Sales Force Automation, also known as SFA, is a technique of using software to automate the day to day business tasks of sales, including order processing, contact management, sharing information, inventory monitoring and control, order tracking, customer management, sales forecast analysis and employee performance evaluation. SFA may be used in conjunction with CRM; however you should note that CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is not the same as sales force automation, they are in fact different terms altogether.

The Sales force automation (SFA) application is able to provide businesses with much better results than they would otherwise have. When searching for Sales Automation solutions it's infinitely important that the application you choose is comprehensive and easy to customize. Another benefit of SFA is that Sales Representatives can spend more time making the sale and less time in the administrative process, which is a big plus. It enhances the ability to manage time more effectively and allows for a better sales management program.

This technology can help your sales force better manage contacts, be more organized, and generate higher sales. If growth is part of your company agenda, then sales force automation is one of the best investments you could make for your company. Productivity and a good supply of qualified leads are important and companies are able to benefit much from the automation of their sales force.

Sales Force Automation (SFA) and Customer Relationship Management (CRM), have come a long way over time and it seems to be going back to a closer association with its roots. SFA is appearing everywhere in industry guides and in company marketing materials with a much higher frequency than it used to. Individuals are beginning to realize how important SFA and CRM are to their productivity and its ability to increase their profit base.

Any good sales rep knows the value of a good personal data assistant and new products that provide contact management have become every sales rep's best friend. That PDA that now has all your contacts, calendar, and memos, was made possible by contact management software. The same thing is being done with SFA as well. All in all, Sales force Automation is a cutting edge technology you can utilize for your own business.