Sales force automation (SFA) is an integrated system of computer software and hardware that performs routine sales functions. Within Customer Relationship Management, Sales force Automation (SFA) is used to automate functions of sales and sales force management (). SFA is an integrated system of computer software and hardware that performs sales functions. The use of SFA has many advantages for both sales managers and can give the company a competitive advantage over its competitors. However, SFA is not advantageous for all companies.
The most primary function of SFA is that it ties together sales functions such as expense reports, sales call scheduling, territory management, team selling material, sales tracking, and so forth (). This can be useful to sales managers in planning by setting targets and objectives for individual sales people.
The information provided by SFA can also be used to generate an understanding of the external environment including competitor analysis and potential opportunities. The marketing department of an organization can use this information to identifying target markets and planning marketing activities, using the marketing mix.
As for the company, Sales Force Automation has the ability to increase productivity using the program to reduce costs, increase sales revenues and increase market share. This can be achieved through both the sales force and sales manager becoming more efficient and maximizing effectiveness
Marketing managers can utilize SFA to understand the industry through external environment analysis’ through creating a SWOT [Strengths Weaknesses Opportunities and Threats] and competitor analysis. The information also assists in market research in order to identify target markets and control, monitor and adjust plans for the future. Another benefit of SFA for marketing managers is that it assists in matching customer expectations, therefore increase customer satisfaction. This will increase loyalty, retainment and profit margins for the company all while decreasing cost of acquiring customers.
Despite improving productivity in most companies, SFA is expensive program to implement, as it requires ongoing maintenance and training. The use of SFA technology requires training in order to be proven as productive. The sales force needs to be competent with the SFA technology otherwise can cause problems with efficiency. In addition industries with a disabled employees such as the vision impaired may struggle to operate the system such as…
Due to the increase in productivity created by the SFA program, salespersons may feel less secure about the future of their job. This could potentially lower motivation and impact productivity of the system.
For firms that customers won’t realize the added value of SFA, this would make SFA unnecessary due to it is based on building customer relationships. For example…
Therefore firms need to do an analysis of costs and potential profit of implementing Sales Force Automation. SFA is not suitable for every firm as mentioned above and sufficient training needs to be done to ensure firms make the maximum benefit from the program.
Training >ergonomic
Therefore despite being an effective and efficient way of improving productivity and profit margins, Sales Force Automation is not ideal for every company. Apart from the SFA being ergonomic for the workforce, substantial training should be done to ensure productivity is increased. In order to address the disadvantage sales managers need to show the sales people the benefits of CRM and how it will assist in achieving their individual sales targets as the technology enhances activities done.