portatour® has saved us a considerable amount of time, making it possible to convert an office day into a field service day every week
Brendan Auld,
Managing Director
ATKO is a family business founded by Willie Auld and currently run by him and his two sons Gary and Brendan. The organization commenced trading in 2013 and is based in Antrim, Northern Ireland. The company primarily distributes trade and DIY products through DIY stores and building suppliers throughout Ireland. ATKO is strongly committed to using technology to make its operations smarter and more efficient and is constantly looking for innovative solutions to improve its business processes.
Like many other companies, ATKO faces the challenge of optimizing route planning for its field reps. ATKO works mainly in personal contact with its customers and prospective customers. The use of Google Maps was inefficient and often led to significant problems such as missed customer calls and a general lack of optimized sales routes.
"So we needed a solution," explains Brendan Auld. "We were looking for an automated solution that would streamline our route planning and ensure that all customers get their visits, and ultimately increase the amount of visits that our sales staff can handle."
We were looking for an automated solution that would streamline our route planning and increase the amount of visits.
Brendan Auld, Managing Director
The introduction of portatour® at ATKO revolutionized the approach to route planning. portatour® integrates seamlessly with the company's CRM system and uses customer data to create optimized routes for field reps throughout Ireland. This not only simplifies the planning process, but also increases the efficiency and effectiveness of sales work. Since implementing portatour®, ATKO has achieved remarkable improvements in its sales force processes.
One of the most important results is the complete elimination of forgotten and a significant reduction in missed customer calls: "portatour® is able to automatically suggest routes based on various parameters. "This has saved us a significant amount of time, enabling sales staff to convert an extra day in the office into a day in the field each week," says Brendan.
portatour® has saved us a considerable amount of time, allowing us to convert one office day into a field service day every week.
Brendan Auld, Managing Director
ATKO finds portatour® to be extremely user-friendly: "Our new employees, regardless of their previous experience with any kind of route planning, only need 15 - 20 minutes to familiarize themselves with the software. This significantly shortens the training period and enables the new employees to become productive immediately." Another notable benefit is the ability of portatour® to improve the work-life balance of the ATKO sales team.
"By allowing our sales representatives to set parameters for their working hours and personal preferences, portatour® ensures that their schedules are optimized not only for business efficiency, but also for personal needs. This is particularly beneficial for employees with families who need to balance their work commitments with their personal and family lives."
The introduction into ATKO's day-to-day business was quick and uncomplicated. Thanks to the well-maintained data in the CRM system, the integration of portatour® went smoothly. The software reduced the time required for planning from a whole day to just one hour. This significant reduction in planning time has allowed ATKO sales staff to focus more on customer contacts and less on administrative tasks.
"The support from portatour® during the familiarization phase was commendable." ATKO opted for a phased training approach, using the software for a month before meeting again to clarify any issues. This method ensured that the sales team could use the software effectively and resolve any issues under the guidance of the portatour® experts.
Our new employees, regardless of their previous experience, only need 15 - 20 minutes to familiarize themselves with the software.
Brendan Auld, Managing Director
portatour® has given ATKO the flexibility to take into account various specific conditions, such as business hours, frequency of visits and preferred visiting days. This ensures that the customer calls are individually optimized and that no details or appointments are overlooked or forgotten.
"portatour® has provided us with robust reporting tools that give us a comprehensive insight into the activities of our field reps without burdening them with additional reporting tasks. This feature enables better monitoring by management and ensures that sales strategies are implemented effectively."
portatour® has equipped us with robust reporting tools that provide comprehensive insight into the activities of our field reps.
Brendan Auld, Managing Director
In summary, portatour® has been a decisive factor for ATKO in transforming its sales processes through improved route planning and increased efficiency. The software has not only increased the amount of customer calls, but has also improved the overall satisfaction of the sales team and managers. With portatour®, ATKO has taken a significant step towards achieving its business goals and maintaining a competitive edge in the home improvement industry.
*Full version. No credit card required. Automatic termination.
Available by phone from Mon-Fri, 9-17h CET
