Ai2 To Bring iPad Order Entry, Sales Force Automation To Norway Food Distributors

July 30, 2012 Leave a comment

ProSel for iPad in the foodservice industryIntegrated Enterprise Solution Will Offer Competitive Advantage to Grocer Spesialgrossisten

CHICAGO – July 30, 2012 – Software developer Ai2 today announced that Spesialgrossisten, one of Scandanavia’s largest wholesale grocery distributors, will deploy ProSel, Ai2’s sales automation solution running native on the iPad.  Spesialgrossisten evaluated dozens of iPad-based solutions for sales orders and other consulting functions and selected ProSel for its feature set, its ability to integrate with Microsoft Navision and its industry-specific functionality.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity and we look forward to delivering the industry’s best solution,” said Douglas Katich, CEO for Ai2.  “The appeal of the iPad in business applications is truly a worldwide phenomenon and we are excited to have another chance to expand ProSel’s international presence.”  Ai2 designed ProSel with input from food wholesalers to handle orders, returns, enterprise content management, pricing, and scores of other functions required by food and grocery distribution professionals.  The attention Ai2 paid to industry-specific requirements cemented Spesialgrossisten’s choice.  iPad’s market share is significant enough in Norway that Spesialgrossisten mainly evaluated iOS apps when making this decision.

ProSel, a worldwide top-100 business app, is Ai2′s latest addition to its software suite for distributors.  The native app gives wholesale distribution sales reps offline access to their complete product e-catalog, product images, a very fast search function, content management, document syncing and much more.  The solution works without the need for a persistent connection and integrates seamlessly to any host ERP system.  Clients who select ProSel have the option to add enterprise content management and document sharing through Ai2’s “Pigeonholes” app, also exclusively for iPad.

ProSel handles custom pricing at the item level, rebate compliance tracking, bar code scanning, customer purchase history and dozens of other requirements for distributors in a variety of industries.  ProSel debuted in March 2011 and more than forty distributors — including some of the largest distributors in the U.S. — have already licensed ProSel to replace their legacy field ordering systems.

Ai2 was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in downtown Chicago.  Their applications are used by more than 75,000 users each day to capture upwards of $75 billion in annual sales.  Ai2 improves the sales process for some of the world’s largest distributors in foodservice, convenience store, grocery, beverage, hardware, medical, beauty products, jewelry and more.  For more information about Ai2, visit www.ai2.com.

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Can Microsoft Leapfrog Android In Enterprise Development?

July 25, 2012 1 Comment

 

This article suggests that it will be a long time before Apple is ousted from the #1 spot in enterprise app development, if that ever happens.  Android’s at #2, but the Microsoft Surface with Windows 8 and the Metro interface is scheduled to debut this fall.  Will developers (and the markets they serve) embrace the Windows environment?  A lot of signs are pointing to ‘yes.’

Three quarters ago, 44% of developers believed Apple would win over all, compared with an even 44% for Android.  The current numbers? 53% for Apple, 37% for Android with Microsoft waiting in the wings.

The report and survey from Appcelerator and IDC seems to indicate that Android will concentrate its efforts on consumer-based apps, leaving an open space in the enterprise marketplace.  Reports of malware and a hardware line that is too diverse appear to be hurting Android adoption.  Malware, viruses, bugs, etc. are an annoyance for consumers but could be deadly to a business environment.

At Ai2 we continue to develop sales force automation, remote ordering and enterprise content management apps for iPad.  We’re excited to see the Surface this fall and we certainly haven’t counted out Google/Android yet.  At the end of the day it’s about what OUR customers need, just as it always has been.

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Brand New Features for ProSel iPad Sales App

July 20, 2012 2 Comments

order app for ipad mini sales force automation prosel

“ProSel running on the iPad empowers our salespeople to serve our customers even better. Our salespeople love the application. It is making them more productive while eliminating the need for them to lug laptops and stacks of paper with them everywhere they go.  From an IT perspective, our sales reps require virtually no tech support. ProSel just works.”

-Sandy Harris, IT Manager, City Wholesale Grocery

ProSel is already a top 100 business app and the best reviewed order entry app on the App Store.  Dozens of companies have already chosen it.

At Ai2, we’re hard at work making this mobility app even stronger.  We’ve packed the latest version with a ton of new features that companies with an outside sales force, such as in the wholesale distribution industry, will love.

