Making Sales Force Automation Work ...A Step-by-Step Approach

The successful implementation of a Sales Force Automation process is a project requiring much more than just the right software packages suite. Since Sales Force Automation or SFA serves various purposes, in choosing a suite key stakeholders will need to agree upon the driving factors. The paper outlines some key factors that businesses should consider in the evaluation of the concept of Sales Force Automation in order that they can take an appropriate decision. Such an exercise will define the scope of the SFA and help avoid compromises that could result in an approach that satisfies none. In deciding upon the purposes of an SFA, balance needs to be maintained between the decision makers' criteria and those of the end-users. It outlines that typical reasons for choosing an SFA are to help with managing the sales force, the finances, sales and sales support. The paper recommends that purposes of SFA must include those that could improve strategic effectiveness as well as tactical efficiency. It recommends that complementary aspects are considered and planned prior to execution in order to acoid the risk of investing in shelfware and generating results contrary to those intended. The discussions presented are based on KappaWest's experiences of two decades. The paper offers examples, results of SFA process implementation, indicators, actions, attitudes, abilities, training, the operating environment, phases of such an implementation project including the final success audit phase.