Summary
- The best sales software should minimize data entry, provide clear next actions, and give teams full pipeline visibility.
- Mobile access and an intuitive interface help sales reps manage leads efficiently wherever they work.
- Lead management software keeps the sales process simple while giving managers the visibility needed to support their teams.
Having a process is a key part of a successful sales operation and can increase the turnover of large companies. Let's say your turnover is $50m per year, an 18 percent increase brings you up to $90m. The impact on smaller companies can be even greater, as the margins are usually even finer.
First, you need to define a clear sales process. Once that is done, you need sales software that is easily customizable in order to stick to the process created. You can also see where your leads stand.
It’s time to look for a system that offers clear visibility for sales staff and management.
Can a CRM produce the ideal sales tool? Is there such thing as the ideal CRM for sales reps? They are, after all, better known for their customer relationship abilities. Let’s examine what you should lookout for when choosing a sales software, and whether CRM solutions meet the requirements.
Get the Data. Get it Fast
Traditional CRM often create CRM problems: They take a lengthy amount of time to input a prospect’s data before you can move them along the pipeline. As a result, sales reps spend too much time entering information for a potential lead that might never advance through the funnel.
If a sales CRM doesn’t have a streamlined approach towards data entry, you’re left with an overly complicated system that doesn’t work for salespeople. In turn, they won’t use it consistently, and it'll be updated in a hurry before the sales meeting, meaning managers often receive poor information.
Salespeople should only focus on key data
Salespeople shouldn’t waste their time on data that may not amount to anything. Instead, a system offering key data entry with automation and a focus on the next step is imperative.
Next in the Queue
Having a “next step” is central to the makeup of a good sales CRM. Without one, the system falls apart. How can a salesperson evolve their prospect if they don’t know what to do next?
It’s not so much that salespeople are clueless without a defined next action. Of course they know the process of converting a lead. What clear instructions do, however, is keep them on track -- and that is vital. Too many software solutions allow you to have entries in the system without next action.
Sales reps need to juggle more than a few dozen leads at a time. They can easily get lost in which lead needs a follow-up phone call, what time a meeting is taking place, and so on. A clear, actionable next step is the best way to manage all their leads.
The importance of the pipeline
The all-important next steps fit snugly into the pipeline, and salespeople and managers have clear visibility of the entire process. Being able to have such clarity over your sales process is essential to keep on top of your strategy.
The pipeline allows for deal management and is a visual representation of where the money is in your sales process.
The pipeline is easy to see at a glance and provides an instant understanding of how leads are moving through the sales cycle.
From a managers’ point of view, the visual pipeline is a crucial aspect of managing their sales team. The visibility afforded means authoritative figures can step in and change tact when something goes wrong with a lead. Such access could be the difference between a conversion and losing the business altogether.
Good sales software prioritizes the pipeline and makes it aesthetically presentable. Both reps and managers see how their sales flow is working and where they can make improvements.
On the Go
As consumers - whether we’re using a personal product or a professional one - the way in which we take in information has seen a seismic shift. Mobile devices now account for almost 50 percent of online usage. Mobile internet is just as important as accessing the web on a desktop.
Mobile devices now account for almost 50 percent of online usage
Sales roles come in different forms, but the need to be out in the field is often a key factor in a rep’s tasks. Whether attending meetings or events, salespeople need to be visible. Top quality sales software has to offer continuous connectivity.
If the sales CRM you are looking at doesn’t offer a mobile app; it’s not worth getting. The app also needs to work well, have a clean interface and offer same ease of use that the desktop version provides, even if it doesn’t need to have all of its features.
Keep it Simple
Managers and reps need all the above elements constructed into one intuitive, easy-to-use tool that places salespeople at the front of the queue. Can a traditional CRM provide that? Not really. CRMs are data and customer focused.
Those two elements don’t lend themselves to a message architecture that succinctly prioritizes salespeople. Reps need a clear idea of their next action, while managers need visibility of the whole process.
Sales CRM (aka Lead management software) is more akin to their needs. While full CRM complicates the sales process, lead management software simplifies it. There is always a next action, managers have complete visibility over their team’s tasks and, most importantly, data entry is kept to a minimum.
Of course, the best way to know for sure is by sampling it for yourself. And it all starts with a free 15-day trial.
