Acumen Software Services Inc. debuted its Interactive Sales Manager service at Microsoft Corp.s Fusion partner conference in Los Angeles Friday, promising to give sales organizations a boost in an era when sales are harder to close.
The Web-based service was developed based on sales consulting services offered by Acumens parent company, Acumen Management Group Ltd.
An add-on to sales force automation applications, ISM is a planning tool used by sales managers to set a salespersons goals and expectations, then develop plans to attack sales territories and accounts to best meet those goals and expectations. It automates processes usually done on paper.
Managers can then use the tool to track performance against plans and even identify mentoring opportunities. ISM can track sales history, current activity and future commitments.
“It provides not only a process for sales managers to sell to their territories, but also to build their teams performance and skill development and go after accounts more strategically,” said Ken Thorson, founder and principal of the Acumen companies in Minneapolis.
Subscribers to ISM also gain access to an online toolkit that provides information and techniques to help sales managers recruit, hire, train and develop salespeople as well as conduct effective sales events, including meetings and trade shows.