You’ve got a sales team up and running, they’ve had the training and know the goals. But none of this is translating into business sales.
There’s no shortage of inquiries and prospects, but your team members are having trouble closing their deals.
If you look a little more closely at what’s happening in the workplace, you might realize it’s time to step into the digital age.
Here are some paper-based problems with digital solutions that could make all the difference to your company’s bottom line.
Here’s how to do it.
Problem: Desks are littered with paperwork
When you drill down, you discover that most of that messy paperwork is made up of unanswered phone messages and incomplete sales information. Scribbled post-it notes decorate computers, and valuable contact details get mistakenly filed in the bin.
Solution: Get the cloud
Declutter your office, starting with a switch to cloud-based technology. By storing all your business files, documents and vital sales figures on the cloud, you reduce the need for old-fashioned backup, clunky filing cabinets and paper-based information which nobody really knows what to do with or how to store.
Train your staff in the new processes, especially file sharing and information security. Encourage them to store their information online so it’s always up to date, and to email colleagues rather than transporting paper around the office.
Problem: Your staff are anchored to their desks
Why are they doodling on their notepads rather than sitting in a prospect’s office making a sale? They still rely on large desktop computers and fixed phones while your rivals are out and about closing deals, having turned their cars into virtual offices.
Solution: Get mobile
Turn your own employees’ cars into virtual offices too. Take full advantage of digital technology like an online fax system from eFax which enables you to send faxes worldwide on any mobile, tablet, laptop or handheld device connected to the internet.
There’s no need to scoot back to the office to access traditional equipment.
Show your staff how to send large files, high-resolution images and full sales presentations by online fax anywhere across the globe. Access all your files and faxes instantly via the cloud.
Problem: Prospects aren’t receiving requested information
No wonder you’re losing sales; you discover that your sales team is responding late or not at all when prospects show interest and request more information about your product or service.
According to the Harvard Business Review, companies that try to contact potential customers within an hour of receiving a query are nearly seven times more likely to have meaningful conversations with key decision makers than firms who contact even an hour later. If that translates to several hours or even days later, your chances fall further. And if the call never gets returned at all, there’s no hope.
Solution: Get smart
Ensure staff are storing info online rather than on bits of paper which get lost. Implement a foolproof method of answering website, phone, online fax and social media queries. Consider the range of mobile apps and online platforms designed to manage time, and give your employees immediate access to vital business stats and documents while they are on the road.
It’s hard to ignore digital, cloud-based technology if you want to get your staff and business humming. Don’t let any more sales pass you by!