There is no “I” in TEAM.
It’s a literal and metaphorical truth that we carry with us into adulthood, one that translates perfectly as we transition into the professional world. After all, accomplishing great things at the corporate level often takes the concerted effort of an entire group of people focused on a common goal; it’s working together that enables bigger, better, and faster results than what might otherwise be attained by someone working alone. Nowhere is this concept more deeply felt than in large organizations, where global success is often determined by the harmonious and complementary actions of many individual moving pieces within the enterprise machine.
However, while teamwork is unquestionably essential to enterprise success, the individual effort is equally as important. Consider your hardworking field-bound sales representatives, for example. In order for these road warriors to excel in their jobs (namely winning, engaging, and converting customers into repeat business), they each need to be empowered to act as individual agents, providing the kinds of personalized customer interactions that define authentic, engaging customer experiences—a critical part of maintaining a competitive business that cannot effectively be achieved from behind a desk.
Central to every enterprise road warrior’s success in this endeavor is access to (and control of) information, and the freedom they need to make it actionable—wherever and whenever their customers require it. It’s mobile access to customer data that makes this possible. Here are three crucial things it enables them to do:
Anticipate customer needs
Customers at various points along their customer journey will have different needs, wants, and priorities. To effectively meet them, sales reps need accurate, real-time information that helps them provide the most value to customers at every interaction. Indeed, research shows that maximizing satisfaction along the customer journey can increase customer satisfaction by 20 percent, lift revenue by 15 percent, and lower the cost of serving customers by as much as 20 percent! It’s easy, on-the-go access to essential customer data that puts each road warrior in the right place, at the right time, with the customer’s needs at the forefront.
Connect critical teams and departments
Sales representatives in the field collect a huge amount of important information about customers through every interaction—whether that’s in the form of communications, product or service preferences, or a sale. Mobile access to the global customer database enables reps to log and update information in real-time, making valuable interaction-based insights visible to the entire organization. This helps bridge the gaps that exist between sales, marketing, and customer service teams by helping to create a clear, comprehensive picture of each customer’s individual journey. It also improves collaboration and gives each department access to the data they need to develop holistic strategies for continued growth.
Transform the customer experience
Recent research from Parature reveals that 60 percent of consumers have higher expectations for the customer experience now than they did just one year ago—and that number will only continue to rise as connectivity and innovation reshapes every consumer’s path to purchase. Reps out in the field who have access to a current database of all recent customer interactions will be able to answer questions, provide accurate information, facilitate faster resolution of issues, and improve their overall chances of success for conversion through superior customer service.
Sales reps may operate under the banners of their respective organizations, but creating an effective customer experience means treating each client as one’s own; reps who can maintain comprehensive, reliable, and always-accessible customer databases are ultimately the ones who can find, create, and capitalize on more opportunities to connect with customers in meaningful ways and grow the business. Not only does empowering your enterprise warriors with the freedom to ACT improve overall productivity and efficiency, it also maximizes their ability to deliver customer experiences that convert customers—something that impacts even the largest enterprise at the most fundamental level. While there may be no “I” in TEAM, there are a few of them in INDIVIDUAL. And for all enterprise organizations hoping to build their competitive advantage on the basis of customer experience, the “individual” is the driving force behind every team that gets it done.
