Selecting Tech for your Business

Selecting the "RIGHT" tech for your business needs is not a simple decision.

Today, we uncover how to select the right tech to enable and unlock your team's full potential.

Identify what your customers expect from the results of your business. - Let's use an FMCG sales team as an example:

• Customers - Points of Sales (POS) - expect that you provide them with in-demand products according to the Purchasing Power in their local area. (They do not want dusty products on their shelves, so placing products according to your customers, customers, is a great way to avoid that).
• POS, expect that you will at least stop by 2-3 times a week to ensure that your products are properly merchandised (labels facing out), and you are not over, or understocking them.
• They expect that the products are not damaged or opened upon arrival, and they must ensure that you provide them with the right marketing material and knowledge to explain a product to their customers.
• Salesmen have long had a bad wrap on overly selling, and just trying to reach their end-of-month quota. Today, Salesmen are expected to treat their customers as Business Partners to their customers. (This builds long-term, sustainable business).

What your salespeople need to have, in order to be able to serve all the needs and expectations of your customers:

• Route and Mapping tech, which will ensure no salesperson will crossover to another salesperson's customers.
• The Routing tech will guarantee that every customer will be visited and taken care of the perfect amount to ensure they are never overstocked, or understocked.
• They will need a training manual to ensure they represent your company as per your standards, know how to solve any problem that may arise, and potentially, upsell new items.
• They will need RFID tracking to ensure that no product was damaged upon transportation to minimize additional expenses from false claims on damaged items.
• They will need upskilling and knowledge transfer so they have sufficient business knowledge to act as a partner to your customers, rather than just an average door-to-door salesperson.

Whom are the stakeholders involved in the Tech Selection Process?

• Information Technology Department - They must find and present all options.
• Logistics, and warehousing
• Merchandisers, Delivery & Sales Teams
• Accounting & Finance
• And most importantly, which many forget during this process, The CUSTOMERS!!!

This brings me to the phrase "Customer-centric," OR "Consumer-centric."

Although many of us are sick of hearing this word because we think it applies to sales only, it doesn't. It applies to every aspect of your business.

You build a business to serve a specific type of client. Identifying that client is amazing, however, adapting your entire organization just to serve that specific type of client's needs in the market will give you the greatest competitive edge.

So, where does this all line up with managing teams and leadership?

• The bigger your team is, the harder it becomes to manage, but not impossible when paired with the right software.
• The right software should show you the team's performance, but if that software can break down that data to individuals, you may have a micro-problem that is costing you millions, and you cannot even begin to penpoint the source.
• Why can't I just get excel sheets and have everyone upload their data?

The common mistake here, assuming that people don't input data incorrectly, or that people do not lie to make their performance seem better.

• If you can pinpoint mistakes, you can use it as an opportunity to upskill staff, identify skill gaps, discover opportunities that management has not considered yet.
• Do not try to buy tech that is affordable at the expense of your customer's satisfaction.

Get the best data for your client's needs and expectations, to manage the best teams. (Quality comes before price).

If you are seeking the top Tech or Recruitment consultants out there, don't be afraid to reach out.

Laith Khoury, ECRE

www.laithkhoury.com