A leader in its industry, adidas America recognized that it could increase its sales potential by automating many components of the sales process. Tim Oligmueller, sales force automation manager for adidas America, wanted to reduce the number of calls from sales representatives in the field to check on product availability, enabling them to capture "at-once" business and show customers that the company is on the cutting edge not only in footwear and apparel design, but also in customer service.
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Sales Force Automation Case Studyadidas® America Company:adidas America Wireless sales force automation Industry:Sporting goodsdrives sales for adidas America. Challenges:. Access inventory A global leader. sales representatives were required to data in real-time Located in Portland, Oregon, with over borrow a customer's phone or use their from the field1,000 employees, adidas America produces personal mobile phone to check warehouse . Place accurate ordersathletic footwear, apparel, accessories and inventory. The company realized that this equipment products. With roots reaching slowed sales momentum. . Reduce phone calls to back to 1949, adidas America is part of a back-office staff"We wanted to strike while the iron is larger organization that strives to be the hot, while the enthusiasm is there for the . Improve customer global leader in the sporting goods industry. product," Oligmueller said. "Real-time serviceadidas products are available in virtually wireless access is important because every country. . Provide all data in a we want the customer to see that we secure environmenthave immediate access to data to meet Extending innovation into their needs." Results:the sales process. . Wireless inventory A leader in its industry, adidas America Lacking wireless capability, some sales access from BlackBerry recognized that it could increase its sales representatives would prepare for a devices increases potential by automating many components meeting with a customer by checking "at-once" salesof the sales process. Its team of 200 sales inventory before they left the office. . Orders are more representatives had been using BlackBerry® However, if an item wasn't available when handheld devices for email. Tim Oligmueller, the sales representative returned to the accurate, avoiding potential delaysales force automation manager for adidas office, they would have to contact the America, began researching ideas to put customer to change the order. . Fewer back-office the handheld devices to greater use. The company's 65 customer service interruptions from field sales inquiriesOligmueller wanted to reduce the number representatives (CSRs) were also of calls from sales representatives in the affected by an inefficient pre-wireless . Custom catalogs are field to check on product availability, sales process. Getting calls from sales created more quickly enabling them to capture "at-once" representatives in the field to check on and easilybusiness and show customers that the inventory interrupted their work and . Competitive edge company is on the cutting edge not only affected order processing times. and better customer in footwear and apparel design, but also in service achievedcustomer service. Examining wireless and its alternatives.Before implementing a wireless solution, Recognizing inefficiencies adidas America equipped its sales in the sales process. representatives with laptops that were Before implementing its wireless sales synchronized just before a customer visit, force automation solution, the company's and the company also tried providing a
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Web interface into the inventory system. inventory system receives nearly 120 Neither solution was dynamic enough for wireless queries each day, saving time "Real-time wireless access is the company's needs. otherwise spent by phone calls between important because we want the sales and back-office staff. customer to see that we have adidas America quickly realized that immediate access to data to real-time wireless access on a handheld Since sales representatives have up-to- meet their needs."device was the only effective solution. date inventory information, there's little room for error when orders are placed. Tim OligmuellerSales Force Automation ManagerDeploying a wireless Sales Force And sales representatives rarely need to adidas AmericaAutomation solution. call customers to modify an order based At the foundation of adidas America's on changes in product availability. The wireless solution is Atlas2Go, an improved responsiveness has proved internally developed sales force appealing to customers.automation application. The custom For both sales and back-of... [download for more]
