Established in 2004, OPPO is the fourth-largest smartphone manufacturer in the world. Since launching in Australia in 2014, the tech company has grown to become the 3rd largest smartphone brand in terms of aussie market share.
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.
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.
“There are so many stores that are actually underground or in shopping centres with terrible reception.
With other apps I'd used before Opmetrix, the app goes down and you can’t do that [store] call."
- Matthew Thomas, National Sales Manager, OPPO Australia
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.”
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:
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.
“The biggest thing that brought me back to Opmetrix was its capability versus its cost. The capabilities are outstanding on their own, even taking cost out of it. But then you look at the value you get in relation to what you pay... that in itself is exceptional.
It was going to allow me to join this business and not create costs, but create efficiencies.”
- Matthew Thomas, National Sales Manager, OPPO Australia
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."
"Before Opmetrix, how long would that problem have persisted before we discovered it and did something about it?
Opmetrix lets us get to the root of the problem, identify issues early, and action them.”
- Matthew Thomas, National Sales Manager, OPPO Australia
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.”
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.
“Opmetrix CRM has delivered on everything that I hoped for. I'm really pleased with it.”
- Matthew Thomas, National Sales Manager OPPO Australia
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