Businesses are hopping on board the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) bandwagon at a rapid rate. BYOD is where workers are allowed to bring in their own mobile devices to conduct business. If it seems like almost every company is adopting some kind of BYOD policy, that’s probably because they are. According to one survey, 89% of businesses have already done so to varying degrees. Some of the first groups to truly take advantage of what BYOD has to offer are sales departments. The major impact BYOD has had on sales teams has been far reaching and impressive.
Reduced Costs
One of the biggest advantages to having a BYOD program is the way it cuts costs for the business. This intriguing benefit has definitely caught the eye of many business owners, and the results have played out among sales teams. Before BYOD, salespeople were equipped with devices that the business had chosen for them. IT workers were in charge of maintenance, upgrades, and fixing problems. That’s all changed now that sales teams work on their own devices. Individual salespeople now have to make sure their devices are running properly. They also have to pay for their own phone bills. These are all costs the business no longer has to worry about, freeing up more funds for marketing campaigns that can in turn help sales teams be more successful.
Social Contacts
When it comes to sales, sometimes it’s all about the contacts the teams have made. These contacts are extremely important for salespeople to reach out to and maintain strong relationships. Many of these contacts are made through social media with networks like Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn. In today’s technological age, social networks essentially act like rolodexes. That’s one reason so many sales teams have adopted BYOD policies, because their own devices come with the very contacts they need in order to do well. Their personal devices give them the access to existing contacts while also giving them an added way to forge new relationships that could pay off in the future.
Added Agility
Salespeople tend to spend a lot of time out of the office compared to their coworkers. Much of this time is spent among other businesses making deals or working toward an eventual sale. This process, however, can sometimes takes weeks or months. When a prospective customer is ready to buy, salespeople need to be ready to respond no matter where they are. This can be on the road, at home, or in the office. As long as there is an internet connection, having a personal device gives them all the tools they need with access to the company database and any other information. The ease of access is made all the easier as long as salespeople are able to use devices allowed under BYOD policies.
Upgraded Tech
If sales teams are responsible for their own devices while using them for work, they’re more likely to take good care of them. Businesses often have to spend large amounts of money to buy the latest technology, and even then they’re likely to be behind by a few years. That changes as salespeople take over that role. When part of their work depends on the performance of their personal devices, sales employees are more likely to switch and upgrade when it’s recommended they do so (think every two years for a smartphone). Not only will they be on top of the latest technology, their productivity will increase as well.
Sales in the Cloud
While sales teams take advantage of BYOD programs, they also need to use other technology in coordination with it. With so many different devices, salespeople are turning to services rendered through cloud computing. Many cloud platforms provide Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions that help sales teams conduct their business more efficiently. Cloud products like Salesforce, Marketo, and SAP can be accessed from personal devices since it is all done through the internet. This solution also alleviates serious concerns among business owners about data being stored on personal devices. Cloud computing places all of that data with the cloud service provider, making transactions through employee-owned devices that much safer.
Sales teams have seen many of the benefits to be gained by adopting Bring Your Own Device programs. Sales operations have become more productive, more agile, and much more cost-effective. As more sales departments see the advantages from BYOD, personal devices will become a common sight.
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