SFA (Sales Force Automation) focuses on all phases related to outside sales. An SFA system provides the sales manager data instantly. There’s no need to collect call sheets from each salesman and enter the data himself. He can view up-to-the-minute charts and graphs enabling him to stay on top of sales. SFA is often confused with CRM (Customer Relationship Management) but both terms are the same. While CRM covers all interactions between the customers and the company itself, whether sales or service related, SFA software automates all matters concerning finding and securing daily sales. In many companies, when SFA is combined with MIS (Marketing Information System) it is often referred to as CRM. What SFA does SFA software provides additional functions as: * Mobile phone access * Sales forecasting * Order and purchase history tracking * Sales performance analysis * System customization and personalization Many SFA system packages are available as hosted, web-based solutions. This is because companies lack resources to operate an SFA system onsite. These systems are accessed online leaving out the need network upgrades and IT staff maintenance. Dropshippers will definitely want the SFA information from the companies they serve. Having access to it will enable dropship resellers to prepare themselves to fulfill future orders. They then know what products are selling well and which are not. With sales trends and forecasts, they can make effective decisions when choosing the hottest selling merchandise to stock in their warehouses. What to know about SFA Costs and time investments come with setting up an SFA system. Implementing one may require the cost of upgrading a computer network plus the price of the software and install and usage services. Other costs are training all staff who will work on the SFA feed and hiring of skilled employees if necessary. When seeking an SFA provider there are things to know. First, get information on the company’s background and some references. Second, get a written contract on all the services they will provide. Third, find out the cost of their service. Rather than accepting their initial price right away, negotiate it down. Don’t accept free services in lieu of a lower price. Become familiar with how the system operates. You don’t want to do excess data inputting nor do you want a system that dehumanizes functions that should be personal, like customer service. Things can go wrong with an SFA feed. Leaving out or duplicating stages of a sales process creates problems. Failing to integrate all necessary departments leads to miscommunication, like two or more employees contacting the same customer for the same matter. Inaccurate or omitted data concerning sales transactions results in annoyed customers and lost business. Choosing the wrong system could mean high maintenance requirements, continuous updating of data, and frequent upgrading. Some systems can be difficult to work with or to hook up with other management information systems. To the reader Implementing an SFA is not an easy task. Before doing so, one must do some research and/or consult a management professional.
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