As an outside sales rep, you have one job: to sell products and services. So why are you spending so much time on administrative tasks? Enter: AI for field sales.
Without artificial intelligence, research shows that salespeople spend two-thirds of their time on non-sales related activities like updating contact records and writing emails. With AI, sales reps are gaining that time back through content creation, intelligent recommendations, and personalized interactions.
Let’s explore four ways field sales reps can use AI to maximize their time on the road and improve prospect and customer relationships.
While marketing departments have been quick to adopt AI, sales teams are lagging behind. Research from HubSpot shows that fewer than half of salespeople are using AI at work. Why the low adoption rate? Fears over job replacement and a lack of technical skills have prevented some reps from diving into the AI pool.
Those who have adopted this technology are prioritizing AI integrations within their current tech stack. Geopointe customers, for example, can use AI-powered Insights features to get even more out of their sales mapping software (more on this later!). AI integrations within existing tools can lessen the learning curve since users are already familiar with the foundation of the platform.
For sales teams that are using AI, 64% reportedly save up to five hours of work each week. That’s one extra hour each day that you can put back into nurturing prospect and customer relationships.
Not sure where to begin? Here are a few ways to use AI for field sales.
Whether you’re crafting a call script or drafting an outreach email ahead of your next road trip, an estimated 50% of today’s sales communication is written. At the same time, prospects are fielding more calls and emails than ever before. AI can help you save time during the writing process and ensure your communication stands out against the competition. Win-win!
Tools like ChatGPT can generate personalized emails or scripts in seconds based on information you provide about a prospect’s industry, pain points, or motivations. By tailoring your communications to address each prospect’s unique needs, you’re more likely to pique their interest.
The proof is in the pudding: 70% of sales reps report an increase in response rates when using AI to personalize their outreach, according to HubSpot’s AI in Sales Report.
Still using spreadsheets to plan your sales territories? This method is not only manual and inefficient, but can put your sensitive customer information at risk for a data breach.
Many sales teams are moving to territory management solutions like Geopointe to minimize the administrative burden and maximize their sales territories. AI-powered Thematic Maps can help you take it a step further with visual insights based on geographic boundaries.
When you’re out in the field, every minute matters. Maximize your next sales trip by leveraging intelligent recommendations within Geopointe. With our AI-enabled Insights features, you can optimize your trip with smart Map and Route Recommendations based on records that match your map view.
Salesforce users can unlock even more intelligence with Agentforce Actions, now available for Geopointe. Think of it like a chatbot but for actions instead of conversations. Using natural language prompts, you can seamlessly create prospect lists or plan your next business trip without leaving the Salesforce platform.
Motivating your sales team requires more than just gift cards and golf outings. Intentional coaching is proven to increase team morale, retention, and revenue.
Many sales leaders know the importance of coaching but fail to consider the unique needs and perspectives of their diverse team members. A personalized approach to sales coaching can make all the difference.
Geopointe’s sister solution, LevelEleven, offers trusted sales performance management solutions for today’s top teams. AI-powered features like Conversion Insights allow sales managers to see which metrics are actually motivating their team and focus on those activities instead of assuming a one-size-fits-all approach.
As powerful as artificial intelligence can be, it still has a lot to learn. Double-check every response from AI to make sure it’s accurate and error-free. There’s nothing worse than sending an email to a prospect and forgetting to change their first name, or planning a trip to visit a prospect on a day when their office is closed!
Additionally, be mindful of any information you share with AI and protect sensitive data. Integrated tools like Geopointe’s Insights features are backed by the organization’s security protocols to ensure that your customer data doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. Generative AI tools like ChatGPT, however, might not be as secure. Use caution and always get a second opinion before jumping in with a new tool.
Interested in learning more about Insights for Geopointe? Request a demo to see our AI-powered features in action.
