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4 Mobile Sales Training Programs for Field Techs On the Go

Feb 26, 2014

Since field techs are always on the move, mobile training tools are crucial for making sure they can access instruction and advice wherever they are. Field techs are no longer performing the quick fix-it job and calling it a day — they’re responsible for creating an experience that encourages customers to remain loyal and for providing up-sell and cross-sell opportunities, all of which requires new skill sets.

Training field techs on sales skills isn’t as easy as putting them in front of an instructional video, especially when most organizations don’t have their field techs in one central location at a given time. Finding good training tools that are interactive and provide real-time instruction is half the difficulty in training techs.

Here are four unique software solutions for mobile sales training:

FRESHEN UP ON SKILLS

Growth Development Associates, a sales and management training company, offers 16 mobile apps that provide sales coaching and target specific skills. The apps, each costing about $10, are designed to train for every point in the sales path with mobile apps titled “Establishing Rapport” and “Closing for Commitment.” Each mobile training course discusses best practices, provides examples and gives a jumping-off point to get started. While the apps provide actionable advice, CEO Eric Richardson says they are not a substitute for fundamental training. Their use case is prepping someone before a client meeting or providing a skill refresher, not teaching from square one.

FOCUS ON THE ENTIRE SALES INTERACTION — NOT JUST ONE TOUCHPOINT

Logi-Serve, a software company that manages the entire lifecycle of sales and service employees from recruiting to training, uses interactive and situational training to put employees in real-life customer interaction scenarios. With the mobile-ready platform, accessible on any smartphone, an employee is, for example, presented with an angry customer who wants a full refund for the service provided, and must choose the best answer from the ones provided. The scenario is then detailed in a storyboard where the employee can view the entire interaction, starting with the complaint, the response and the follow-up question. This type of interaction with sequential decisions addresses real-life situations much better than one-off topics.

CREATE CUSTOMIZED TRAINING WITH AUGMENTED REALITY

Aurasma, an augmented reality platform, allows field techs to access information about various parts and maintenance procedures simply by pointing their smartphone cameras at the part in question. The augmented reality app, available for free on iPhone and Android, detects the part and automatically plays relevant pre-recorded videos, allowing each organization to customize the app to its operations and product suite.

CENTER YOURSELF BEFORE DIVING IN

With a high target quota to hit, salespeople often undergo stress and anxiety, which is why the Inside Sales Training app, available for $3 on Android, is designed to help them relax and remain productive. Designed by Prajnu, Inc., a developer of self-improvement apps, the program focuses on visualization and relaxation through guided meditation, which employees can access prior to receiving sales training.

A few more training apps that are worth checking out:

• MTD’s Sales Tips, available for iPhone and Android ($3)
• CloseTheSale, available for iPhone and Android ($5)
• Tom Black Sales Training, available for iPhone ($2)

See original article from The Smart Van: http://thesmartvan.com/blog/2014/02/25/25798/4-mobile-sales-training-programs-for-field-techs-on-the-go/