What are some ways that I can plan and improve my route?

Starting point

Technology is the starting point for everything. Whether you are manually planning routes using maps and spreadsheets or optimizing schedules using connected customer data, the right planning tools can increase the productivity of your sales staff. This is true whether you are planning routes manually or optimizing schedules. The use of mapping tools to figure out the route that covers the least amount of ground between two points is one approach. Calculating travel times and making adjustments to routes in order to account for delays caused by construction or traffic is a breeze and can be done quickly and easily with the assistance of these tools. In addition to this, they are more manual and only use data points that are readily available to the public.

Plot a plan

Before sales representatives can make use of the program to plot a plan, they are required to manually review spreadsheets containing sales data. The capabilities of software for intelligent route planning have been expanded. It plans routes automatically and dynamically incorporates data on sales. After that, it makes use of these insights to design a route that, in addition to customer data, takes into account time constraints, complex schedules, multiple stops, and sales targets. The platform ensures that salespeople always have ready access to pertinent data regarding customers, markets, and territories, which enables them to identify new opportunities and head off problems before they arise.

Routing software

Imagine a situation in which a representative is conducting business with a customer in the field. Because the rep's team uses intelligent routing software that interfaces with the rep's CRM, the rep may be able to see that even though a customer is interested in one product, they are also overdue for an upgrade on another product they currently use. This is because the rep's team employs intelligent routing software. The representative will make their choice regarding how to proceed with the additional opportunity using this information as a compass to guide them. When it comes to route planning, every sales team, regardless of the technologies they employ, should keep the following three things in mind.

Commercial priorities

Even the most time- and labor-saving strategies won't help your bottom line if you can't get your business goals accomplished. It is important to take advantage of your best opportunities, so you should map out your routes taking those opportunities into consideration.

The second point is adaptability.

It is essential to go about things in a covert manner. This makes it easier for you to adapt to shifting conditions in the market and the environment, such as new opportunities or expectations from customers, as well as shifts in traffic patterns or schedules.

Access to information regarding sales.

When sales representatives have quick access to data about their customers, it allows them to make better decisions while they are out in the field. Integrating your route planning with your CRM and your business data will give your reps the ability to respond quickly.