Sales Intensity
Author: Bart Berkey
Back in 2009, some researchers predicted that in 2011 there would be more smartphones in existence than desktop PCs. The growth of this segment went from 67 million sold in 2010 to 95 million in 2011.
I had personally been a Blackberry user since the device was only used for email and did not contain a phone option. About one month ago, I was traveling on business with a colleague that had an iPhone 4s. We met at the airport only to find that our flight had been delayed. She knew this as she received a push notification from her United app. She also knew which baggage area our luggage would be when we arrived in Atlanta because of her phone (the Gate Guru app). Because we were hungry, she used another tool to show me which restaurants were going to be close to our arrival gate. As we left the airport to get to our destination, she pulled up another service (Maps) that showed us how far we were from our hotel and if we should expect traffic along the way. While I fancied myself quick on my Blackberry, I could not keep up with the speed of obtaining information on the iPhone.
Last week, I was completing a tour of some competitive hotels. During the bus ride, a group of us participated in a game answering questions about the area. We were permitted to use any resources to obtain the correct answers. Needless to say, those who had an iPhone 4s could use Siri (the "intelligent assistant") to speak-command to and ask questions. Since I made the switch to an iPhone, it has been helpful in directing me to sales appointments, keeping track of my messages hands-free while I’m driving and enabling me to stay connected very easily (via USA Today, Flipboard, the Washington Post, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flight lite, Amtrak, etc.).
From a revenue perspective, you need your sales managers to be efficient, on time and informed. While I am not usually this passionate about technology, this is a tool that I believe most sales teams should consider.
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