On December 6 & 7, we held our semi annual user group meeting of SalesLogix CRM users. The topic was a less technical than usual, "In Depth Look at Sales and Marketing Processes" and while it kept me from posting anything worthwhile here for the last couple of weeks, it also provided a bunch of information to pass on after the fact. So get ready for some CRM information courtesy of the Midwest SalesLogix User Group meeting (MSUG). Today's topic: Automating Sales Processes.
SalesLogix offers users the ability to create a standardized sales process with steps and stages to be completed as shown below.
Complete a step in the real world, record it within SalesLogix, and proceed to the next step. Most steps also have tools to help the sales person with that step. As an example, if prospect qualification is part of the process, that step will have a link to a qualification sheet. If you are at the quoting stage, the link will take you to a pre-built quote.
If you want accurate forecasting, automating sales processes can greatly improve that area. Each completion of a stage automatically increases your close percentage. Since the process is standardized across the company you'll no longer have to deal with inconsistent guessing of close percentage by sales person. You've standardized it. Then you can get an accurate picture of your sales pipline, by stage, as shown below.
You also create a standardized process that any new hire can follow right from the get go. Some companies can afford to run new sales people through rigorous, multi-week training, but most can't. Training occurs mainly on the job. A standardized sales process within your CRM system establishes, immediately, how selling should be handled at your company.
Doug Lantz, Director of Services for Technology Advisors, went through exactly how to set these up within SalesLogix at the meeting. Then he presented some best practices for automating sales processes in your CRM system. That topic to be covered next week.
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