Even though we live in a digital world, there are certain jobs in which sales reps are constantly on the move, meeting clients and closing deals.
This sales approach is, surely, convenient for customers. But it also poses challenges for sales managers who need to ensure their reps are maximizing their time and efforts.
This is where GPS tracking for sales reps comes into play.
By tracking and analyzing their reps’ activities, managers can devise strategies to improve sales performance.
In this article, we will explore the benefits of GPS tracking for sales reps, how it can optimize field sales, and discuss popular apps for salesman location tracking.
If you’re already aware of the benefits of GPS tracking and would rather like to look at our sales tracking app recommendations, 👇
What is GPS tracking in sales?
GPS tracking for sales reps means monitoring certain attributes of your field sales team. It could be their location, meeting notes, and distance traveled. Field activity tracking will help you better manage the sales reps. Also, you need not invest in separate tracking software.
Most of us have GPS-enabled phones today. With very little investment in field sales apps, you can create a connected and transparent field sales process. It also prevents hundreds of phone calls every day for status checks and reporting.
Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of tracking the GPS location of your sales reps.
Benefits of Sales Reps GPS Tracking
Some businesses, such as delivery companies or taxi services, may benefit more from GPS tracking than others. However, in general, businesses that employ a field workforce can realize the following benefits by tracking the locations of their sales reps.
Increased accountability
With GPS tracking, sales managers can monitor their team’s locations in real time, ensuring that they are where they need to be.
By tracking sales employee movements, managers can ensure that they are spending their time effectively and not engaging in unproductive activities.
GPS tracking empowers managers to hold their sales reps accountable for their actions and helps identify areas for improvement.
Optimized routes
One of the key advantages of GPS tracking for sales reps is its ability to optimize routes.
Sales reps can save valuable time by avoiding traffic congestion, finding the most efficient routes, and reducing the time spent on the road.
By tracking miles traveled, managers can identify any inefficiencies in the sales rep’s itinerary and provide suggestions for improvement.
Increased transparency
Tracking your field sales promotes a culture of transparency. There is no way your field sales team could misguide you about their locations, meetings, traveling, and follow-ups.
It also ends the reimbursement discussions for good. You don’t need to question your reps every day because you have all the answers in front of you.
Increased productivity with data-driven insights
With GPS tracking, managers can gain insights into the potential number of clients in a certain perimeter.
They can also analyze which regions are hard to crack based on the number of meetings conducted per client, time spent with clients, etc.
Sales managers can also use sales GPS tracking data to identify top-performing reps and analyze their strategies to replicate their success across the team.
Enhanced customer service and satisfaction
GPS tracking for sales reps enables managers to provide a better customer experience by accurately predicting arrival times.
By tracking the rep’s location, the manager knows how much time it took (and should take) to resolve the customer’s service request. If it is taking more time than expected, they can send help and enroll the sales rep for training.
Streamlined sales operations
With GPS tracking, managers can streamline sales operations by efficiently allocating resources.
By analyzing GPS data, sales managers can identify territories that are underserved or overworked, allowing them to redistribute sales reps and balance workloads.
This optimization ensures that sales reps can focus on high-potential areas, resulting in increased sales outcomes.
Improved safety and security
In case of emergencies or accidents, managers can quickly locate sales reps and provide necessary assistance.
Additionally, GPS tracking can alert managers if a sales rep deviates from their assigned route, ensuring that they are safe and following company protocols.
Aligned sales and marketing efforts
By integrating GPS tracking data with other sales and marketing tools, businesses can gain a comprehensive view of their sales process.
Sales managers can analyze the correlation between specific marketing campaigns (e.g., BTL Marketing) and sales rep activities, allowing them to identify the most effective strategies for generating leads and closing deals.
Motivated sales reps
GPS tracking for sales reps can serve as a motivational tool by providing tangible evidence of their efforts and achievements. Sales reps can easily track their progress, set goals based on their performance data, and strive to exceed expectations.
This transparency and recognition can boost morale, leading to increased motivation and ultimately, improved sales performance.
Adherence to compliances
For businesses operating in regulated industries, GPS tracking for sales reps can help ensure compliance with industry regulations. By tracking sales reps’ movements and activities, businesses can demonstrate that they are adhering to legal requirements, providing proof of compliance in case of audits or investigations.
GPS tracking tools help sales reps by providing real-time location data, route optimization, and performance analytics.
Let’s explore the top 5 GPS tracking tools for sales reps that can help them in their day-to-day tasks.
Best Real-time GPS Tracking Apps for Sales Reps
1. Salesforce Maps
Salesforce Maps is a powerful GPS tracking tool that integrates seamlessly with Salesforce.
With Salesforce Maps, reps can access maps, optimize routes, and efficiently manage their territories. The tool uses advanced algorithms to provide real-time traffic updates, helping sales reps avoid delays and reach their clients on time.
