Mobilized Sales Force Automation Solutions Create Growth Opportunities for Sales Organizations and SFA/CRM Providers
Vendors must balance technological innovation with ease of deployment to attract business, finds Frost & Sullivan's Digital Transformation Team
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Oct. 26, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- Although the mobilization of sales force automation (SFA) solutions was kick-started by mobile-first SFA software developers, it is the traditional desktop customer relationship management (CRM) vendor that is now driving innovation. These larger, more established players have mobilized all or part of their previously desktop-only software and are using their substantial financial resources to offer game-changing capabilities. Cutting-edge vendors offer field sales organizations a key means of competitive advantage by making technologies such as artificial intelligence, gamification and social collaboration available for use on sales representatives' mobile devices.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, Mobilized Sales Force Automation Solutions Promise Competitive Advantage in Still-Challenging Economy (http://frost.ly/xr) examines how the market is progressing as mobile-centric app developers, traditional CRM vendors, and other large business suite software providers promote mobilization to both new and current customers.
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While there is little doubt about the value of mobile SFA solutions for the modern sales force, many organizations continue to defer their purchase decisions due to concerns about implementation costs and difficulty.
"These worries are especially pronounced if a legacy CRM system must be significantly upgraded as part of the mobilization process," said Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless Communications Industry Director Jeanine Sterling. "To address this scenario, a subset of vendors are attempting to 'end run' customers' legacy CRM by offering concurrent solutions or an interface that runs on top."
From the vendor's standpoint, the process of making SFA solutions accessible on, and optimized for, a sales rep's mobile device can be challenging. Traditional CRM providers continue to wrestle with basic issues such as creating an intuitive user interface and choosing the right mix of mobilized features and functions.
To succeed in this still-evolving market, participants must stay abreast of technological developments and the dynamic roster of vendors and channels, as well as heed direct feedback from current mobilized SFA users.
"SFA vendors are now developing and mobilizing a number of vertical-specific SFA solutions aimed at the needs of the financial services, manufacturing, healthcare and insurance sectors," noted Sterling. "This verticalization can provide a competitive advantage in the marketplace and encourage innovations in strategies."
Mobilized Sales Force Automation Solutions Promise Competitive Advantage in Still Challenging Economy, is part of Frost & Sullivan's Mobile & Wireless Communications Growth Partnership Service Program, which includes insights on mobile workforce management solutions, mobile asset tracking, mobile supply chain management, and enterprise mobility management.
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Mobilized Sales Force Automation Solutions Promise Competitive Advantage in Still-Challenging Economy
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