It all started with an iPad app.

Sumitomo Rubber North America won Ventana Research’s 2017 Leadership Award for Digital Technology for an app it created that allows sales representatives to have easy access to competitor pricing, and other market data.

Using MicroStrategy Mobile technology, the company combined data from SRNA’s resources and sales systems with tire market data to provide sales associates with information to help customers make informed purchasing decisions.

Deployed in eight weeks, the app helps SRNA’s dealers and analysts across its distribution centers in New York, Tennessee, California, Illinois, Florida, Texas and New Jersey to make coordinated decisions within the organization.

“To set ourselves apart, we wanted to empower our sales network with access to detailed information that could vastly improve the overall sales experience,” said Cameron Forbes, director of IT for SRNA. “…we were able to put valuable information into the hands of sales representatives to help provide a more positive and productive customer experience while also expanding brand awareness.”

As a result, SRNA said sales and analytics teams have saved time, customer relationships have improved and fewer IT resources are needed to develop reports, Forbes said.