In the Palm of Your Hand?

Despite all the talk about the latest innovations in technology, few companies can call themselves “cutting-edge,” especially in the jan/san industry.

Still, there are a number of companies out there who are a step ahead and have already integrated palm pilots, pocket PCs and hand held computers into their daily sales function. All these technologies have a different set of capabilities that can lead to efficiencies for distributors. As distributors look to adopting the use of these items, it’s important to know what’s available, and how each can make a company’s sales force more effective and productive.

There are a lot of hand held devices on the market. Here is a sampling of the most common types:

• Pocket PCs or PDAs (Personal Digital Assistants) usually have a quarter screen (320x240) and have wireless and wired connectivity options.
  
  
• A hand held has a half screen (640x240) or a full size screen (640x480) or (800x600) and comes with or without a keyboard.
  
  
• Palm Pilots, or “palms,” are manufactured by a number of companies.

These devices offer a variety of capabilities, although not every device offers every feature. And usually the more features, the greater the cost.

A Rainbow of Functions
Most devices offer similar functions, though price and brandname often determine what you get.

Here are some functions available for palms, many of which are compatible with other PC and Macintosh applications:

“When buying a palm, businesses should look to see if it synchronizes with the main office desktop, i.e. has the software to match,” says Dean Olmstead, owner of SB Computer Shop, a Santa Barbara, Calif.-based computer consulting firm. He explains most are compatible.

Some have wireless functions built-in; others are Internet accessible.

“Wireless options that allow for e-mail on the go are very powerful tools to businesses,” he says.

“It’s important to make the distinction that palms are not necessarily wireless. We like to refer to them as a ‘mobile business’ because it’s available in hand and it’s portable,” says Danny Tuten, regional director for technologies of Idea Integration, a provider of full-service e-business solutions, Jacksonville, Fla.

Some allow for expanded capabilities by use of a multi-media card. Most are lightweight and fit in a pocket or purse.
“Palms used to be thicker, but now they are much sleeker and thinner. The biggest barrier for not taking your palm with you was that it was too big,” according to Olmstead.

What it Offers Distributors
Besides Internet or e-mail capabilities, most of these devices also offer basic functions. Many distributors have not gone beyond these entry-level features because they are sufficient in satisfying sales activities.

Most offer an organizer, data book, address book, memo pad, note pad, alarm clock, spreadsheets, games and more. Many have a useable size memory storage capability or have an upgraded memory card. Most have the option of a color screen (although this hikes up the price) and most run on rechargeable or replaceable batteries.

“Definitely look to see if it’s rechargeable or what type of battery unit is needed,” says Olmstead. If a person is taking a trip out of the country, it’s important to know if he’ll be able to take batteries for his palm device, he explains.

However, the best advice is to check with the manufacturer for specifics and to read magazine articles or Internet reviews on such devices. They will help distributors determine how to get the best machine for the money.

“The best thing to do is read up on the devices. There are a lot of resources available on the Web,” says Olmstead, who teaches a class on palms at the University of California-Santa Barbara.

For example, some reviews note that certain hand helds don’t always function properly — the small keyboards can be hard to work with or it has very slow-to-connect Internet services.

Timid First-Time Buyers
Most distributors use these devices for inventory control and for shipping and receiving. And although not many jan/san distributors have taken the plunge into the electronic hand held pool, the few that have are singing its praises.

Tuten suggests that companies should make sure that a device is going to help resolve a business issue, instead of accommodating what they think it will do.

“Distributors need to identify the problem or pain. For example, maybe they can’t get enough information to the field. When a business can identify a lost sales opportunity, then they need to look at palms as a way to help,” Tuten says. “They save time. When your information is available in the field, then you don’t have to re-key, re-enter and re-manage all the information.”

Fritz Gast, executive vice president for P.B. Gast & Sons, Grand Rapids, Mich., has been using palm computers for scheduling, address book functions and sales (customer information and pricing) for about three years.

“These devices have replaced the manual labor of entering this data into day planners,” he says.

Olmstead says many industries are embracing this technology.

“All types of IT industries are using this technology because they are swamped with information, e-mail lists and contact names. I’ve also seen those in real estate and in sales adapt to this,” he says.

