You expect a boost in sales productivity when you implement a CRM solution, but achieving it is not an overnight occurrence.
It’s common for sales professionals to have tools dumped on them. The expectation is that the tool will make them more productive and more productivity will result in more sales, meaning more commission. So shouldn’t they be happy?
Open CRM implementations are seen in this light as driven by management and technologists, not the users. Because of this, sales reps develop an attitude that “our CRM sucks”.
This all can be avoided if sales reps are involved in the Notice that I didn’t say selection but rather implementation. Management must have a plan in place for where they are going with CRM, and as such, management makes the system selection. However, a phased implementation plan doesn’t attempt to achieve all objectives at once.
Involve sales reps in the implementation process to the point where the first few phases are focused exclusively on customers’ needs and reps' needs. Guess what happens if those needs are met? Could you end up with an excited sales team, a more productive team? And if there is excitement and increased productivity, could that equal more sales? It just might, and you have achieved a key objective without being seen as Big Brother.
Management will get more of what they need out of a CRM system downstream. Just remember that without user acceptance and actual usage, your CRM is worthless.
For more insight on how to boost your sales productivity call me at 800-897-9807 X 224.
by Bob Sullivan,
