How to monitor your sales force effectively

Traditional management models cannot organize work properly in highly mobile settings — or, when they manage it, they hit plenty of obstacles along the way. The geo-management model and its tools, by contrast, were built for exactly that and it is where they excel: geo-management consolidates the monitoring and activity of geographically scattered workers, gets them to report the information they capture in the field systematically, and organizes it immediately. 

So in coordinating sales teams that have to complete point-of-sale visits, manage POP materials or audit inventory and merchandise at the stores they visit, it is essential to have tools that connect the team with their supervisors, record the information captured and the work done, and report it systematically. Thanks to connectivity and digitization, geo-management does all that and more. 

What improvements does implementing geo-management software bring to monitoring the sales force?

Better monitoring of the working day

First, supervising and coordinating the trade marketing team can be far simpler and more efficient with technology: in a geo-management model, the team stays connected, hours worked are recorded automatically (arrival at and departure from each POS), as are the visits completed, changes and schedule control are handled easily, and tracking happens transparently, in real time and at all times. 

According to a figure from Storecheck, as much as 11% of lost sales comes from field staff not showing up. Faithful, real-time monitoring helps protect the investment. 

Better tools, better management

Geo-management also gives the trade team in the field valuable tools, such as route optimization, which helps them complete more visits by cutting travel time. 

Another important tool is photographic recording, which lets the merchandiser report information back to supervisors precisely and immediately, whether to record their own promotional work at points of sale or to report on what the competition is doing. 

Real-time supervision

Supervision under a geo-management model is simpler and more centralized: with a digital tool we get full profiles of field staff and complete information about their routes, schedules and how well they are being met. Supervisors get a real-time geographic view of the areas each specialized team is working in (promoters, auditors, pre-sellers, and so on) along with the ability to chat or send instant messages whenever something comes up.

Asset monitoring

The monitoring improvements a digital tool can deliver also cover control of assets, promotional material or inventory which, centralized digitally, bring assurance and traceability. Putting that control in place also strengthens the sense of responsibility within the trade team in the field. 

Better monitoring through information analysis: consolidated KPIs

With all that information, the geo-management tool wastes no time and processes it automatically, informing middle and senior management about what is happening at each point of sale, the challenges encountered and the strengths and results of the work carried out. 

The result is real-time tracking of availability, prices and share at each point of sale. That is a powerful tool: it makes strategic decisions easier, and it brings transparency and assurance to the sales team itself which, seeing its work properly reflected in data, feels more motivated and proactive about what comes next. 

The results: efficiency and productivity

These improvements, whether in the trade team's internal communication or in enriching their work with information, translate into savings and productivity gains. 

Better travel means time saved; smooth communication helps targets get met, improves synergy and raises the team's motivation. In the same way, tools that make field work easier generate enthusiasm, productivity and initiative. 

At GoDoWorks, we build digital geo-management tools designed for each specific operational need. Our knowledge and experience designing management tools for trade marketing has let us witness the efficiency and productivity gains that appear when managing the sales force becomes better, simpler and more complete.