Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tools undoubtedly revolutionised data. Not only do they make data very easy to access, but they provide endless analytics and reports, and may even offer additional monitoring services depending on your choice of CRM. If your CRM isn’t collecting the right information, though, you could be sabotaging your sales team.
Imagine yourself making a sales call, and taking a glance at your CRM before you begin. Most CRMs would show contact details for the customer, as well as their projected revenue, and the anticipated close date. This pipeline-orientated CRM system is the most common type, but it’s not the most efficient. In fact, it often leads to mediocre sales calls, where the sales person is fixated on their own targets, and provides no more than a generic overview of what they are selling.
Now imagine making that call using a customer-orientated CRM. Rather than information about close dates and revenue, you’d see a brief description of the customer, their environment, their goals and challenges, and what success looks like for them. You can make a more personalised call, explaining exactly which of your services are ideal for the customer, and how they will help. The customer will feel that you have spent time and effort on the call, producing a solution that perfectly matches them, rather than feeling like the next in a list of prospects. The CRM has provided more relevant information – and allowed the sales person to quickly link the customers’ idea of success with their own solution.
Telling sales people to focus on the customer isn’t new advice, and it’s still the best tactic. Make sure that your sales strategy aligns with your CRM, though. Move internal metrics and pipeline management behind critical customer information, to ensure that every call is tailored and individual. It’s a competitive advantage that will be quick. It’s a competitive advantage that will be quickly reflected in your bottom line
Hays Sales UK are experts in all areas of sales recruitment. To find out more about how our highly skilled consultants can support you, please visit our website.
