Our greatest frustration after 18 years of CRM and sales automation consulting, is watching a program fail. The truth is, that less than 50% of all programs succeed.
A successful program will require a significant investment. Don’t waste your money by going it alone. Take advantage of experience!
Take a minute to review the 8 most common reasons for failure. Then give us a call to discuss your program.
1. Lack of understanding
Sales force automation is not about computers. It is not about buying software.
it is about using new technologies to increase sales. It is about getting to more of the right customers more effectively and efficiently. It is about shortening the sales cycle by making consistently better presentations and having the right information when your customer wants it. Before you do anything else, ask yourself a few questions.
- • Why do we want to automate?
- • What do we want to automate?
- • What are our goals?
- • What can we hope to accomplish, in what amount of time?
Find a consultant who has implemented successful programs and who understands sales! He or she can share experiences of what should be important to you.
2. Lack of management involvement
To succeed, the top management of the company must be involved, and stay involved. They need to get a computer, be trained, and use the tools the reps will be expected to use. Top management must understand the learning curve, be able to determine the effectiveness of the tools, and must begin to think in terms of a new way of communicating and accomplishing sales strategies.
3. Failure to include the sales force
Amazingly, many companies never ask the sales force what they would like to see in the program. They should develop a list of time wasting activities. They should list the pieces of information that are most often requested. They should be polled to see what computer generated sales tools they already use. These tools can be standardized for all reps in the program. In short, the sales team will choose to use or lose your program. Make sure they are involved and stay involved. Get constant feedback on what works and what doesn't.
4. Turning the program over to the IT department
In our experience, companies who give the challenge of automating the sales team to the MIS department fail. For the same reason that companies don't turn over their MIS department to the sales force. No practical experience.
Sales force automation is a program designed to enhance the sales process. It must address the needs of sales people, customers, and sales management. The sales team must determine what needs to be automated, the MIS team can help with how to technically accomplish the task. If asked to create the program, they will fail due to lack of understanding of the sales job.
5. Lack of testing
Start your program with a pilot group. Do not drop your program on the entire sales team without thoroughly testing hardware software and how these components fit into the sales process.
6. Lack of an ADEQUATE financial commitment
Sales force automation and CRM is not cheap. Budget the program accordingly. Here are some things not to do:
- •Don’t think the investment stops with buying the software.
- •A solid budget should include; planning, consulting, customizing the software to reflect your needs, training, adequate reporting, coaching for managers, administrators and IT.
- •Don't skimp on training. Until all the reps are standing on their feet and functional, the training job is not complete.
7. Lack of MEASUREment!
What gets measured gets done! Without a scorecard, nobody would play golf!
Don’t put data into a CRM program without a plan to get it out. Plan on reports to track who is using the program. Start the first week of the program! Who has completed activities and who is planning ahead by scheduling activities. If anyone isn’t on the report, they either need more training or they are seeing if they can out wait the program. As Barney Fife would say, “You gotta nip it in the bud” (Andy).
Measure your pipeline. Make sure every opportunity has been entered. Make sure a follow up call is scheduled for every opportunity. Make it a living list, for the rep first and management second.
8. Lack of training
The biggest reasons programs fail! Training is time consuming and expensive. Yet, it is the only insurance you have on your investment in hardware and software. The only way your people will become more productive through the use of technology is if they know how to use it. Spend the time and money to help them.
Need a little professional help with your CRM pursuit? Click through for a complimentary CRM tour and Q&A session with a Tech.Sell Pro.
Our services are available on an hourly, daily or contractual basis.
We provide consulting services, on-site or on-line, nationally and internationally.
We provide consulting services, on-site or on-line, nationally and internationally.
For complete information and a list of references, call us at 847-382-4500 or E-Mail us .
