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Tablet PC in Sales Force Automation
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Tablet PC is a broad industry initiative
that builds on digital pen, digital
ink, and speech technologies of Microsoft's Windows XP Tablet
PC Edition for mobile pen computers. Learn more about the Tablet PC
platform.
Information access was also a problem. Though databases at the company's 89 local offices stored up-to-date information on customers and their properties, that data wasn't readily available in the field. The sales force also had to carry reams of books and reports needed to diagnose tree disease and advise customers on the best course of action. As the company looked to the future, Stamford, Conn.-based F.A. Bartlett, with annual sales of $120 million, needed to make a change. They wanted to service the customer in a different way than most arborists do. Because out-of-the-box sales automation (SFA) solutions didn't fit the reps' unique needs, Bartlett contracted with a project management firm to develop a custom system that would provide graphic representations of client properties, as well as access to critical information. The application was deployed on Fujitsu Stylistic LT C500 mobile pen tablet computers, chosen for their superiority in outdoor viewing. Today, reps construct electronic diagrams of customer properties and store detailed information about each tree. On future visits, arborists simply click on a "tree" to retrieve historical information, without having to read through the client's entire file. A searchable database allows reps to access diagnostic and tree healthcare reports developed at the company's research laboratories. Not only do reps save time diagnosing insect and disease problems, but the company expects to reduce calls to its team of experts in plant pathology, entomology and soil sciences by as much as 60 percent. Most important, reps are now able to generate proposals on site with their mobile Tablet PCs. "They were looking to streamline the process," says Nick Maou of SharpHat. "With the handhelds, they can map out a property, assign work to various trees on the property and then go back to their car to print a professional proposal and hand it to the customer to sign right then and there." The application has been mobilized. The cost of the new system, approaching $1 million, one of the largest Bartlett ever made in technology. Initial projections on cost savings from reduced phone calls and clerical work put ROI at four years. However, as the company grows, the new system will eliminate the need to add additional reps or administrative staff. The number of clients that the arborists care for is growing as the company grows. They have to be able to service those clients the same way, even though the client base may be doubled. Fujitsu Tablet PCs do it again.
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Like
many organizations in the tree care industry, the F.A. Bartlett
Tree Expert Company's sales topped out at the point of sale. Its
mobile sales force of 180 arborists throughout North America and
Europe visit client properties and propose tree care and pruning
services. Before reps could get the sale, they were forced to return
to the office where secretaries would type proposals and mail them
to the customer for approval.
