Can data analytics motivate a sales team to perform better?

Sales are a huge part of any business so nurturing a high performing sales team makes good sense. Yet most sales managers find improving their sales team’s productivity a key challenge of their job. Data analytics have proven to make the sales process more strategic and a great tool to keep sales teams on track.

Spend more time actively selling well

Sales productivity can be measured by the rate at which a salesperson increases revenue or profit for the company. In short, improving efficiency comes down to finding ways to become more resourceful with time and working more strategically. Adding structure and focus to the day allows the team to keep the end goal in mind.

Given that sales reps work an average of 50 hours per week, with 23% more of a rep’s time spent on administrative tasks, it’s important to devise a strategy to free up time for active selling to the right customers. This will require your sales reps to establish a daily schedule that prioritizes what needs to get done and eliminates the things that don’t move the needle on their ultimate objectives. For instance, make profitable clients a top priority. Once your important clients have received excellent service, the focus can now shift to new leads.

Create goals and track success with KPIs

In addition to optimizing their time by setting priorities, your sales reps are better equipped to hit their targets when they can create goals and track their success. An analytics solution such as Phocas offers a clear view of your rep’s performance because sales data analysis provides the fact-based information needed to set long- and short-term goals. Goals driven by data are seen as achievable. And by celebrating accomplishments, your team will be motivated to work toward something they can measure themselves against. Your sales reps can monitor their success from their mobile devices and see how they and their teammates are doing in real-time. The ability to see how other team members are doing can motivate them to support and encourage each other.

Be bettter prepared for clients

Sales meetings often provide only a few minutes to build a stronger relationship with the client and secure a new sale. Therefore, when it comes to meeting with a client it is important to be prepared. Access to accurate data in real-time provides allows your sales reps to quickly review the customers’ historical sales data with your company. A clear picture of what the customer is buying and what they are not buying enables your reps to identify sales opportunities. Access to the customer’s order history allows your sales reps to review their weekly reports and suggest ways to increase their efficiencies. Sharing your data to improve their business demonstrates that you are committed to their success. Ensuring your reps are prepared goes a long way toward reinforcing relationships and securing new business.

Here's what Scott Hudson, Managing Director at BAT Industrial Products had to say about Phocas, "The software has changed the insight and armed our sales reps with the information they need to ask questions on the spot. We now have the information to ask the right questions and reduce the number of at-risk customers."

Customers typically don’t tell you when they start to purchase from another supplier. You need to be able to find out for yourself, to ask the right questions and find what areas need improving," Hudson explains.