Best Sales Tool: Smartphone or Notebook?

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  Sid Herron06/18/08 Report as spam
  1

  Smartphone + Tablet PC

  I carry a Motion Computing Tablet PC. I've never felt comfortable using a notebook to take notes during a client meeting, but using OneNote on my Tablet PC feels more natural - more like taking notes on paper.
  
  I also carry an AT&T "Tilt." What the SmartPhone HAS done for me is eliminate the time I used to spend looking for a WiFi hotspot so I could fire up my Tablet to check email. That in itself is worth the price of admission to me. The other functions - Calendar, Tasks, Browser, GPS, really minimize my usage of the Tablet except for things I really need it for - like taking notes in a meeting, or, as you point out, actually working on a <ocument.
  
  Both tools make me more effective, but I would have a tough time doing without either.

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  dave.stein@...06/18/08 Report as spam
  2

  Smartphone or Notebook?

  I don't think smartphones are up to the task for someone who must stay "connected." The issue -- screen size. (Sorry to hear about the stewardess's comment, Geoffrey. I feel your pain.)
  
  I'm a technology junkie (gadgets, hardware and software, too). I had to have one of the first carphones, cell phones, Palms, portable PCs (Compaq), GPSs (Street Atlas-based for my car/Allied Signal KLN-90B for my Cessna), digital cameras, iPods (each generation when they came out, of course), Tivos, portable projectors for demos when I sold software (SONY -- weighed about 60 lbs.), Bose noise-cancelling headphones, ... The list goes on and on. (Geez, I never added up how much I paid for all of those.)
  
  I had to have a Kindle, because of all the reading I do. But I came 8 months or so late into that world. Also, I didn't get an iPhone when it came out because where I live Verizon provides the best cellular coverage.
  
  The way I see it, any rep who goes on the road with just their smartphone probably has very little writing to do (formal emails, proposals, creating Powerpoints, etc.), isn't getting maximum leverage from the Internet (research on customers and competitors, social/business networking, communities, forums, etc.), or both. For a one-day trip, no worries. Longer than that, they probably aren't performing at their best.
  
  Bottom line: I can't get any real work done on my Treo. Answering emails, fine. Googling when an actor was born, fine. Checking the weather, fine. Checking the headlines, fine. But that's pretty much it for me.

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  ingoodcompany06/19/08 Report as spam
  3

  Close call...

  Though I voted for Laptop+Smartphone, if I'm going for only an overnighter, sometimes two, I'll only take the hot new bBerry or my trusty Treo650 (yeah...I still love it. The Treo has those great infrared full sized fold-out keyboards, so entry is no problem at all...just as good as a notebook.) Most of the better hotels have business centers now, and if I need to compose a powerpoint, epistle or thesis overnight, I'll use the hotel PC. Otherwise, even for fairly lengthy emails and attachements, the bBerry serves me well enough. But for the other stuff, preparing and giving presentations, larger reports, etc., the smartphones will always fall to 2nd place as long as you've got a those teeny tiny screens and eensy weensy keyboards that are also most difficult to use while driving down the highway at 80mph.
  
  The answer may be carrying a magnifying glass.

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  CAROLV06/19/08 Report as spam
  4

  RE: Best Sales Tool: Smartphone or Notebook?

  As someone who runs their business from the road, I can't possibly do that without my notebook. I need access to create and email docs as well as the functionaltiy to open docs from clients and prospcts.
  My internet cell phone card works most times to keep me on top of email. The short three word emails from Blackberries make me crazy!I love my SmartPhone -- the GPS has gotten me to airports from remote lcations and 'saved me' from getting hopelessly lost. The touch screen makes use much easier running through airports and from the car.
  I need both in my toolbox!

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  invictallc06/19/08 Report as spam
  5

  RE: Best Sales Tool: Smartphone or Notebook?

  Well you need to look at the job position as well, for most non-technical sales people, usually a smart phone will do. This is usually not the case with all industries, as some industries do require more information.
  
  A great solution that we have introduced to the market has been a Smart Phone combined with Laptop features. This is by Pantech and is called the Helio Ocean. It features Microsoft Exchange Email, Microsoft File Viewer, GPS capabilities, full HTML browser and many other specific tool sets for business professionals.
  
  It has allowed a lot of people to leave the laptop at home and take the smartphone instead.
  
  Asif Ahmed
  http://www.heliobusiness.com

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  jflanigan@...06/19/08 Report as spam
  6

  Depends on the Job Function

  My organization is currently utilizing Siebel CRM and we are a processes focused organization. From my interactions with sales personnel it is important that they are able to quickly get information down without having to lug around a laptop while at a customer site. Using a smartphone gives them the ability to quickly make notes, close or reschedule appointments while the customer is standing there in front of them.
  
  Process: Sales person updates appointment then synchronizes to Outlook. Siebel pulls that information and updates the customer records.
  
  If a sale is required it then becomes too complicated for them to build a quote and print a product listing from their smartphone, although they do have that capability. In that case their laptop is required.
  
  Jason Flanigan
  Expert Technology Associates

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  ivanjay06/19/08 Report as spam
  7

  RE: Best Sales Tool: Smartphone or Notebook?

  Smartphones are great for on the road quick and easy responses. However, for reviewing documents. Real typing, and handling relatively complicated matter they just dont cut it.
  
  Plus, you cannot get a quick glance of everything you have going on in one place (for example the Outlook home screen which shows tasks, calendar items, emails, etc.)

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  sidneyh@...06/19/08 Report as spam
  8

  RE: Best Sales Tool: Smartphone or Notebook?

  Best thing about the smartphones is that I can preview e-mail before I get to work, so that drivetime is productive- I can mentally craft responses before I crank up my laptop at the office. Smartphones also allow for e-mail review right up to flight boarding times when I travel. If a particular matter warrants my immediate attention, I can work on the laptop in flight. Otherwise I can catch up on work reading, or watch an inflight movie, which is just about the only time I get to see any movies.

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  arastaha@...06/19/08 Report as spam
  9

  RE: Best Sales Tool: Smartphone or Notebook?

  You've pointed it out correctly. If, and only if, the keyboard becomesholographic and reliable (unlike the models you see today) and the screenand pointing device becomes part of your retna or some digital ink sheet oranother hologram (as bieng researched in Canada or seen in the movieMinority Report) then I don't see smartphones disrupting notebooks.
  
  Regards,
  Aras

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  harold160806/20/08 Report as spam
  10

  RE: Best Sales Tool: Smartphone or Notebook?

  ....IT ALL DEPENDS ON THE BUSINESS. I HAVE BEEN ABLE TO DITCH MY LAPTOP ON MOST SIMPLE OVERNIGHT TRIPS AND 90% OF THE TIME ON DAY TRIPS.

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  Geoffrey James, Sales Machine06/20/08 Report as spam
  11

  QUESTION

  WHAT BUSINESS ARE YOU IN??
  
  (Why are we yelling?)