Sales Managers Save Gas Reduce Cost of Travel With Computerized Mapping and GPS

With the national average for a gallon of Gasoline above $4 and the cost of airfare rising, sales managers need to squeeze every bit of savings out of their travel expenses. At the same time, they must increase sales in a slower economy. Computerized mapping and GPS helps do both.

With today's higher costs of sales travel - planning efficient trips is more critical than ever before. Efficient travel means grouping sales calls that are close together in the same trip, calculating the most cost effective travel route, and reducing wasted miles travelled 'out of route' searching for the common business services needed while travelling on the road.

When trying to reduce the relentless increase in the cost of sales travel, it's like the old adage says: "Fail to plan, plan to fail". Today's computerized mapping software programs let sales reps import their customer and prospect lists into a detailed map right on their laptop, plotting individual accounts down to the street level. Because reps can assign unique pushpins to each class of prospect, they instantly see the quality of the prospect and it's location in relation to others in the area.

Reducing travel costs begins in the office, before the sales rep steps foot in a car or plane. With prospects plotted on a map, the rep can now make their calls and set up their sales travel so that they see as many prospects as possible in the same area. They use map analysis tools to find nearby prospects and schedule meetings that are close together, maximizing their time in front of prospects selling, instead of behind the windshield driving.

Knowing where key business services that sales reps rely on are on the road is also a cost saving benefit of laptop mapping. Reps can search for hotels, restaurants, copy centers and other sales travel oasis' that are on their route of travel between sales calls. Knowing where everything is before hand helps reduce wasted travel miles, and makes sales travel just a little bit easier.

Some mapping software applications allow for a GPS receiver to be plugged in to the laptop, providing turn by turn spoken directions that guide the rep right to their sales meeting. Having all prospects on the map, and being guided to their door helps the rep arrive on time, and relaxed - ready for the meeting.

Using laptop mapping and GPS to plan and execute more efficient trips, sales reps travel fewer miles, and may even save a return air or car trip to the sales area because they missed an opportunity while there. And of course, sales is about numbers - right? Using mapping tools to maximize the number of prospects seen on the trip means you can see more prospects - which results in more sales.

Because they reduce the cost of sales travel, and help increase sales, today's mapping software is a must have for every sales professional who covers a territory and calls on customers and prospects. There are several mapping software products available on the market today including Microsoft Streets & Trips 2008 (this is the one I train on), DeLorme's Street Atlas 2008 and ESRI's BusinessMAP 4.5. Check them out and increase your sales while reducing your cost of travel!


Sales Managers Save Gas Reduce Cost of Travel With Computerized Mapping and GPS - To learn more about this author, visit Keith O'Brien's Website.

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