Sales Forecasts done Simply and Clearly

Accurate sales forecasts are scarce, like honest politicians. Sales management work is a stroll down the fairway if sales data is accurate. All shots, perfectly planned, made with best results possible. The yardage is known, and the green shimmers right there in front. And shots do miss the green, just like salesmen miss deals. But, the win rate jumps, like greens hit in regulation, when all deals are known and all balls are found.

Why is the Sales Forecast Wrong?

Let's step back and think about why forecasts are wrong? A look back a few years ago, to the bull whip which flogged the electronic industry, will help. Orders dried up as the air whistled out of the e-commerce balloon. But, directs and resellers like manufacturer's representatives and distributors, fearful of not being able to deliver parts to customers, kept ordering from OEMs. And the original equipment manufacturers' production lines kept on beating to the production drum, shipping inventory to  contract manufacturers, distributors and to warehouses. A deeper look shows that the same contract manufacturer and distribution company, held high inventories of parts in some regions, yet ordered more of the same for other regions. Why did this happen? Sales data was inaccurate and decisions were based on bad information.

The Bullwhip Cracked and Electronic Parts Inventory Glutted

Sales information did not flow fast enough. A slow down in the Order book is obvious to the salesmen as they push and pull for deals each day. The order slow down is not as clear to the OEM plant manager that is pounding out production based on the MRP report. If the OEM sales manager looked over the salesman's shoulder, seeing the sales forecast at the source, the order dry up, actions could have been taken. This over the shoulder view, into the buy side process, would stop inventory build up. But the sales process is broken. Accurate, real-time data is just not available. Now, simple sales software tools give a clear over the shoulder view.  

With the Right Sales Software the Sales Forecast is a Competitive Advantage

Accurate sales data builds sales strategy. Sales improvement is targeted and the sales process can be made more effective. The best sales partners are known and also, the best sales people at the best partners. Sales management can roll-out proven sales methods to replicate success across lower performing teams. The key is having truthful data. A professional football coach has near real time video to use. the coaches eyes tell him what strategy to use, what players to use, and even what the competition is doing. Sales Management like professional football is about data and strategy.

Sales Management Can View Snapshots of Sales Data

OnlineSalesSoftware's Sales Power Bench is a revolutionary sales data highway. The busiest salespeople and partners enter and edit sales data fast. Training is minimal, support is strong. The payback is very high. The salesperson and sales management can apply time to the best deals. The most closable projects are right there in the pipeline and sales forecast. The OnlineSalesSoftware.net sales software lays a 2-way electronic communication blanket over all sales teams. <a href="http://www.onlinesalessoftware.net">Sales data</a> flows throughout the enterprise; to and from all sales people.

The LeadNET module kicks off the "Morning Call"

Each salesperson gets a Morning Call message daily. This smart email, auto-sent from LeadNET, does two things; first, nudges the sales guy to work deals assigned and second, provides a simple Sales Bench, or user interface, to enter/edit data. the Sales Bench interface is super fast, built with Ajax grids, Excel-like. And even the sales guy still typing call reports on a Selectric can use a spreadsheet. This makes data accessible to people that need it.

This makes all sales data visible. This classifies all sales opportunities in the correct sales stage. And in time, sales stages get right sales confidence level applied. Like, "hey we close 12 % of our quotes." Confidence level applied to sales amount gives a good snap shot of the sales number. The number is put in the right month and year. And the right product is put to this sales record. Product managers can see how sales will flow. Marketers can see sales data for promotions or incentive campaigns. No mystery. Sales managers see which re-seller is working deals, which sales person is working with partners or on their own deals.

View a video of this sales automation in action