As a Vice-President of Sales, you know better than anyone that managing the sales force and achieving the objectives set at the beginning of the year is not always an easy task. Despite the help of your sales managers and all the goodwill of the sales representatives, the results are not always there. This is one of the reasons why you rely so much on the new CRM software.
In order for your sales force (and indirectly yourself) to take full advantage of the full potential of CRM, do not skimp on the upstream efforts. Identify and clearly organize the software solution requirements for your sales and marketing managers.
This is one of the keys to the success of the CRM project! (And to help you do this, we’ve put together a checklist to help you define your CRM requirements).
To do this, arm yourself with your best pen (or keyboard, depending on your preference) and start by mapping how the sales teams work. This will determine the future configuration of the software. Then, with the help of your sales managers, compile a list of operating methods that need to be improved or absolutely maintained.
Then think about the specific needs of sales managers and sales representatives for carrying out their daily tasks (dashboards, indicators, workflows, alerts, etc.). On the other hand, what data will sales representatives have to enter in the CRM, and in what format?
Finally, think about their work habits: how often are they on the road? If so, do you want a CRM that can work in offline mode? Should it be compatible with Apple devices? How many third-party applications will the CRM have to interface with? These are all questions you need to ask yourself if you want this project to be a success.
Last but not least: anticipation! As a sales manager, it’s your role to step back and identify the major changes that will affect your sales teams in the coming years. These developments will almost certainly have significant consequences for how your CRM operates, so they’re not to be taken lightly.
You’ll find all these tips explained in detail in our "Guide to a Successful B2B CRM Project". Feel free to download it!
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