The top five things you need to know about successful
CRM
July, 2003
The sales force who uses your CRM system must view it
as a blessing and not a burden. This is a key message
from a webcast hosted recently by Best Software, provider
of SalesLogix CRM software. The webcast discussed “five
things you need to know about successful CRM.”
Here is a synopsis of the presentation:
Tip #1: Sales team acceptance means more sales.
Your CRM system can meet both your corporate goals and
the motivational needs of your sales reps. Show your sales
staff how the new system will help them sell more, sell
better and sell easier. Ask for their input and requirements.
Too many systems fail because they were not built with
the end user in mind, were not tailored for a salesperson’s
day-to-day needs. Do not push business-process changes
without getting user buy in.
Tip #2: Uncover and understand your sales staff’s
pain.
- How much time do they spend on non-selling activities?
- What do they like and dislike about the current forecasting
process, both from a technical standpoint and the way
you do business.
- What is your current sales process and how does your
staff feel about it?
- What are their top three to four “pains”
that they wish would like relieved?
- How do these pains affect each salesperson in terms
of lost time, commissions, recognition and appreciation,
etc.?
Examples of a sales reps pain:
- Spends too many hours just doing reports.
- Can’t identify and provide superior service
to the firm’s most important customers.
- Has difficulty finding and sharing information.
- Is burdened by high turnover.
- Finds forecasting burdensome, reducing time for selling.
- Doesn’t know when customers have called with
problems until it’s too late.
- Takes too long to prepare proposals or quotes.
Tip #3: Employ your CRM software to provide proactive
assistance and notification.
- Provide auto-notification functions such as alerts
of new leads, problem tickets, and customer credit holds.
- Not only provide tickler reminders, but where possible,
have the system perform particular tasks under specified
conditions.
- Anticipate information that sales reps will want simple
and fast access to.
- Look for capabilities that add significant value such
as seamless integration with other productivity applications
– Microsoft Outlook, Lotus Notes, Word, Excel,
etc.
- Provide timely access to back-office information
such as accounts receivable, catalog lookups, product
inventory, and credit status.
Tip #4: Provide access and mobility.
- Provide access to the CRM system from anywhere at
any time through not only remote laptops, but phone
keypads, PDAs and tablet PCs.
- Design the system to be simple to use so key functions
can be utilized with little training.
- Provide strong synchronization that enables remote
users to share and update customer easily.
Tip #5: Find a system with flexible business-process
capabilities.
The system should adapt easily to 1) a user’s individual
preferences, 2) changing business processes and 3) processes
unique to your company and sales and marketing organization.
Bonus tips
The SalesLogix webcast offered these additional tips
for planning and implementing your CRM system: take small
bites, find the most “tender spots” for improvement,
keep things simple, and configure your system gradually
through a structured methodology. The methodology should
remain focused on benefits to users, business drivers,
and metrics that measure before-and-after performance.
The next step
Compulan can arrange an eDemo of SalesLogix or address
your questions. Call 978-623-3330 or email saleslogix@comulan.com.
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