Customers of today are adopting mobile technology at a rapid pace. A recent Flurry study found that Americans are spending an average of two hours and 42 minutes of their waking hours on their mobile devices. And 86% of that time is spent within apps.

These and similar trends have not been lost on Design Within Reach CEO John Edelman. “There’s been a huge shift to mobile with our consumer and with our associates. The desktop computer almost doesn’t exist anymore,” he says.

As a company, DWR makes authentic modern design accessible to anyone, from furniture to accessories. And equipping employees to serve customers with modern tools aligns with that mission. Enter the Salesforce1 Mobile App.

"Overnight everyone had a smartphone. And overnight corporate America had to catch up and transfer all their data and all their experience to mobile. Salesforce is what helped us get there. If you don't have it today. You're at a disadvantage. This is just where you're supposed to be,” says Edelman.

Field Sales

The field reps at DWR are armed with iPhones and iPads featuring the Salesforce1 Mobile App. This allows them to demonstrate the product, view customer info in Salesforce, manage opportunities and leads, check order status, and more, all within the app. Reps are also fully equipped to answer customer questions, such as when a backordered item will become available.

“One of the things that we believe gets us a competitive advantage is that our sales reps create this one-to-one, lasting relationship with their client. And in order to be able to do that, we want to give them the tools they need right at their fingertips when they’re in the customer's home,” says Bethany Kemp, DWR’s VP of Information Systems.

Studio Sales

DWR is now in the process of rolling out the Salesforce1 Mobile App to each of its studio reps. This will mean that instead of being tied to their desktops, they can work with clients anywhere in the space, both to access existing information and to input new data, such as placing new orders, all from their mobile devices. The app will also be fully integrated with the back office for invoicing and order fulfillment.

“It's immediate, it's functional, and it provides our aspect in the luxury experience, which is information now. ‘Can this be customized? Can I see it in a different color? Do you remember what I saw last time I was here? Why yes, of course. It's right here in the phone or right here on my iPad.’ There's no question that the Salesforce1 Mobile App has helped us close more sales and grow the business,” says Edelman.

Contract Sales

Custom objects built within the Salesforce1 Mobile App have helped DWR expand their capabilities to the contract sales side, which can have a longer lead time of as much as six months. The company was able to build an approval automation flow, giving account executives the option to connect and collaborate within the app so they can advise commercial clients on-site.

“The Salesforce1 Mobile App has given us the flexibility to build and deploy to our entire user base instantaneously. It's just all done at the same time; build once and deploy everywhere,” says Kemp.

Download this e-book for tips on how mobile tools can help your sales team sell from anywhere.