Case Study: UPS Goes Wireless : EVDOinfo.com

Case Study: UPS Goes Wireless

Monday, 04 April 2005
By Hannah Hurley Courtesy of Mobilized Software UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics services. Every day, UPS manages the flow of goods, funds and information in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. OBJECTIVE UPS wanted to give its sales representatives, who are expected to spend at least 90 percent of their time on the road, a more robust set of tools that allows them to understand all aspects of a customer relationship. SOLUTION DESCRIPTION UPS gave its core sales force, consisting of 4,500 representatives, access to a number of resources and tools via their Dell and IBM notebook computers equipped with Novatel Wireless CDMA2000 Merlin PC cards and 3,400 Verizon Wireless PC 5220 cards (EV-DO capable) that connect to the Verizon Wireless CDMA2000 1X/1xEV-DO network. In areas where EV-DO service is available, the salespeople have wireless connectivity at wired broadband speeds. When they move into territories that do not offer EV-DO, the backward-compatible design of CDMA2000 means they can continue to work on the CDMA2000 1X network. The sales force and sales management can view all prior customer interactions by accessing information stored in UPS TEAMS, a customer data capture tool. Through UPS's Global Reporting suite of five web-based reporting tools, UPS provides the sales team, sales support group and sales management team a summary analysis of the customer, such as weekly volume and revenue, previous and outstanding bids, volume analysis and more. "We can capture activities and opportunities associated with these accounts. Salespeople can see relationships, such as which individuals are involved in the sales process, and understand if they need to work with multiple people to close the account," says Mike Carey, CRM technology project manager at UPS. "Before, the sales team only saw linear information; now they can view the entire sales process. The CDMA2000 1X/1xEV-DO network enables the team to easily and quickly access this information. It is the bridge that provides the critical access and connects all the tools together for the mobile sales force." RESULTS UPS deployed its CDMA-based solution in June 2004. Initial response from the sales team has been overwhelmingly positive, and the company plans to extend the solution to other internal departments, including international sales, in the coming year. As a result of continuous access to the web-based tools, productivity rises as sales calls become more meaningful and relevant. The sales team is able to move pricing faster and deliver customer communications more quickly and more accurately because they are constantly connected. Email has become more timely and more prevalent, reducing cell phone call volume and duration. Because salespeople can access the information they need, they can leave for appointments earlier, stay in the field longer and be extremely effective during customer meetings. The main benefit is increased productivity. Prior to deploying the solution, UPS developed a return on investment model that forecasted number of hours and costs saved. "Our numbers are extremely conservative, and we are still forecasting big gains," says Carey. According to forecasted ROI, UPS expects each member of its sales force to save at least 20 percent of their time each week by having high-speed wireless access while they are waiting for meetings or at an airport. UPS calculates the reduction as $107.50 savings each month, per salesperson. The company also expects to streamline communications with customers. UPS calculates that access to email and calendaring will save 50 percent of a salesperson's time, which leads to a savings of $403.13 each month, per salesperson. The company also forecasts that administrative work will be reduced 20 percent, saving $43 each month per salesperson. These savings are possible, says Carey, because salespeople are not stuck in an office or forced into downtime. "They can spend more time with customers and at the end of day, be more productive." COMPANY DESCRIPTION UPS is the world's largest package delivery company and a leading global provider of specialized transportation and logistics services. This $30 billion corporation focuses on enabling commerce around the globe, as it manages the flow of goods, funds and information in more than 200 countries and territories worldwide. OBJECTIVE Give sales team constant access to multiple resources that store critical customer data Increase sales team productivity Make customer meetings more effective, thereby reducing sales cycle and raising revenue SOLUTION DESCRIPTION Dell and IBM notebook computers equipped with Novatel Wireless CDMA2000 Merlin PC cards and Verizon Wireless 5220 PC cards allow approximately 4,500 sales specialists access to critical customer information over the Verizon Wireless CDMA2000 1X/1xEV-DO network while traveling throughout the 57 UPS districts in seven regions that cover the U.S. UPS TEAMS, a customized CRM application, five web-based reporting tools and email streamline the selling process by providing the sales team with customer data, reports and analysis Constant wireless access to UPS resources and email reduce unproductive travel time and make sales meetings more productive RESULTS Streamlined communications with customers through email and calendaring will save 50 percent of a salesperson's time, or $403.13 each month, per salesperson Reduced downtime at airports and waiting for meetings will save $107.50 each month, per salesperson Reduced administrative work by 20 percent, saving $43 each month per salesperson Shortened sales cycles Reduced approval cycle by two days
Last Updated ( Monday, 25 September 2006 )

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