Tuten also has seen this technology adopted by many industries. “Everyone that has information that needs to go beyond the home structure is using it,” he says.

“It’s very prevalent with manufacturers or in the medical/healthcare fields where patient charts can easily be pulled up. Even in the field I’m in it helps to have the information available when we have to talk to someone in sales.”

“Within 10 years this technology will be so pervasive that we won’t even think about it, so it’s best to get on the ball now,” he suggests.

P.B. Gast is using palms as an incentive for its sales staff.

“We told our sales, ‘If you sell X amount of products, you can have a palm computer to use.’”

CSB Industries LLC in Phoenix has been integrating palms into its management and sales staff for about six months, says owner Chuck Wuttke.

“Palms are mainly being used to keep track of data (customer names, phone numbers, e-mails), for calendar uses and for notetaking,” he adds.

Worth the Investment?
The cost of the computers wasn’t a big consideration for P.B. Gast because they had co-op marketing money to spend. Gast says the computers were purchased off the Internet and were worth the price.

“Owners can expect to invest as little as $200, and at that price, you’ll get a great return on your investment. Or they can spend on the higher end of $400 to $500. Those models are more for those who want the latest technology,” says Olmstead. He advises first-time buyers to begin with cheaper models to see if it’s going to work before spending a lot of money.

“Color screens aren’t necessary, I’d say begin cheaper to get started,” he says.

“When you are in the field, such devices show you are more high-tech and are more progressive,” says Gast. However, he explains that deciding to use hand helds is a personal preference. In his company four executives tried palms — two liked them, two didn’t.

Computers can help tell a salesperson the optimal moment to call on a customer and allows distributors to sell smarter. Hand helds allow salespeople access to sales information they need — using technology that is right in front of them.

“Palms let you store more information with you on the go and that is better,” says Olmstead. “It’s great for the sales force just to be able to have more info with them.”

Information on-the-go lets salespeople stay in contact with the home office as well as address customers’ needs quickly and efficiently.

“The nicest thing is that you have all the information with you: contacts, dates, tasks, reminders. And it’s all at your fingertips at all times; that’s a big time saver,” Olmstead says.

“Palms have replaced hand-written catalogs and roledexes. They have made us a lot more efficient,” says Wuttke.

“The best thing about PDAs is the instant delivery of business information when and where you need it,” says Tuten.

Benefits aside, there are many things to consider before buying pocket PCs, especially first-time buyers.

One major thing that business owners overlook when buying hand helds, according to Olmstead, is the time it can take to integrate the device with the main office computer. When estimating integration time, there are a lot of specialized programs and other variables to consider: how many customers are there to add? Is just basic contact information being added or more? How much more information should be included?

It all depends on how much the person has to add, says Olmstead. He says that if it is a small company like his, with about 500 customers stored in his desktop folder, it took him about 30 minutes for integration.

Endless Options
There is more available than just what comes out of the box, Olmstead says.

“The main thing to remember is there is a lot of other software, referred to as ‘shareware,’ that is made by other companies to use. The programs are not just basic, in fact, there is very industry-specific specialized software available. That creates extra solutions,” he adds.

“People don’t look at the entire solution. That includes the device, the wireless function and service, and all the developmental things — networking, service maintenance, software, tools,” says Tuten.

What it All Means
With all the technology advances, one thing is certain: computers can’t sell to customers, only people can. Selling is still about relationships, although a palm that improves performance can definitely help distributors stay ahead of the game.

“Palms are a tool we are hoping to help make our business easier and more efficient,” says Wuttke. “But they’re not to eliminate anything.”

Tuten predicts that in five years these devices will be thinner, work at higher speeds and be more compatible.

“I think palms in three to five years will be up to par with desktop computers of today,” he says.

Online Software Guide Available
BSW Consulting Inc., St. Louis, a national technology consulting company, recently released its 2001 Distributor Software Guide containing information on 18 software packages. It evaluates the distribution software to help distributors choose the package that is right for them.
The Distributor Software Guide is published in hard copy format and is also available online.

NAW Partners with Online Job Service
The National Association of Wholesaler-Distributors (NAW), Washington, recently announced a partnership with Headhunter.net, an online job awareness and recruiting site. This partnership will give NAW members direct access to Headhunter.net’s full menu of career services.