It is the middle of summer, the heat is on and Direct Sales Managers (DSM) are trying to figure out how to light a fire under their DSRs. The summertime blues if left unchecked can reek havoc on sales goals. One method of reeling in DSR activity is to increase their activity using a Cable CRM designed specifically for the industry.
Potential Summer Sales Goals
Increase cross-selling and up-selling
The summer is an ideal time to revisit subscribers to up-sell and cross-sell services. One reason, includes children who are watching more TV or playing on the internet. Parents may be in need of extra content such as movies or online game access for their Wii or PS3 systems. DSRs may also find that the number of subscribers needing Wi-Fi access has increased due to the number of new handheld devices such as iPod Touch. I can personally attest to the joy of a teen that can play PS3 online and text his friends on his iPod Touch at the same time.
Build customer loyalty
Revisiting subscribers is more than a chance to do some additional product selling as it is a good opportunity to discover issues, concerns and build customer loyalty. A visit to a subscriber may uncover issues with equipment such as a remote that takes an unreasonable amount of time to change a channel, a need for additional rooms to be wired or a weak signal due to too many splitters being used. They may sound like small issues but the frustration of a subscriber can open the door to competitors if they are not addressed.
How a Cable CRM can Help Achieve Sales Goals
SFA keeps the DSR in the field
The Sales Force Automation (SFA) features of a cable CRM solution are integrated with the use of handheld mobile devices. By placing state-of-art handheld technology in the hands of a DSR, Sales managers can eliminate much of the need for a DSR to waste time returning to the office to complete paperwork. This is because the handheld contains everything from the days route schedule to the ability to submit sales information online. Simply put, a CRM designed for the cable industry makes the office mobile and far more efficient. Tracking measures allow the DSM to make sure the days activities are is being accomplished.
SFA has a faster sales cycle
The advantages do not end by keeping the DSR in the field. The use of SFA handheld devices decreases the sales cycle substantially. By having customer information, the latest promotions and the ability to perform online credit checks all available on the handheld, sales approval times are reduced. This also makes the subscriber happier as there is limited waiting before their children can access their favorite games and applications.
SFA can capture the opportunity sale
Keeping the DSR in the field can help uncover the opportunity sale. These are sales or sales leads discovered by sight or proximity. For example, while visiting current subscribers at an apartment complex, the DSR notices several moving trucks. This is a signal someone is moving in or out. For someone moving in the opportunity is to stop by, say hello and tell them about how fast they can have service. For someone leaving, the opportunity is to find out where and see if service is available at the new location.
A similar summertime opportunity to make sales occurs at locations surrounding Colleges and Universities. Students begin returning in late July and early August. DSMs and DSRs can make use of the CRM route features to select high impact areas for seasonal opportunities.
Tell us how your sales team beats the summertime blues. If you liked this article you may also enjoy reading:
Recently, I was watching a humorous video that showed a Direct Sales Representative (DSR) making a pitch to a customer for new services. The funny part of course was when the same companies tech walked out the door after he had finished installing the same new product. The video, made before cable CRM software like started gaining traction, highlighted why it is important to be able to make sure DSRs, technicians and the home office are on the same page.
Although the concept of showing a customer having purchased for a new product before the DSR knocks on the door is great for building demand perceptions, it can also be a signal that the left hand doesn't know what the right hand is doing. Wouldn't it be nice if the DSR knew that the customer had already called and was being installed? While we are on that subject wouldn't it be better if the DSRcould have a daily updated street sheet, the latest promotional special information and of course have all this information right at his fingertips accessible on a mobile handheld device?
But wait, that's not all. Implementing a CRM specifically designed for the cable industry will also enable DSRs to perform online credit checks as well as eliminate the paperwork and office calls required to make a sale using the old paper street sheet and clipboard method. This means faster sales, more sales calls and more sales. We wish we could throw in a pair of handy steak knives with the deal but that is another commercial.
So instead of steak knives, a cable CRMsolution also can also come with the ability to perform tap audits as well by having the lost or reduced service subscriber information also on the handheld with real-time information. Now the DSRs can make sales calls and perform tap audits in the same neighborhood increasing the opportunity for new sales, cross selling, up-selling and reducing cable churn all in a days work.
Tell us how you manage your DSRs to speed up the sales cycle as well as other tools you use for sales force automation.
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As the battle for market share rages between cable, telecommunications and satellite providers, cable operators may soon find themselves with a classic business marketing opportunity. This will occur because product offerings that currently include video, data and phone will be supplemented by WiMax giving cable companies a quad-play of services. The addition of WiMax will allow cable companies to offer wireless broadband access at locations other than the normal local home access point.
"Mobile WiMax promises to offer data speeds faster than current 3G wireless networks and over much longer distances than comparably fast Wi-Fi technology, which today is used mostly indoors to provide wireless broadband hot spots"
Source: Marguerite Reardon Staff Writer, CNET News
The Marketing Advantage
Introducing potential subscribers to new services is most effective when the product can be demonstrated. Cable operators utilizing CRM tools such as Sales Force Automation (SFA) or Tap Audit (TA) will find themselves in a position to demonstrate the reliability, quality and speed of utilizing WiMax on sales calls. DSRs can literally demonstrate how WiMax works using their mobile handheld devices, directly to consumers, which is far more effective than an advertising slick.
The Operations Advantage
Integrating WiMax into the sales operation routine will help ascertain the primary objective of SFA which is to increase cable sales by reducing the sales cycle time. This is accomplished by providing near real-time information on promotions, credit checks and service offerings using handheld mobile devices. This has several benefits for Cable Sales Managers which include
- Faster sales cycles leading to more customers being called upon in a given time period
- Faster analysis of sales reports and activity as data is transmitted and reports are generated at the push of a button.
- More time available to spend training new DSRs which will help lower turnover.
The Cost of Connectivity
As with almost any technology, cable operators using handheld devices must normally pay for the SFA software, the handheld devices and the cost of wireless connectivity. By taking advantage of the WiMax infrastructure, cable operations can eliminate the cost of wireless connectivity to outside vendors. Current estimates are somewhere between $75 to $100 per month per DSR to provide wireless access for handheld devices. This amount is normally twice the cost of software and support making the elimination of this expense highly desirable in what is increasingly becoming a more competitive market.
Technology Improvements May Increase Service Area
At the moment cable services are generally limited to areas where the cable infrastructure has been developed (where there is cable). As CPE is developed, these boxes may be able to receive the WiMax signals for signal conversion. When this occurs, cable operators will be able to expand their geographical service map and allow them to compete with satellite as well as other wireless alternatives in new markets.
Tell us how you see WiMax changing the market for cable operators.
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