Tablets for Sales Executives: A Winning Formula
Authors: Jim Lundy, Mike Anderson
Date: December 15, 2011
Topics: Mobile
Research Note Number: 2011-25
Issues: What are the trends impacting mobile computing?
What are the best practices for harnessing the power of mobile computing?
Planning Assumption: By year-end 2014, 60% of enterprises will have tablets deployed for their mobile workforce.
Summary: Enterprises have begun to deploy tablets for use by sales executives as their primary device for daily work. With accessories such as keyboards and docking stations, tablets are proving to be a formidable alternative to a laptop.
Sales executives need to be productive, and they are willing to use any technique or technology to do it. Since the dawn of mobile devices, sales groups have always been the first to try out the newest technologies, going back to Grid, Blackberry and others that have come and gone. So it isn’t really a surprise that tablets are now being deployed in sales. However, this time it is more than a fad. This research note reviews how sales organizations are using tablets and what they are getting as results.
The dramatic growth of the tablet market has prompted the question: Can they replace the PC as a user’s primary device? For sales organizations, the answer is increasingly “Yes.” With their large screens and an ease of sharing that rivals paper or brochures, the use cases for tablets in sales are rapidly expanding. They provide all of the essential features that productive sales representatives need throughout the sales cycle (see Figure 1).
- Electronic communication
- Presentation preparation and delivery
- Electronic product information and collateral
- Ready access to CRM systems and relevant data
- The ability to search and aggregate many kinds of information
- Robust admin and productivity tools
Table 2: Keyboard Units/Docks for Tablets
| Apple iPad Accessories | Address | Features | Cost |
| ZaggFolio for iPad 2 | www.zagg.com | Keyboard folio | $99.99 |
| iBluek Keyboard | www.dexim.com | Keyboard folio | $99.99 |
| Addesso Compagno 2 Keyboard with Case | www.adesso-shop.com | Keyboard folio | $99.99 |
| Targus Versavu Keyboard Case | www.targus.com | Keyboard folio | $99.99 |
| Logitech Keyboard Case for iPad2 | www.logitech.com | Keyboard and case | $99.99 |
| Android Tablet Accessories | Address | Features | Cost |
| ZaggFolio for Samsung Galaxy Tab | www.zagg.com | Keyboard folio | $99.99 |
| Maylong Keyboard Case for Tablets | www.maylonggroup.com | Keyboard folio | $29.99 |
| Targus Wireless Keyboard for Tablets | www.targus.com | Keyboard | $63.99 |
| Logitech Tablet Keyboard Case for Android | www.logitech.com | Keyboard and case | $69.99 |
Note 1: Essential Sales Activities
- Sales prospecting and forecasting via CRM
- Scheduling meetings
- Developing and delivering proposals
- Sales presentations and demonstrations
- Sharing sales material and collateral
- Finding content and answers for clients
- Accessing pricing and creating quotes
- Accessing product and inventory data
- Entering and tracking orders
- Communication (email, remote meetings, IM)
- Using social networks for contacts, references and support
- Booking Travel
- Doing Expense Reports