Additionally, Salesforce Maps offers valuable insights into sales performance, such as visit frequency, time spent with customers, and revenue generated, enabling sales managers to make data-driven decisions and enhance team productivity.
Downloads: 10k+
Get Salesforce Maps from Google Play | Get Salesforce Maps from App Store
2. Badger Maps
Badger Maps is a versatile real-time GPS tracking app designed specifically for field sales professionals.
It offers a range of features, including route optimization, lead generation, and customer management. Sales reps can plan their routes efficiently, saving time and reducing travel costs.
Badger Maps also integrates with popular CRMs, allowing reps to manage their customer data seamlessly. With its robust reporting and analytics capabilities, sales managers can gain valuable insights into sales territories, track team performance, and identify areas for improvement.
Downloads: 50k+
Get Badger Maps from Google Play | Get Badger Maps from App Store
3. LeadSquared
LeadSquared empowers sales reps to optimize their routes, manage appointments, and stay organized.
The tool offers advanced features like geofencing and lead scoring, allowing reps to prioritize their visits and focus on high-potential prospects.
With its intuitive interface and easy-to-use mobile app, sales reps can effortlessly navigate through their territories and work productively.
Downloads: 500k+
Get LeadSquared from Google Play | Get LeadSquared from the App Store
4. Spotio
Spotio is a GPS tracking tool tailored for outside sales teams, offering a range of features to streamline field sales operations.
With Spotio, reps can plan their routes, track their locations, and capture valuable data during customer interactions. T
The app also provides comprehensive analytics, allowing sales managers to monitor team performance, track progress against targets, and identify top-performing reps.
Spotio’s integration with popular CRMs ensures seamless data synchronization and simplifies the sales process, enabling reps to focus on building meaningful relationships with their clients.
Downloads: 10k+
Get Spotio from Google Play | Get Spotio from the App Store
5. SalesRabbit
SalesRabbit is a leading GPS tracking app designed specifically for door-to-door sales.
It offers an array of features to enhance productivity, including territory management, lead tracking, and performance analytics.
Sales reps can efficiently plan their routes, optimize their territories, and track their progress in real time. SalesRabbit also enables reps to identify potential customers in their territories and prioritize their visits.
Downloads: 100k+
Get SalesRabbit from Google Play | Get SalesRabbit from App Store
The bottom line
A GPS tracker gives you an overview of sales activities through actionable data, live tracking, and constant communication. It is a weapon of choice for large field sales teams to optimize and improve their sales performance.
FAQs
GPS tracking is important in sales because it helps bring transparency in miles traveled, meetings done, and activities performed. It makes it easier for managers to calculate reimbursements, incentives, etc.
GPS tracking of employees can have both pros and cons. Here are some of the most common ones:
Pros:
1. Improved efficiency and productivity: GPS tracking can help businesses optimize routes, schedules, and resources. For example, a business can use GPS tracking to see which employees are the most efficient at completing tasks or to identify employees who are taking excessive breaks.
2. Increased safety: GPS tracking can help improve safety by tracking employee locations in real-time. This can be especially helpful for businesses with employees who work in dangerous or remote areas. For example, a business can use GPS tracking to track the location of employees who are working in hazardous conditions or to send help if an employee is in an emergency situation.
3. Reduced costs: GPS tracking can help businesses to reduce costs by tracking employee travel expenses. This can be done by tracking the mileage of company vehicles, or by tracking the time that employees spend on the road.
4. Improved customer service: By GPS tracking, service businesses can ensure that customers are getting the fastest possible response.
Cons:
1. Privacy concerns: Some employees may have privacy concerns about being tracked by their employer. This is especially true if the tracking is done without their knowledge or consent.
2. Legal concerns: There may be legal restrictions on the use of GPS tracking in some jurisdictions. For example, some states require employers to obtain employee consent before tracking them.
3. Employee morale: Some employees may feel like they are being monitored or spied on, which can lead to decreased motivation and productivity.
By using a GPS tracking device, GPS tracker app, or Mobile CRM with GPS tracking functionality, you can easily track your salesman’s location.
Mobile CRM is the best app for sales reps as it lets them check-in/check-out from the location of their work, provides route guidance, gives meeting reminders, sends upsell/cross-sell signals, and sends notifications for overdue tasks and new assignments on the go.
LeadSquared’s mobile CRM is the best app for tracking a salesperson’s location. It combines the benefits of CRM + GPS tracking to create a complete picture of your salesperson’s journey, tasks/meetings completed, and revenue generated (or other metrics that you track).
Businesses that employ field agents for sales use mobile apps (e.g., mobile CRM) to manage their activities and track performance. The tracking involves check-in/check-out, reporting, meeting and call logs, tasks assigned vs. task completed, and geofencing or real-time location check (to prevent false meeting logs).
In sales, tracking means monitoring your sales agents’ activities, meetings conducted, client locations they visit, and distance traveled to complete the assigned tasks.