4 Keys to Aligning CRM with Your Sales Process

Does your CRM system support your sales process?  Surprisingly often, the answer is “no”.

CRM systems frequently fail because they are too difficult or too complex to use.  They don’t provide enough value to the sales staff for the effort it takes to use them. Required fields and sales stages don’t match the process that the salesperson follows to close the deal. 

We have found that there are four key ways to help align your sales process with your CRM to increase sales:

1.       Define your process before you implement CRM

Define the current steps of your sales process before you start.  This is akin to not putting the cart before the horse.  Microsoft Dynamics CRM can support whatever your process, whether it is a standard sales process or your own invention.

2.       Keep the end game in mind

Think about how you want to present the data to all stakeholders, like sales managers, CEOs, and Board Members - as well as the salespeople themselves - before you start.  Work backwards from those reports to make sure that the information you need is easy to access. 

 3.       Involve Management

All of the stakeholders mentioned above care about how sales information is gathered and reported.  Ask for their input.  Defining the sales process with executive involvement helps provide clarity and transparency.  The project should be viewed as a strategic one rather than simply a tactical effort.  Goals need to be articulated up front in order to give focus to the project.  Projects are more likely to succeed with at least one executive sponsor on the team.

4.       Stay realistic

Create a realistic sales process and keep it simple.  Once the sales process is defined, focus on the top factors that will make the project a success.  Communicate realistic expectations and timelines to your staff and the stakeholders.  Achievable targets help ensure user adoption and overall project success.

Accelerate your implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM by defining your sales process first. User adoption is easy when your CRM system supports what your sales team actually does every day.   Find out how your sales team can better manage the entire sales process with Microsoft Dynamics CRM by contacting Steve Kane (301-634-2404 and [email protected]) at BroadPoint Technologies, Virginia’s most experienced Dynamics CRM Microsoft Partner.

by BroadPoint Technologies, a Virginia Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner