Haymarket invests in sales technology

Haymarket Publishing is to introduce a pounds 2 million

computerised advertising booking and production system, finally giving

400 sales staff their own desktop PCs.

The company has signed a deal with business systems specialist Miles 33

for the installation of the system, called FutureProof.

Haymarket said the project represented the company’s largest single

investment in IT. Ad sales teams as well as production and finance

departments will all benefit from the deal.

A number of titles at the company’s Teddington office will be hooked up

to the system as early as October, with a second batch coming on-stream

in Hammersmith in December. The system will be rolled out to all ad

sales teams in 2001. Haymarket said staff would receive full coaching

from two trainers on the project team, which is led by IT project

manager Ian Newland.

Outsiders have often criticised Haymarket for its slow take-up of online

booking technology, saying it may have led some talented sales staff to

seek jobs elsewhere.

In addition to bringing PCs and office automation to all areas of

Haymarket, FutureProof provides ad sales teams with powerful client

contact management and order processing tools. Contact lists and booking

histories are stored in a database.

Reporting and monitoring performance will also benefit from automation,

with sales being updated against targets in real time.

Founded in 1973, Miles 33 has supplied similar systems to publishers

such as Trinity Mirror, Associated Newspapers, Newsquest and Johnston

Press. Director of sales and marketing Frank Knight said: ’The system

puts the entire process at the sales person’s fingertips, from booking

and scheduling to sending and receiving copy and monitoring progress at

the production centre.’

Haymarket said its sales process would benefit from ’a step change in

efficiency’.

This article was first published on Campaign