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If a tablet (and the professional sales application that goes with it) is a structuring and fundamental tool in the good management of sales performance, it's even more important that your sales reps use it! Many good ideas, on paper, are unfortunately dysfunctional once implemented in an organization. It's not so much the intrinsic quality of the product that's to blame, but rather the way it's launched, supported and used. To avoid the biggest mistakes and get your sales reps addicted to your tablet, follow our 5 tips!
1. Do a gradual deployment
Encouraging your sales force to use your tablet is like building customer loyalty. You need to have something new and innovative on a regular basis. To do this, you don't have to wait until your Mobile Sales Enablement application has all the features in your specifications. There is nothing to stop you from doing a soft launch and enriching it as you go along according to your initial plan and feedback from the field.
Maybe a feature that seems important to them is not in your priority of the moment. Just move it up in your roadmap to push it to all tablets in the next update. Not only will your teams feel listened to, but they will be even more involved in the use of the sales application because it will be truly tailored to their needs.
A gradual rollout also means good communication. Whether it's on your tablet, in the news, or on your intranet, you can keep an updated rollout plan and even encourage your teams to suggest new ideas. This way, everyone will know what's planned and when. A good practice to keep your users loyal.
2. Produce useful content
If many are addicted to social networks, it's because they have found the techniques to share content with us that is specifically targeted, easy to navigate and well adapted. You should take inspiration from this for your sales application. To do so, simply produce content in different formats (short, long, animated, videos, presentations, etc.) on practical topics that directly concern them.
These can be tutorials on how to use the application properly, practical advice on how to optimize their sales practice and sell better, or concrete information to remind them of. For example, information on how to build a presentation, how to deal with an unhappy customer, how to use the tablet in a sales meeting, etc. The richer and more personalized the content for each user group, the more it will encourage your sales reps customers to use your tablet as a truly integrated tool in their professional practice.
3. Communicate through your mobile application
A Mobile Sales Enablement application is not just about selling better. It's also about better communication. Whether it's internally, to report information, share data or transmit important news. Thanks to push notifications, all your teams receive information in real time, whether they are close to your offices or on another continent. The link is never broken with the company and the tablet is the main vector.
However, you can go even further by creating internal games, FAQ-type question and answer systems, quizzes for contests, videos, etc. Good communication through your application will mobilize, reunite and motivate your teams.
4. Develop the contents with logic and progressiveness
Change management is a difficult science to grasp because it is linked to the human factor, which is impossible to control completely. Adding a feature, evolving an interface or adding content must be done logically and smoothly. There is no point in imposing a new feature without consultation or communication. It must be logical, correspond to a need and be well integrated by your community. Think about identifying ambassadors and "power-users" who will be your relays on the ground. They will play the role of influencers with their colleagues and will be indispensable to help and accompany users in the field. An essential complement to the usual training.
5. Involve your teams in the evolution of your application
The best advertising for your application comes from your users themselves: if they feel involved and respected in its use, they will be your best relays. This is why it is essential to involve your teams in the evolution of your application. Ask them to share best practices, encourage them to give their opinions and suggestions, value the best ideas and be transparent about the incentive process. The more your sales force engages with you, both in terms of functionality and content, the more they will be loyal users of your Mobile Sales Enablement application.
Ensuring the success of a tablet-based sales application is never a foregone conclusion, but these tips will get you off to a good start. Finally, if your sales reps customers are not yet equipped with tablets, we recommend that you deploy your Mobile Sales Enablement application and your fleet of mobile devices at the same time. That way, you'll have everything under control in a single launch that's easier to manage on your side.
If you liked this article, please download our white paper: "KPI & ROI of Sales Enablement" and contact us.
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