Order by image browse - While in image browse, you can add items to your current order using the pictures.  This makes order entry even easier and makes training new reps faster.

Create your own order guide – Make order entry even easier with your own custom shopping list for each customer.  Set it up once and you have it forever, ready to access and use.  Try Top Sellers or a particular customer’s list of favorites.  Use an order guide to build an entire order with just a few taps instead of entering every item every time.

Integrated MSA data – Are you a convenience store wholesaler?  We collaborated with Management Science Associates to build a custom module to fully utilize the data you already send them.  Everyone in your organization will now have mobile access to all the updated program data provided by MSA.  That means sales rep access to top-ten best sellers and program compliance progress on the retailer level.

ProSel supports pre-book orders: View and manage all the pre-books for a particular item or customer.

ProSel’s own keypad – You can use a 10-key keypad that we built to enter item numbers and quantities.   Many field sales reps find it easier than the horizontal QWERTY option.

Expanded Order Header – You can now override delivery dates and some other customer information, making the app more flexible while you’re serving customers.  You can add notes and other info to orders and customer records.

ProSel now supports multiple units of measure: cases, “eaches,” etc.

Dynamic panels can now expand so you may view more information about a customer or item.

These new features are not yet available in the App Store version of the program but we’d love to share them with you via web conference.

prosel sales force automation for ipad

Book your demo of these features and more.

Give us a call at +1 (312) 920-9366 or email sales@ai2.com today.

You can also schedule a demo online here.

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iPad Sales Order App – What Does it Do For YOUR Industry?

July 12, 2012 Leave a comment

Industry-specific features and functions are what set ProSel apart from its competitors.  Check out this infographic and visit ProSel.com for more today.

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Filed under iPad, Sales App for iPad Tagged with ,

What if Wholesale Distributors Could Give Each Retail Customer an iPad?

July 10, 2012 2 Comments

The rumors of a low cost “mini iPad” continue to rumble from the tech sector to the worldwide manufacturing segment.  A quick rundown: it will feature a high-resolution 7-inch screen, cost somewhere around $250 US and be positioned as a Kindle Fire killer for consumers.

In the 26 years Ai2 has been developing order entry software for the wholesale distribution marketplace, we’ve seen a shift, especially in convenience store, to customer-based order entry.  From phones to old Telxon devices to more advanced order terminals and web-based systems.

Here are a few disadvantages:

1. Telxons just aren’t as reliable as they used to be.

2. Handheld computers for order entry, bar code scanning and order transmission can run as high as $1,400 apiece.

3. It’s hard to believe nowadays, but many retailers are still not connected to the Internet.

If complete touchscreen order functionality was available for $250 plus the cost of our software, would you take advantage of being the distributor who could provide customers with iPads?  Especially if your competitors were offering older technology or none at all.  It fits with what we see the best companies doing: getting first mover advantage and positioning themselves as innovators.  

ProSel is easy to use, friendly, and gives you the ability to link multimedia marketing content with items, making your customers better buyers.  Take a look on the App Store today and give us a call.

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Current Ai2 Clients: Help Us Improve With This 5-Minute Survey

July 9, 2012 Leave a comment

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Good afternoon, Ai2 clients.  We’ve created a brief survey that we’d like you to fill out if you’ve got 5 minutes.

Visit the survey here:  https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/G96K2MT

This one’s for current Ai2 Software clients only.  Thank you for participating!

 

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ProSel – The Ultimate Sales App for the Wholesale Industry

July 6, 2012 Leave a comment

ProSel has its own blog if you’d just like to follow our iPad app for sales force automation.  Here’s a recent post.

You can also follow @ProSelApp on Twitter.

ProSel has a bunch of new features, too.  They’ll be available within the next few weeks; watch this space for further announcements.

Filed under iPad, News, Sales App for iPad

Meet the Ai2 Executive Leadership Team

July 2, 2012 Leave a comment

Will Anthony shoots Derek Morgan for the updated bios on Ai2.com while AJ works at the genius bar.

“”Teamwork is the ability to work together toward a common vision. The ability to direct individual accomplishments toward organizational objectives. It is the fuel that allows common people to attain uncommon results.” Andrew Carnegie

Meet the CEO, COO, and executive staff of Ai2 on our new Leadership page at   Ai2.com

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