Tête-à-Tête Between Sales VPs: How Can a Mapping Tool Boost Productivity?

Here is what Chris and Stephan, two close friends, were discussing over a cup of coffee on a Friday night. They both have the position of Sales VP in two distinct businesses. Chris seemed to be enjoying every sip of the coffee. Stephan, on the other hand, is still on the phone with work. Chris wonders why Stephan is so stressed and why he is still working after business hours.

Chris: Are you still working?

Stephan: Indeed! Trying to determine whether or not they (his team) have met their goals.

Chris: Oh my! So you still manually check all that?

Stephan: Is there an alternative approach? You are a VP too. Don’t you do the same?

Chris: No. I stopped doing this a few months back. I now manage all of this using an application called “MappyField,” and I have never been happier.

Stephan: Do the tools actually work?

Chris: You are still on your phone at 7:30, and I’m not!

Stephan: Fine! I recognize your sarcasm, but would you mind explaining this tool?

Chris: Yes! Six months ago, I was facing similar issues. In order to accomplish my objectives, I would work even after office hours. Despite having a large team of 30 employees, I wasn’t receiving the outcomes I wanted. Day after day, managing tasks and the team was getting difficult. 

Stephan: Are you reading my mind? I’m having the same problem. Okayy! I apologize for interrupting; please continue.

Chris: Let me tell you from the beginning. I had no idea how much customer data I would be using every day when I was given the responsibility of VP. A sales team was waiting for me to assign assignments as I held a lengthy list of clients in my hands. It was challenging to identify the areas with strong sales and those with weak sales. I tried putting my sales strategies into practice, but nothing seemed to work. Because I didn’t have a clear representation of the data, strategies did not work, and there was as much increase in sales as I was expecting.

Stephan: I totally get your point! How are we supposed to visualize a list with tens of thousands of entries? When you have such massive amounts of data in front of you, it appears impossible to target a specific area to boost sales.

Chris: Agreed! However, MappyField has a fix. They basically have a function named Data Plotting. As a result, you can view all of your CRM entries on a map. You can filter regions to view the number of clients you have there. As a result, I found it simpler to identify the places with high and low sales. After I launched a marketing effort in underperforming areas, sales immediately began to increase.

Stephan: Wow! My life would be so much simpler with this. I have a question: will this tool help in assigning tasks to the team? As you said, the tool helps visualize the data on the map, so it would be easier to know how many customers we have in one region, right?

Chris: Absolutely! Using this tool, we can estimate the number of sales representatives each region will need. Additionally, the proximity search option allows you to find out how many customers are nearby. If you want to know who is nearby, the proximity search will display all of the clients who are within five miles of you or whatever distance you choose.

Stephan: This would save them a tonne of time. One of my sales representatives met a client last week in one area, then traveled to meet a second client in another area (20 miles away), only to discover afterward that the third client’s location was close to the first client’s. And this is not the first time it has happened. It happens frequently! They are ultimately unable to accommodate all of their clients. In the end, we are unable to meet our goals as a team. Such incidents give me the impression that they spend more time traveling than with clients.

Chris: I agree. I have encountered the same problem with my team.  Because not all sales reps are familiar with every area, they struggle when we give them new regions to operate in. Some people who spend a lot of time driving might not be aware of quicker routes or road closures. However, since I have a tool for route optimization, their routes are already categorized.

Stephan: What is route optimization? How does that function?

Chris: I’ll explain. Consider giving your sales representative 10 clients from a single region. The route optimization tool will optimize the shortest path for sales representatives. They could accomplish their goal and arrive at the client’s location on schedule, all because of MappyField.

Stephan: Wow! This tool will save them a lot of time from returning to the same place multiple times.

Chris: Yes, they can search clients’ locations if they are on their route! MappyField offers the option of route-based searching. Your representatives can therefore observe where the clients in the area are. With the use of this tool, they can find the locations of other clients who are close to their route and schedule appointments with them if any appointments are canceled.

Stephan: This tool seems to have it all!

Chris: Indeed! My work is so much sorted now!

Stephan: Hmm.

Chris: What now? Is something bugging you?

Stephan: What if you feel your team is not truthful with you? Then there is no point in these features.

Chris: What do you mean?

Stephan: Okay, let me explain. I think my team members are not being honest with me. Although they claim to have met every client they were given, I continue to receive calls and texts from clients inquiring as to when my salesperson will meet them. If the product never gets to the customer in the first place, how can I expect results? One of the reasons I have to stay on the phone until they complete their duty is because of this. I don’t want to be an annoying boss, but I have to answer to my seniors as well!

Chris: What if I suggested that MappyField has a fix for this issue?

Stephan: Really? How?

Chris: Your sales representative would be auto-checked in when they start the meeting and checked out when they are finished.

Stephan: Good. However, how could we be certain that they only checked in before meeting the client and not somewhere else? 

Chris: They can’t! This feature only works when they are close to the client’s location. The function is known as geofencing! When the meeting is over and the sales rep leaves, the tool will automatically check out.

Stephan: This means no pretending! 

Chris: Additionally, the sales representatives can add meeting details as well. So, if I want to check how the meeting went, I don’t have to call them. And the auto check-in check out only works when the sales reps have reached on time! If they are late, they have to manually enter the details and give the reason for the same, which then goes for approval to their manager.

Stephan: Aren’t you fortunate? This tool seems to have everything!

Chris: I totally agree! I strongly advise you to think about purchasing this tool because I have been using it for the past six months. My sales last month were the highest ever! … And you’re on your phone again!

Stephan: Sorry! Congratulations on your successes! I was arranging a meeting with my supervisor to discuss how this tool can help our company in achieving its objectives.

Chris: Excellent!

Stephan: I now regret not meeting you two months back!

Chris: No worries! Better late than never!

Stephan: Indeed!

Chris: I advise you to go through the website of AppJetty, the company that made MappyField. You will find more information there. Also, have a call with them! On their website, you will find their contact details.

Stephan: Thank you so much! This conversation made me believe I could also accomplish my goal. All I need is a tool upgrade!

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