I am a sales director of a small manufacturing company. I would
like each of our 10 travelling sales representatives to have access
to "real-time" customer data while on the road. Is there a
cost-effective way of doing this via mobile devices?
Work out exactly what functionality you
need
There are a number of ways of doing this, ranging from creative use
of your existing technology without any further capital outlay, to
the purchase of a fully integrated salesforce management system.
For most businesses, the answer will fall somewhere between the two
extremes.
The best approach to finding the right product for you is to
consider, first, what particular business improvements you wish to
achieve with the new system.
You might be looking to reduce costs and increase efficiency by
cutting the amount of time your salespeople need to spend in the
office. You might want to simplify the administrative process. Or
your main goal may be to increase sales by making sure your people
always have the latest information in front of them when they are
with a customer.
Second, think about the logistics of what information your sales
team will need to access - in particular, how much data they will
need and how often they will need to access it.
If, for example, they only need to see simple customer information
- contact names or recent orders on a daily basis, the most
cost-effective solution may be to have an office-based
administrator processing and providing it via simple technologies
such ase-mail-enabled mobile phones or personal digital assistants,
text messages and voicemail.
If their demands for data are greater or more regular, and you want
to substantially reduce the need for trips into the office,
consider issuing laptops with web and systems access via GPRS
(basically a dial-up service over a mobile phone network) or public
wireless Lans (a broadband-style service available at specific
locations such as service stations).
Cost-effectiveness is as much about affordability as basic price,
so consider whether you can wrap the upfront costs of hardware and
applications into ongoing costs. This way, a tailored off-the-shelf
salesforce system could cost less than £50 per user per month,
depending on the length of the contract.
In short, there is no reason to be daunted by implementing a system
like this. Choose a supplier or partner you are confident can
deliver on both the mobile and the fixed elements of the system and
on integrating the two, and in no time your sales team will be
wondering how they ever managed without it.
Mick Hegarty, general manager, ICT, BT Business
Beware wireless products that are
location-dependent
The ability to access real-time data on the main network will
depend enormously on where the salespeople are working when they
need it. This is because there are a number of technologies
available and not all will be available in all places.Wi-Fi
hotspots, for example, will offer good performance but limited
availability.
3G networks are ideal where salespeople are travelling in areas
such as the Thames corridor, but if they are going further afield,
you may have to resort to a Bluetooth connection between the laptop
and a GSM mobile phone. And even that will not cover the whole of
the UK.
If they need to travel outside the UK, you may need a range of
solutions, which will increase the ongoing support overhead.
The next issue is the amount of data that needs to be pushed down
the line to the salesperson. The proposed solutions will not
provide the same bandwidth as you have in the main office, so the
application should be written and work accordingly. This may mean
developing a client-server or web browser application.
And remember, once they have access to real-time data, they may
want support at any time of the day to get access to it.
Trevor Lucas, managing director, TAL Computer Services
Real-time data needs an internet
connection
Real-time customer data can be provided via a web portal or a
virtual private network (VPN) connection to the company's network.
Both need an internet connection.
But if "real-time" data is not essential, then downloading it
several times a day might be enough and more cost-effective.
A number of technologies deliver mobile internet connectivity, but
subscription to a service provider is usually required. With a
mobile phone system, GPRS is the most common product, providing a
theoretical 56kbps - equivalent to a landline modem.
The latest technology is 3G, which can provide a downlink speed of
384kbps and a uplink speed of 64kbps. But 3G is not available in
all areas and will fall back to GPRS.
An alternative is Wi-Fi, which is available at increasing number of
public hotspots. Most use 802.11b, which runs at 11mbps, although
this depends on signal strength. A less common alternative is
Bluetooth, which connects at 723kbps.
Mobile devices range from internet-enabled phones and dedicated
e-mail/web client devices to PDAs and micro/mini laptops with VPN
access. Connectivity will either be built in or come via a plug-in
card.
Mike Hudd, technical director, Netcel
System flexibility will bring you handsome
returns
The challenge is getting real-time data. Most firms do not do
real-time, but set a one- or two-hour standard so that data is no
more than a few hours out of date.
First, review what information is necessary and how often it
changes - that will determine the type of device you need. A mobile
phone is the most likely device; ask for one with Bluetooth and
GPRS. Your mobile supplier can explain these terms in detail.
You then need devices to input and review the information. You will
also need to put the vital information in one place where it can be
downloaded by the mobile devices and accessed by the salesforce and
the office team. This bit is more complicated but a good supplier
will be able to help you.
It is worth keeping the system as flexible as possible. Set it up
properly and you will be able to do e-mail on the move, share
contacts and set up meetings, making for a glowing return on
investment.
John Coulthard, head of small business, Microsoft
Deal with three key issues for a mobile phone
strategy
My recommendation would be to roll out a Windows CE-enabled mobile
phone, such as a GPRS or 3G device. Such devices can access data
across a secure VPN in real-time. Key issues are:
- The user interface. Typically it is small, so consider screen
resolution and keyboard size
- The application interface. Check that the interface fits the
device screen
- The application performance for the field salespeople. Will it
be too slow?
Mike Lucas, regional technology manager, Compuware
Got a question?
E-mail your SME Focus strategy clinic questions to Computer Weekly.
Please put "SME strategy clinic" in the subject line.
computer.weekly@rbi.co.uk
THE EXPERTS
BT Business
www.bt.com/btbusiness
Compuware
www.compuware.co.uk
Microsoft
www.microsoft.com/uk
Netcel
www.netcel.com
TAL Computer Services
www.talcs.co.uk