As a Vice President of Sales, you know better than anyone that managing the sales force and delivering on the targets set at the start of the year is not always easy. Even with the support of your sales managers and the best efforts of your sales reps, the results are not always there. That’s one of the reasons you place such importance on your new CRM software.
For your sales force (and, indirectly, you) to make full use of the CRM’s potential, don’t cut corners on the preparation work. Clearly identify and organise the solution requirements for your sales and marketing managers before you choose your software.
This is one of the keys to making your CRM project a success! (And to help you with this, we’ve prepared a checklist to guide you in defining your CRM requirements.)
To get started, pick up your favourite pen (or keyboard, if you prefer) and begin by mapping out how your sales teams work. This will determine how the software should be configured. Then, together with your sales managers, put together a list of processes that need to be improved or absolutely preserved.
Next, consider the specific needs of sales managers and sales reps in carrying out their day-to-day tasks (dashboards, KPIs, workflows, alerts, and so on). Also think about what data sales reps will need to enter into the CRM, and in what format.
Finally, think about their working habits: how often are they on the move? If they are, do you need a CRM that can function offline? Should it be compatible with Apple devices? How many third-party applications will the CRM need to interface with? These are all questions you need to address if you want the project to succeed.
Last but not least: anticipation. As a sales manager, your role is to take a step back and identify the key changes that will impact your sales teams in the coming years. These developments will very likely have a major impact on how your CRM works, so they should not be taken lightly.
You can 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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