing the right routing app as a field sales rep is a great way to drive results. Great optimization saves time and transportation costs, lead generation opens doors to new sales opportunities, and data visualization helps you identify trends that would otherwise be buried in a spreadsheet.
So ask yourself, is there a sales routing app where I can manage all of my customers in one place? Do the research and find the app that’s right for you. Three to check out are Badger Maps, Portatour and Sales Navigator.
About the Author
Tim Jernigan is a Marketing Analyst at Badger Maps. Badger is the #1 sales routing app that helps field salespeople optimize their routes and schedules to get more meetings and sales. You can reach out to Tim on Linkedin and follow his team on Twitter @BadgerMaps