Take a (Virtual) Number

In the forthcoming March/April issue of Sales & Marketing Management, you’ll find an article (written by yours truly) on the subject of maximum mobility—which is to say, tech tools that help a sales manager and his team achieve maximum productivity while on the road. In the sidebar to that article, you’ll read about TimeTrade, a Bedford, Mass.-based provider of appointment scheduling software. Specifically, you’ll learn how the move toward Web-based appointment scheduling ultimately benefits both rep and client.

But to hold you over until the issue hits, let’s turn the floor over to Chris Murphy, TimeTrade’s vice president of sales. Below are four hard-to-argue-with points from Chris in favor of the automated approach:

1. No question, you can record customer preferences, meeting/services history and timing through any old appointment setting process … but only Web-based scheduling allows you to access, analyze and leverage that information easily. Not to mention, if any of your employees leave, you don’t have to worry about them taking that info with them.

2. No one likes waiting for an appointment, period. If this fate befalls your customers or prospects, they’ll likely end up walking right out the door. Web-based scheduling sidesteps such disasters, ensuring customers and service providers are both completely ready for the meeting.

3. Self-service appointment scheduling just plain makes it easier for people to do business with you. Who really has the time or inclination to deal with phone tag?

4. Special offers, reminders and personal invitations are all great ways to keep your customers happy. And all it takes is a targeted e-mail with an easy call-to-action embedded within.