OPPO Australia
Problem
You’ll find OPPO mobiles in all the major electronic retail outlets – JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, Officeworks... if a shop sells mobile phones, there’s an excellent chance they stock OPPO.
User-led design and a culture of optimism are what push OPPO to take on industry giants like Apple and Samsung, and if you ask their customers, they do a great job of it.
Canstar Blue awarded OPPO ‘Most Satisfied Customers – Smartphones' three years in a row.
But growth in new markets doesn’t come without challenges.
During the early years, the bulk of reporting and field data was handled manually by the sales team. Manageable enough at the time, as the business took off these old school processes became a hinderance.
With a strong appetite for growth and continuous improvement, in 2022 OPPO Australia brought the highly experienced Matthew Thomas on board as National Sales Manager.
Matthew’s objective was to maximise the field team’s impact and help turn their sales goals into reality.
Outgrowing the spreadsheet
One of the issues that stood out immediately was the lack of a purpose-built CRM tool for the sales team. Many internal challenges stemmed from the fact they were handling so much data manually in spreadsheets, or relying on clunky forms to collect information. It was difficult to track activity, measure compliance, or proactively problem-solve.
All that manual notetaking had to be transcribed post-store visit, which naturally increased the risk of forgetting details or omitting key data.
A lack of visible reporting on their own KPIs also made it hard for field reps to get a sense of how they were tracking in real time.
Given that their KPIs often feed into bonuses paid, the lack of easy access to key metrics was a source of frustration.
On top of all that, spotty internet service also caused frequent problems for reps.
But even beyond solving for all of those challenges, what Matthew ultimately hoped to give his team was the gift of time.
The new CRM needed to dramatically cut the admin burden.
“That time you should be spending with your family or your partner or your dog.... going to the gym, just doing anything outside of work.
I wanted to ensure that once the reps complete that last call, they can drive home and switch off.”
Solution
Matthew’s previous experience with other CRM tools, including bespoke in-house solutions, had given him a very clear idea of what he was looking for in his next field CRM application. His feature wishlist included:
- A tiered, field-based framework built around individual store locations and key contacts
- In-app camera capability (not just the ability to upload photos from a device later)
- Call cycle management and journey planning
- Configurable surveys for custom data collection
- Reporting and dashboards for both the field team and the executives
- Offline utility, with full access to all features - whether there's internet connectivity or not
The Opmetrix demo revealed a depth of functionality that ticked every box on Matthew's list, and more.
User-friendly, well documented and supported, cost effective, scalable.... the benefits seemed endless. The choice was clear.
Results
An empowered field team
Just six months after implementing, Opmetrix CRM had transformed the way that not only the field reps operated, but the way the business managed – and regarded - its sales team.
With complete visibility across devices, active hours, locations and data input, the National Sales Manager can now report with 100% confidence on store visits, compliance levels, training metrics, promotional performance, and so much more.
Strategic conversations at OPPO Australia have become much more powerful and data-informed. There’s greater trust, more transparency.
On the ground, the team can pivot quickly when issues arise. The app is so agile, a field team survey can be created in seconds and sent live, enabling data gathering that provides actionable insights.
“Take a product launch for example. We might launch a product in stores with the expectation that our retailers will put it on display in every single store. We visit and check compliance, recording the assessment in Opmetrix CRM.
Is the phone on display, yes or no? If yes, take a photo. If no, why not?
Soon after launch, our Opmetrix reporting might reveal that 50% of these stores aren’t putting the phone on display. That triggers action on our part to understand why."
An empowered admin team
Back in the office, the reporting capability of Opmetrix CRM has been - quite literally - life changing.
Two staff who once spent the better part of their weeks piecing together reports from the limited data they had, now spend their time on far more rewarding work.
“Yet another efficiency. And the work they’re doing now is so important for the business. Such a win-win because while yes they are adding more value, they’re also happier and more fulfilled people, which is just as important.
It’s been really positive from a culture perspective.”
An elevated sales team
The visibility that Opmetrix CRM brings to OPPO Australia has had a profound effect on the sales team’s profile within the business. The value they bring is now undeniable.
“I think that’s the most important thing. It's renewed the value placed on my team. The way the business views the field team has been transformed in such a pivotal way.”
There’s no question that the OPPO field team is delivering on its promises, and as a result, ensuring that retailers are too.