As a business, searching for a sales automation solution is tough, by now you're either fed up, intrigued or just confused with every website saying "our free sales apps will increase sales by 100%" or "best sales app for free".

People in general love getting free things (it's in our nature), but when it comes to sales apps, free isn’t better or worth your while. As a business using sales reps, you know you get what you pay for, and lets be fair, free apps never give you the same features and functions as a paid app does. Free apps are often decent for doing only one thing well. Before you decide on getting multiple free apps to accommodate this, keep in mind, using multiple apps can create hassle and data-entry mistakes as they aren’t synchronized.

One comprehensive app that does it all is more likely to be embraced and effective with your team. You need to consider spending a little bit of money on a paid app that offers multiple features and and functions. So, how do you make sure you pick the perfect solution?

Here are the most important features and functions to look for in a sales app:

1. Offline capabilities

The app needs to be able to run offline, so that product presentation can continue smoothly and orders are saved regardless of Internet access. This is paramount. The customer experience and sales can take a serious descent when a 4G or Wi-Fi connection is unavailable or bad. Businesses lose sales because their app did not have an offline mode. Reps should also have the ability to print sales orders, quotes, invoices while being offline.

2. Compelling catalogue

A product which is presented appealingly in an e-catalogue from different angles and in various colors and settings has a much higher chance of being sold. High-res images and zooming in on details can make all the difference in closing a deal. The app should also let reps show high-quality videos of promotional material, instructions, how-to demos etc.

3. ERP Integration

If you have an ERP system, sales reps should be able to access all relevant information concerning customers, products, payments, price lists, inventory and other important entities while with the client, and have their orders automatically uploaded from their tablets to the ERP sytem real time. The app should therefore allow for easy, out-of-the box, bi-directional integration with any ERP system.

4. CRM capabilities

Every sales rep dealing with customers knows, knowledge is power. Customers contact details, sales & payment history, previously bought products, what delivery notes they left on  past orders all represent a goldmine of significant information. CRM features built in to the app can manage and centralize this type of valuable data and present it attractively within the rep’s tablet. The range of sales apps running on tablets is growing rapidly and choosing the right is crucial for a company's success.

At Aphix Software we have developed an award winning fully integrated application called SalesRep that has the capability to support all the features mentioned above and more!

SalesRep will help improve the overall sales performance by speeding up the ordering process. Allow our Award Winning software to introduce your sales force to the mobile age - empower them so that they can showcase your catalogue professionally, place real-time orders "on the go" and improve customer satisfaction by having all the information they need at their fingertips.