Running a successful sales team brings its own unique challenges.Your team spends most of their time in the field, away from the office and in the field. That means they often need tools to help them stay connected, manage their tasks, and engage with customers conveniently.

A mobile sales app is a tool that can help in these areas, but how do you know if your team actually needs one?

Certain signs can indicate that your outside sales team could benefit from a mobile sales app. By identifying key indicators, you can determine if implementing this tool would help your team work more efficiently.

The role of a mobile sales app in outside sales

Before diving into the indicators, it’s useful to understand what a mobile sales app can do. A mobile sales app enables sales teams to process orders, create quotes, and showcase products directly from their mobile devices.

These apps are designed to work on various devices, such as smartphones and tablets, making them highly accessible while in the field.

Now let’s look at specific signs that indicate a mobile sales app could be valuable for your team

9 Signs your outside sales team needs a mobile sales app

These indicators can show that your outside sales team may not be working at its best, which could be improved with a mobile sales app.

1. Frequent travelling and customer visits

Maybe the most obvious reason, If your sales team spends much of their time visiting clients, doing van sales or travelling for meetings, the need for a mobile sales app becomes more obvious.

When sales reps are in different locations throughout the day, they require mobile access to tools and information that will help them close deals and create sales orders.

2. Slow order capturing and processing

If your sales team finds themselves overwhelmed in the ordering process. Traditional methods of capturing orders can be time-consuming and lead to errors. If sales reps often remark on how long it takes to write orders or create quotes, introducing a mobile app could speed up this process.

Your team would be able to quickly create orders and quotes while in the field. This ability allows for a smoother workflow and ensures that no opportunities are lost due to delays in capturing orders.

3. Difficulty showcasing products

Your sales team struggles to present new products effectively during client visits or events such as trade shows, this could be another sign of needing a mobile sales app. A visual presentation is often important for sales success. Without an appealing way for your team to showcase products, they may miss out on sales opportunities.

Mobile sales apps often provide visually attractive platforms for showcasing digital product catalogues filled with high-quality images. This way, your sales reps can create a memorable impression on clients with an engaging and professional product catalogue, even while they are on the move.

4. Offline ordering challenges

Since outside sales representatives operate away from a stable internet connection, the ability to capture orders offline can make a big difference to sales teams.

Oftentimes they might experience issues entering or creating orders when they are not online, and paper orders that are easily lost or misplaced may not be the best solution.

With an app your sales team can continue processing orders even when they do not have internet access. This feature allows them to maintain productivity, ensuring that every conversation with a client can result in a sale, regardless of location or connectivity.

5. High printing costs and errors

Speaking of paper orders, the traditional reliance on paper processes are not nearly as effective or viable as they used to be. If your team frequently deals with printing quotes and orders it can be expensive, and issues like typos or printing errors can reflect poorly on your professional image.

Nevermind, the chance of misplacing the papers or the extra work that is created in having to not only create paper orders but have to then have the finance department go upload each order individually, a rather big time waster.

A mobile app could eliminate these issues by allowing sales reps to generate electronic quotes and orders directly from their devices. This capability not only cuts printing costs but also reduces the risk of errors that can occur with paper-based systems.

Not to mention that most of these apps allow for integration with ERP or accounting systems, that when used together not only allows a better flow of information but reduces the time and labour required to create sales orders and invoices.

6. Lack of real-time Information

One of the major challenges that outside sales teams face is the access to up-to-date information while on the move. In any sales position, sharing accurate and timely customer information between team members is essential. If miscommunication or outdated information creates challenges for your team.

If your sales representatives often ask for information that you feel should be readily available, it might be a sign that they need a better way to access data.

Sales teams without mobile access may waste time searching for information or calling colleagues for updates. A mobile sales app can provide easy access to customer records, product details, and inventory levels.

Helping your team access the information they need quicker to stay informed and make better decisions when it comes to tailoring their sales offers while reducing the chances of miscommunication or errors that could affect customer relationships.

7. Increasing demand for immediate responses from customers

You might have experienced that customers are increasingly expecting speed and reliability. The ability of your team to respond to their needs quickly becomes essential. Two issues we touched on earlier may be the reason your team is not able to meet these needs properly and quickly.

These include If your team struggles to meet customer demands due to slow order processing or inadequate product information,

Being able to create instant quotes and orders, providing clients with the immediate responses they desire is a benefit that sales apps could provide. This speed can greatly improve customer satisfaction and your team’s performance.

8. Growth in client base or team size

As businesses grow, managing a larger client base becomes challenging without the right tools. If you have noticed complications in managing relationships or ensuring that sales reps have access to necessary customer details, now is the time to consider some sales tools

As your outside sales team expands, using a sales app can create a more structured approach to managing clients. By keeping track of sales activity and making customer information readily available, your team can offer better service and maintain strong relationships as your company grows.

9. Time-consuming reporting processes

After a long day in the field, the last thing your sales team wants is to sit down and compile reports. If your team members find reporting processes tiring, under-stimulating and time-consuming, having something that automates this process might be the perfect solution.

Mobile sales apps often come with features that allow for easy sales order data entry and reporting. This capability saves time and helps keep productivity high, as your team can spend more time selling rather than filling out paperwork.

Assess your team’s needs

Recognising the indicators that your outside sales team may benefit from more support in the form of sales tools can help you make informed decisions. From managing leads to ensuring effective communication, a sales app can simplify many challenges faced by sales teams on the go.

Take time to evaluate the needs of your team. Speak with your team about their daily struggles and see where improvements are necessary. If you find several of the signs mentioned in this article resonate with your experience, consider investing in a mobile sales app to support your outside sales team effectively.

In the end, the goal is to empower your sales team to connect with clients better, manage leads smartly, and increase sales productivity.

Onsight offers an easy-to-use mobile sales app for reps that helps simplify how sales teams capture orders and showcase products while they’re out in the field. With app features such as auto-sync that make it easy to share product information, Onsight can help your team connect better with customers. If you’re interested in seeing how it works, you can sign up for a free trial