Case Study

New England Maintenance Depot -
Sales Force Automation Boosts Sales

Springfield, Massachusetts' New England Maintenance Depot, a 10-year-old Janitorial Supply House serving most of New England is already reaping the high-productivity benefits of its recent upgrade in Sales Force Automation. Partnering with DDI System, a Connecticut-based developer of distribution software solutions for industries including Jansan, New England Maintenance Depot has implemented DDI's sLAP! (Sales Force Laptop) technology. Described as a customer service desk for the mobile worker, sLAP! software arms mobile sales people with a wide range of real-time capabilities designed to boost productivity and sales.

"The salesmen are now the order entry department", says Gary Pollard, New England Maintenance Depot's Sales Manager. "They can look up complete client information, see sales histories, customer-specific pricing, view open orders to check backorders and handle customer service issues, see invoices to assist with collections, check inventory availability, take orders and transmit everything back to the office."

Pollard describes sLAP! technology as high on the list in terms of the factors that led to the selection of DDI System as their distribution software provider. "We felt DDI was flexible enough to help us with our needs and the right size to still work closely with us," he said. "But, the sLAP! technology was perhaps the #1 reason we went with them. This was the technology we wanted."

Although numbers are not yet available, Pollard is certain the software has had a positive impact on sales. He also points to improved efficiencies: "When an order goes directly in from the salesman while he's still sitting in front of the client there are definitely less errors. We have almost eliminated miscommunication." Evidence of this and a direct benefit to the company's bottom line is the fact that they have been able to reduce their Order Entry Department by 2 people while increasing order taking efficiency.