There once was a time when there were just as many jokes about traveling salesmen as contracts were being signed. Those were the days before the internet. However, with all the advances in connectivity and internet security, a great deal of commerce is handled online. Even so, there will be times when you will need to send your top sales reps to some remote location of the world to land that multi-million-dollar contract, and nothing will do but a face-to-face meeting with a live product demonstration. These are the sales reps you will need to equip with state-of-the-art technology, and this is not something you can leave up to your team. These are the tools you need to supply.
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Company Issued Laptop
This is a top priority when sending reps out on the road. While they might have fairly decent laptops of their own, you can never be sure if they can handle the video presentations they are about to show. In addition, security is an absolute must. To find the latest laptops with advanced graphics and security, visit Lenovo.com. You can thensafely load any of your proprietary software onto each laptop along with the digital security you have running. This is not something your reps will have on their personal devices.
Mobile Phone
The same holds true of the mobile phones your reps carry. A company-issued phone will have all the features necessary for their trips on the road and if they are going to be doing any amount of traveling abroad, you will need phones with the ability to connect with their towers. Whether you allow personal calls home to families or deny that privilege, by issuing company phones, you have better control over security and that should be a main concern.
Power Supplies, Adaptors, and Converters
Although your reps will be staying in hotels with all the amenities, you can’t always be certain that their mobile devices will have sufficient charge to get them through the day. Some programs draw more power than others, and if they are showing product demonstration videos, that laptop can be drained much faster than when simply working with Office documents or sending emails. Bear in mind that all of Europe as well as most of Asia operates on a 220 volts electric system and the US is 110 volts. You will need to ensure that reps going to these regions have the necessary converters and adaptors to keep their devices charged. With that said, there ‘may’ be that one time when they forget to plug in for the night with no time to load a charge in the morning. Keeping those devices powered is essential.
Don’t forget to send your reps with an expense account because there will be times when that client is teetering on the edge and will need something more than a sales pitch. No matter how efficient and enthusiastic that rep is, a night out on the town with a bit of wining and dining will be what it takes to clinch the deal. With the right technology and an expert sales rep, the contract is as good as yours.
