Field sales are still relevant in every industry segment and are thought to be the most successful in generating fantastic business opportunities. Managing field trips, tracking salespeople’s routes, measuring the number of time salespeople spend on the road, keeping track of meetings, prioritizing client obligations, and optimizing routes are some of the basic statistics that field force management requires.
It necessitates using a route planner/sales route management tool to effectively manage the complete sales path. The traditional system involved manually plotting maps and routes, which resulted in longer hours and mismanaged timetables.
Now comes the automation of route planning and scheduling visits, thanks to an efficient system that can help field force managers optimize routes to their maximum potential. Sales route planning has proven extremely effective in linking sales reps with significant business possibilities at the proper time and location.
Start with explaining sales route optimization and then look at why a key route planner is so important for field sales teams.
What is Route Optimization?
Identifying the most efficient route for a given number of waypoints is known as route optimization. It is an extremely sophisticated procedure, and the number of alternative routes grows exponentially as the number of waypoints grows. Building the shortest route for the provided waypoints based on time or distance must also consider other parameters such as the number of intersections.
Route planning and optimization can help you determine the quickest and most efficient routes, lowering fuel expenses and reducing the amount of time field salespeople spend driving.
The Significant Impact in Field Sales using Route Optimization:
People who work in sales need to go from one area to another swiftly and efficiently. Many salespeople have to drive 30 to 45 minutes to and from their sales zone. With this in mind, your sales force must have access to the necessary planning tools to stay productive when on the road.
Field Force Automation Tools will assist them in planning routes that they are confident will get them to and from their destinations in the shortest time possible. It can help them cut down on travel time, allowing them to be on time at work and increasing their chances of selling more. Appointments are an important aspect of a company’s sales process.
The Sales Representatives must travel to visit clients at various locations, and the number of appointments they can complete is determined by the routes they take. The following are some of the advantages of route optimization for businesses:
- To Save Money, Time & Fuel Efficiency:
The total distance and average miles driven between waypoints are minimized when Sales Reps design and optimize their itineraries. Gasoline efficiency improves as the distance is reduced. When the total money spent on fuel by an organization is added together, route optimization alone saves money.
- Improve Client Satisfaction:
Sales reps can spend more time serving clients and enhance overall customer satisfaction by planning and optimizing their routes ahead of time. Furthermore, addressing spontaneous meetings becomes simple because the route may easily be modified to incorporate extra waypoints.
- Aim for a higher On-Time Performance Rate:
One of the most vital benefits of Route Optimization is that Sales Representatives can boost their on-time performance rate. Because the routes have been adjusted, Sales Representatives may reach customers on time and avoid keeping them waiting.
Even if your field sales representatives are unavailable in the office, you can view real-time updates on customer data and the newest deals as a manager with route optimization. In addition, you can see your sales team’s performance by stacking sales reps according to how many check-ins are made, closed sales, and their income with a sales employee tracking app.
Are Route Planners much needed for Optimizing Field Sales?
Using route planning software for your sales staff has numerous advantages. First, your salespeople will appreciate the increased efficiency.
They will be more effective and in a better mood if they have a route planner that resolves various issues in organizing their journeys. A route planner offers much more than just a list of destinations to visit and the best routes to take to get there.
It provides you the optimum period to go, hold back, traffic, and environmental factors. Knowing these elements will enable your sales team to make more accurate and timely judgments, allowing them to achieve more.
- Advanced Sales Force Activity Planning:
A route planner assists field salespeople in arranging their sales activities ahead of time, resulting in a well-organized framework that can be managed and monitored. For example, a route map can be developed to display the distances to be traveled, the client list, and other options available. Sales managers can use this information to optimize and successfully organize the entire schedule.
- Complete visibility:
Implementing a route planning module keeps managers up to date on the most up-to-date real-time data, allowing them to conveniently monitor and manage the field force. In addition, more coordination and interaction between the road teams and the managers provide a complete view of the situation.
- Relief from Inefficient Expenditure:
A strong software solution for route planning and management like Happisales can save the sales force money and time by preventing them from making unnecessary journeys. Furthermore, it aids in the extraction of the finest feasible paths by which sales agents can save money and time.
Final Words:
A strong sales force management solution is built upon intelligent and effective route planning. Therefore, a few vital aspects of a Field service management software & must be prioritized from the beginning to the end.
A comprehensive sales route management module, such as Happisales, can aid salespeople and managers in various ways, including increasing sales and ensuring a seamless operating flow between routes. As a result, when adopting any Field Force Help, good sales route planners are necessary and must be given proper consideration.