If your CRM system seems to generate more headaches than sales, it’s time to take a closer look at how to bring your company’s data use into the 21 st century. In part one of this series, we addressed Customer
Relationship Automation. In this second part of our four-part series, we’ll look at how to use your CRM to drive sales and improve efficiency – a core function of any well running CRM.
According to SellingPower.com, 64% of a salesperson’s time is spent NOT selling – in fact, most salespeople spend twice as much time on administrative tasks as they spend on active selling. When data is floating on separate islands, salespeople are forced to handle unwieldy data and manually enter information that could be automated.
Sales managers and executives may believe in the value of monitoring their sales force using CRM – but most reps dislike wasting their time on low-level administrative activities and would prefer to improve their paychecks (and your bottom line!) with increased sales. They are understandably less than enthusiastic about their CRM and often put off data-related tasks.
Typical Sales Rep Issues
Here are some common sales rep complaints:
- “I’m spending half my time on data entry.”
- “All the leads I get from the system are cold.”
- “The contact data the CRM sends me is incorrect.”
- “When I do contact someone, the message I’m told to give doesn’t resonate.”
- “Often I think I’m making first contact, but the prospect tells me another sales team member has already been in touch.”
- “I have to spend a lot of time digging through data to find the right information.”
- “My mobile devices are not connected to the system.”
If any of these sound familiar, it’s time to harness the power of your CRM to improve efficiency and sales. The first step is documenting the issues salespeople are having and pinpointing the causes. Sometimes training is one cause – but often you’ll find the CRM itself is not set up in a way that fully exploits its capabilities.
A well-constructed CRM allows every salesperson to be data driven – not driven crazy by data. Intelligent CRM processes and procedures can automate each individual salesperson’s daily schedule, prioritizing contacts, new leads, follow-ups, closings, and re-sales.
Today’s most successful salespeople are using social media to build relationships with prospective and existing clients. The best CRMs allow for easy tracking of these SM interactions and includes these touchpoints as part of each salesperson’s schedule.
Another key issue for today’s outside sales force is integrating mobile devices. Reps need reliable, easy-to-use, up-to-the-minute data they can access on the road. A user-friendly system interface encourages an immediate update of notes after each sales call.
AspenTech CRM creates systems that free up your sales team so they can focus on building human relationships and closing business. Let’s get started today, 866-880-4228.
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Related Articles:
CRM Insights Part 1: Customer Relationship Automation
CRM Insights Part 3: Accurate Reports for Effective Management
CRM Insights Part 4: Artificial Intelligence Is Here
