All of us drive around and pass hundreds of trucks painted with a bright company logo. These trucks are often running a route delivering and selling anything from flowers and beer to chips and bread from the back. Today we are discussing the sales aspect of the job and how our App solution removes the pain points and adds incredible value.

Pain Point #1, No Offline feature.

This pain point often surfaces after a solution is implemented and users start to run their routes  Connectivity is often overlooked because people think they have cell service everywhere. The selection committee never asked if the app works offline or figured that offline capabilities were not a requirement. Drivers go inside a building as part of the selling process, loose signal and end up with an app that is unusable. Also understand that because an app solution is in the cloud or sold as SaaS does not mean it works offline. It probably means the opposite.

FwdMbl understands that offline capabilities are important and expected for an app to be successful. Our Mobile Route Sales App works in airplane mode if need be. Our approach allows sales people to sell no matter what. Sure without cell service and Wi-Fi, GPS tracking will not be accurate but the driver can keep on selling.

Pain Point #2, Slow Syncs.

This pain point often surfaces after a solution is purchased and the install is under way.  Software is selected on a check list of features and the selection committee makes the best decision possible from that list. But nowhere have they talked about how much data they expect to move to and from the app. Data moving back and forth depends on many things.  Are you going to put sales history in the App, how many customers will the route service, how is pricing handled, and how many items are in my product catalog. The type and amount of data can kill sync times, battery life, and phone performance.

FwdMbl understands that syncing is crucial to app success. Our apps include a sync strategy that is second to none. We build, transfer, and load thousands of records in just a few seconds. Syncing can also be done automatically in the background when a connection is available.

Pain Point #3, Not Enough Information.

This pain point again surfaces after the solution is purchased. Understanding what a driver needs to sell is key. Drivers need customer, item, and pricing information but every company operates a little different. They have some custom information that needs to be included in the customer data. It might be something as simple as the customer is in not paying and placed in collections. The driver needs to stop at the location and attempt to collect payment but should not sell to the customer. If the app does not communicate this to the driver, they may sell to the customer anyway. This is a small way missing information from an app solution causes grief for a company. As you add up all these small things, you end up with a big problem.

FwdMbl understands the sales process so you do not have to. Sure we partner with you on the solution but our years of experience and subject expertise resulted in an Mobile Route Sales App that helps the driver do the right thing. We allow all the freedoms you want but restrict and alert when it is appropriate. When a customer is in collections for example, our app identifies this to the driver.  The app can be configured to not allow orders on those accounts but allow them to accept payment and record the payment transaction. Everyone wins because the app is intelligent and helps the driver do the right thing.

Pain Point #4, Missing Insights and Reports.

This pain point was there before the system and often remains there after the new system is working. So why is it a pain point? Every single customer I talk with wants better insight into the process but most never actually get it. Companies select a Mobile Sales App and often the demo just shows the App. These companies depend on an ERP system and other custom reports to give them the data they need. Most of these reports are the ones they already had and the customer never realizes one of the key benefits of a new computer system. Better reporting.

FwdMbl understands how important the app is but we also provide access to the data you need to understand and manage your routes. Our app solution is much more than an app, our solution helps you see what is going on with the route, helps you better manage the route, and provides the tools needed to make intelligent changes to the route. Cash Settlements, Route Reports, Signature Reviews, Backorder Reports, and Scrap Reports are just some of the route accounting reports we offer. Our Bridge Server, the software that connects our app to the world, provides alerts and reports as data comes in from the routes. It also feeds a Data Warehouse that allows users to view Tableau and Power Bi Reports.

Pain Point #5, Your app is too busy, hard to use, hard to train, and for each role has too many screens and options they don’t use

This pain point shows up once the app is delivered to the users. So many apps have fancy and flashy screens, that are just that, fancy and flashy.  But, are they functional?  Flashy does not equate into usability.  Most are confusing to the user, having to weed through all the options just to find the one they need, flipping through screen after screen.  This also makes training quite challenging from day one and with any new employee.

With FwdMbl and our Role Based Development approach, each user, depending on their job, sees only what is pertinent to them.  They have everything they need to do their job, nothing more, nothing less.  Training is a breeze and the work flow makes sense,  without the clutter of unwanted options. We developed our apps working hand in hand with account managers, sales teams, and drivers making sure they get the perfect app. The flow of the app is simple and straight forward. User training is a breeze.

FwdMbl offers a best in class Mobile Route Sales App Solution allowing your drivers freedom while enforcing limits your company sets up. They will be more efficient, sell more, and make less mistakes using our app. Managers will get instant reports and access to critical data as it happens. Our solutions make the entire process pain free and the app will work, guaranteed.

John Kangas is the CEO, partner and developer at FwdMbl Solutions. FwdMbl Solutions, LLC is a provider of Enterprise Android and iOS Apps for Mobile Sales, Proof of Delivery, and Account Management.

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