Retail Execution with VisitBasis

Retail inspections used to be a clumsy affair, from the amount of paper that had to be carried around and then stored to the lag time between an auditor performing the inspection at a retail location and a manager actually reading it. Here are some ways in which retail inspection software revolutionized the industry: Virtual elimination of the use of paper Paper forms were the norm in retail inspections. The use of retail inspection software means that auditors fill out forms on their smartphones or tablets.  Reduction in errors Not only they paper forms had to be carried around, but they also had to be transcribed. Retail inspection software allows managers to create custom electronic forms with selection fields, photos, and signatures, and the data is synchronized automatically. This means that there is less room for misunderstanding questions from a paper form as well as less errors while transcribing the forms into a database. Faster decision-making It could take hours...

Every sales manager gets anxious for the end of the month, when sales results come in and it becomes possible to know whether the organization is on track for the fiscal year, or not. Sales tracking software makes it possible for managers to monitor day-by-day sales operations, allowing them to visualize every sales call for every rep in any territory. This makes it easier not only to see the numbers as the orders come in, but to spot situations that might prevent successful results and act faster to correct the course . For instance, with a sales tracking software sales managers would be able to tell that a specific sales rep is seeing fewer costumers than desired every day. Or maybe a certain retail location has consistent out-of-stocks for a best-selling product and could place larger orders less frequently, freeing its sales rep to visit other customers. A state-of-the-art sales tracking software with mobile app for field reps may even eliminate in-between-calls or after-hour...

Outside sales management is one of the most stressful positions in any organization. Besides having the managerial responsibilities that any supervisory role entails - including hiring, developing, and overseeing subordinates that sometimes spend weeks in the field - outside sales managers are also accountable for the most important part of any business: revenue generation . Conciliating these responsibilities while maintaining full oversight of what is going on in a sales territory can be challenging, to say the least. Here is where an outside sales app can mean the difference between make and break: By automating field sales teams, enabling them to collect customer call information on their mobile devices, management has real-time access to what is going on in the field, leading to better mentoring and faster decision-making. Other benefits of adopting an outside sales app include: Mobile ordering with bar code recognition, virtually eliminating off-call reporting activit...

In the past few years, mobile technology has caused a revolution in retail merchandising, to the point it is now indispensable. Here are the top reasons why mobile merchandising has become a must-have in retail: Access to information at the point-of-sale:  With mobile merchandising, reps can have immediate access to a multitude of information, from category and product presentation to detailed store data. This means knowing the store manager's name or accessing the location's specific plan-o-gram without having to go through paperwork or making phone calls. Instead, mobile merchandising apps give instant access to these critical pieces of information with just a couple of taps and swipes. - No more admin people or tasks between reps and management:  With a "legacy" merchandising system in place, throughout their workday, field reps collect merchandising information at the POSs, then either fi...

Collecting audit information on several retail locations is a monumental task mainly due to the amount of data it generates. Store audit software help retail businesses streamline the store audit process all the way from scheduling and planning visits to compiling data and generating reports. More than merely reporting on past situations, though, state-of-the-art store audit software allows retail operations managers to view and act on audit findings in real time. For instance, it is possible to set up the store audit software so a manager will automatically receive a notification if one of the auditors finds an out-of-stock or a safety violation. VisitBasis web-based checklist templates allow field reps to easily perform customized in-store tasks, spending less time on data collection and minimizing mistakes. All the data collected in the field, including photos, is GPS-confirmed and time-stamped to prevent fraudulent check-ins...

Sales force automation has so many benefits that it has become no longer optional. The key to successfully automate sales forces, however, relies on the tools and systems chosen to support such automation. With the right sales force automation software , your company will be able to: Virtually eliminate the use of paper by trading order forms, reports and even sales literature for their electronic equivalents. Save on travel reimbursements and maximize customer-facing time by calculating the shortest customer round for each day. Implement revenue-boosting strategies by communicating more effectively with your reps through visit checklists and notes. "Be on the field" with each rep by monitoring their activities and location. And much more. Sales force automation software, therefore, gives companies a powerful tool that handles all steps of field sales management, from planning and scheduling of retail visits to a...