You’re a sales rep and your job is to sell. You have your process in place and you’re doing a pretty good job. Your boss comes to you and tells you the company is going to be implementing a CRM (Customer Relationship Management software) and all reps will be required to use it. He is thrilled about this new software, but you and your fellow reps are less than amused. A CRM means you have to spend precious selling time adding information into a computer program so your boss can watch your every conversation and micromanage you like never before.

So why should you, as a rep, embrace CRM? You’re probably concerned with how it will impact your ability to sell, so let’s focus on that.

CRM will optimize your selling and help you meet your quota.

With CRM, your information is centrally located, easily accessible and simple to use. Gone are the days of lost opportunities because your data was held in multiple spreadsheets or on an unreliable network. CRM streamlines your processes and makes it simple to track where your prospects are in the pipeline. By tracking all communications, you will know exactly which prospects need to be contacted, at what time, and with what information they are most interested in; details like this are invaluable for increasing your chances of closing the sale.

Even better, a mobile CRM application allows you to work anywhere and ensures there is no delay on your responses to prospect accounts (and potential sales!). Working from anywhere is not only nice for you (can anyone say Bahamas?!), but also allows you to update an activity immediately after speaking with a prospect, regardless of where you are, ensuring no pertinent details are forgotten. 65% of sales reps who have embraced mobile CRM applications achieve their sales quota.

Lead Scoring is a simple yet powerful feature of CRM. Lead scoring helps you quickly and easily identify Sales Qualified Leads (SQLs). This prevents you from searching through data for specifics on which leads are worth pursuing.  Lead scoring will simplify lead generation, opportunity creation and pipeline value; this enables a pro-active approach to selling, and ultimately increase sales.

CRM enhances your time management and planning

Everyone knows that time is money. Fortunately, CRM is built to streamline your sales cycle and help you close deals and reach your targets faster. Reps saw productivity increase by 26.4% after adding mobile access to CRM applications and social networking.

CRM has several features that boost your time management and planning skills. It helps you optimize your daily schedule and prioritize your tasks. Features like automated reminders, sales dashboards and integrated calendars make it quick and easy to plan your time effectively and efficiently. CRM allows you to spend more time with customers and less time dedicated to admin tasks.

The beauty of a CRM is that it gives you simple access to dashboards and reports. Not only do these reports make it easy for you to discuss your pipeline and quota with your manager, but it also gives you a visual representation of where your prospects stand in your pipeline. With a couple clicks, all your prospect information will be transparent and easily interpreted.

In a Nutshell

Change is always scary and is often frustrating, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t for the best. Embracing CRM will have positive effects on your sales cycle and your ability to reach your quota. You and CRM may not be an instant match made in heaven, but with time and some inevitable growing pains, you will definitely reap the rewards.

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