Salespeople want to sell, not update records. Every minute spent updating their CRM system is time they could have been out selling. User adoption is one of the toughest challenges in implementing a CRM system. And usually the star salesman (or woman) is one of the biggest culprits, because they know that even if they don’t update the system as they should, they won’t get fired; their sales are simply too valuable to the company.
That is why you need to make your CRM so easy to use, and update, that even that star salesman will use it. That is possible with Microsoft Dynamics CRM.
Easy to Use – Dynamics CRM with Outlook
First of all is easy to use because of the intuitive user interface and the fact that it was built to work with Microsoft Outlook, the tool that salespeople are using all day anyway. Your salespeople can:
- Easily view Dynamics CRM records in Outlook without opening a separate application.
- Monitor and schedule activities in CRM right from the Outlook Calendar.
- Track inbound and outbound email messages against CRM records
- Promote Outlook Contacts to Microsoft Dynamics CRM with one mouse click
But even if Dynamics CRM is easy to use to find information and interact with prospects, it can still be a challenge to get your salespeople to update it regularly and consistently. There is a way to make that easier.
Easy to Update – Dynamics CRM with EditAble CRM Grid
Out of the box, Dynamics CRM admittedly does require several mouse clicks to open a record then update it. And many star salespeople wait until 10 minutes before the weekly sales meeting to get started, then get frustrated. Or they simply pass it off to an assistant and refuse to do it.
The answer is . This add on tool for Dynamics CRM turns any form (or page) into a grid with a Microsoft Excel like interface that can be updated inline with one click. Simply click on the cell and type.
Let’s give a real life example.
Fred, the star salesman for XYZ Distribution has to get his forecast and pipeline report updated for the Friday sales meeting. He heard from 10 clients that confirmed they will buy this month instead of next month to take advantage of a promotion. Now he needs to change the forecasted close date on each opportunity record.
Scenario 1: Updating Dynamics CRM without Editable CRM Grid
To update each record Fred can go to his opportunity page, double click the record to open it, wait for the record to open, find the right field, type the new date and save, then repeat these steps for the remaining 9 records.
Scenario 2: Updating Dynamics CRM with Editable CRM Grid
Or Fred can use EditAble CRM Grid. Then he can go to his opportunity page, click on the sales date field, type the new date, click down to go to the next 9 lines and done. He never has to open the individual records. He can type quickly line by line, just like using Microsoft Excel, to make all the updates at once.
Now the opportunity list is ready to be exported into a report that is up to date. Just in time for the sales meeting. And the best part is that the star salesman did it himself. He did not need to send it to an assistant to enter his data. And he did not show up at the sales meeting with old data.
EditAble CRM Grid is an affordable add on for Microsoft Dynamics CRM that allows for quick information updates so sales reps, and even superstars, don't have the excuse that CRM is too cumbersome to use.
For more information .
By AbleBridge, Massachusetts Microsoft Dynamics CRM Partner,
Stop using the term salesman and "(woman)". Thanks for making me 2nd place. The appropriate term is salesperson. FFS.