The Key to CRM Success

If you were at dinner Tuesday night in Atlanta, we were discussing CRM systems. Many folks use Salesforce (It IS a $2B company), but it is cumbersome. And the price sensitive like SugarCRM, because it is open-source, yet very clunky.

The key to success in CRM is that the salespeople will actually use it.

If they are not using it, because it is a time suck, difficult, clunky, or daunting, then it is ineffective.

Sales management has one priority: Remove hurdles to sales!

If the sales team is not using the CRM system, you need to find a way to make it so.

There is a system that comes with dial-in help (as the Optional VIP Sales Assistant Support of the Gold package). That's right! Salespeople can call in to an assistant that will type in the info and can be provided whatever info they need from the system. It's called Landslide and it was just acquired by J2 Global which owns eFax. You could just hire a sales assistant who handles paperwork, CRM, follow-up and other duties, if you can afford it.

This CRM has email marketing, GoToMeeting webinars, and QuickBooks links. Integration for a cloud CRM is kind of important. You want the CRM ties to billing, automated email marketing and collaboration tools (like web conferencing). It also provides Social CRM, which means that it can integrate data from Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook directly into their Contact profile.

Not pitching it but pointing out that CRM alone isn't the issue. Using it regularly as an integrated part of sales and marketing is how CRM can be leveraged best for sales.

BTW, ATT offers SalesNOW mobile CRM service.