Technology Adds ROI to CRM

For sales reps and sales leaders alike, technology,with CRM. White Springs helps Miller Heiman
like Customer Relationship Management (CRM)integrate its core sales processes with their
systems, will become increasingly important as weclient's various CRM systems.
move toward the future. Many organizations haveFor instance, Miller Heiman's Sales Access
already invested in CRM systems and much hasManagerSM (SAM) allows salespeople to use
been written about how these systems have notStrategic Selling® Blue Sheets and Conceptual
delivered on their promised results. Fortunately,Selling® Green Sheets that are hooked into
the CRM industry is evolving with new innovationsthe CRM platform--so salespeople can use the
that will help drive better returns on sales forcesales process electronically. Information they enter
automation investments.onto sales strategy sheets is automatically input
The Purpose of CRMinto the CRM database. Salespeople like it because
The idea behind CRM implementation is toCRM now supports the sales process they've
improve the productivity of the sales organizationbought into and use.
by leveraging better information. Salespeople canApplications that work in conjunction with CRM--in
enter the latest plans and actions related to aaddition to sales methodology integration
contact, opportunity or account, and thissoftware--include software that provides
information can be shared with sales managementinformation on territories, information on key
and other parties involved in the selling process.players, decision makers, or competitors, or the
Because the data is updated in real-time, teamsright sales collateral for a given selling situation.
have the most current information. The result isTo deliver value to the sales force and increase
that the right hand knows what the left isadoption, Hens says, you have to know and
doing--and the action plan for that customerinclude what they need--and each salesperson,
becomes a coordinated effort.each day, needs something different. "In essence,
In other words, CRM can make the selling processwhat we're doing is creating a platform where
more efficient and collaborative, allowing everyonesales 'best practices' or methodologies are
involved in the sales process to benefit fromconnected directly into the CRM platform and can
individual reps' knowledge as soon as it's inputtedbe engaged in the context of the everyday sales
into the system. With the information gatheredcycle. This, in turn, makes CRM more useful than
together, the output data is more robust forjust as a home for data," Hens says.
planning purposes. "Collaborative selling proponentsWith the advent of these kinds of applications,
claim it helps companies realize higher close rates,which can hook into CRM systems to provide
shorten the sales cycle and gain higher-valueimmediate value to salespeople, the future is wide
deals," writes Lisa Picarille in "Market Watch:open. As Hens says, "the way of the future is
Collaborative Selling" (DestinationCRM.com, Dec. 1,that people who have expertise in delivering the
2003).components that salespeople or sales managers
The Disconnectneed, right when they need it, will propel the
It sounds good--but in the past, the introductionmovement forward."
of technology into a sales rep's tried-and-trueThe Implications For Sales Leaders
methodology often met with resistance. The"Sales leaders focus on two questions: What's the
reason? Frequently, implementation of CRMproblem? How do I fix it?" Hens remarks.
systems didn't result in anything concretelyIf user adoption is poor, there might not be
positive for salespeople.enough data housed in the CRM system to
In the past, "CRM was a repository for data, andanswer those questions, or the data might not be
it still is, to a certain extent," says Chris Hens,accurate. User adoption can be driven by
COO of the San Mateo, Cal.-based White Springs.presenting an interface that helps the salesperson,
The salesperson put data into the system, andbut sales leadership also plays a significant role: For
that data might be valuable to the organization asCRM to be truly effective, and live up to that
a whole, but the salesperson never really got todream of ultimate functionality, adoption has to be
see the benefits. "That's the way of the past."driven by management, Hens says. "It needs to
"What gets customers excited [about the futurebe made part of the business process. If each
of CRM] is the way that a CRM platform or itssalesperson is doing his own thing, you'll never
attendant applications can deliver something backreap the benefits."
to the salesperson," Hens says. "A computer isWith increased use of the CRM system by
supposed to help you, but it can't do that if itsalespeople, more--and more reliable--data will be
doesn't have enough--or correct--information. Theinput into the system, and a more accurate
goal is creating enough information that theanalysis of problems and their solutions will be
computer can give salespeople suggestions."possible. Sales leaders will be able to take the
Recognizing that greater user adoption is needednext step toward innovation: analytics to
for sales leaders to reap the benefits of increaseddetermine what is and isn't working in the sales
data, both in terms of quantity and quality,process.
technology innovators have worked towardThat accurate information can be used to
building a better mousetrap: applications thatperceive customer trends and make more
attach to companies' CRM systems that actuallyaccurate forecasts. And, when sales reps leave
help salespeople do their jobs better and faster.the company, their customer data doesn't leave
To Drive User Adoption, Deliver Valuewith them; it's still a part of the CRM system,
White Springs is among those innovators workingeasy to access and reassign.
to improve the individual sales rep's experience