Help Account Managers Sell More by Eliminating the Noise in the CRM System

Does your CRM system make it easy for your account managers to reach their goals?

Whether you’re about to implement a CRM system or you’ve been live for some time, applying a few basic principles can help your team do their jobs better with less stress. More productive account managers and sales reps equal higher sales, which makes everyone happy.

In this four-part series, I’ll share key strategies gleaned from working on literally hundreds of CRM implementations.

These tips may seem like common sense. However, it’s surprising how often these key points aren’t put into practice. Without them, your sales team may view the system as a hurdle rather than a help.

1. “Less is more.”

Take a look at the primary data entry screens in your CRM. Too many fields, some companies even have hundreds, makes entering new customer and contact records a real burden. As a result, your account managers become frustrated, affecting the level of customer service your clients receive.

We remind our customers to minimize data capture. Keep the fields that are essential to understand customers and prospects and get rid of the rest. Of course, too little information can be equally frustrating, so you do want to build a complete picture, but it is important to make it as easy as possible for your users and reduce barriers.

2. Track the RIGHT activities, not ALL activities

Naturally, a major reason you decided on a CRM system was to keep track of key touchpoints and follow-ups. Many clients who have never had CRM before want an accounting of everything that every account manager is doing. Does all that information really benefit you?

For example, what if you tracked EVERY phone call an account manager made? You know that in many cases, there will be several attempts and voice mails before actually talking to the client. That will leave you a history of activities a mile long but only an inch deep. It’s better to track the important conversations that helped advance the customer relationship and the follow-ups required to ensure customer satisfaction.

3. Track key emails, tune out the noise

“Can my new CRM track all our emails?” you may ask. Indeed it can, but trust me, you don’t want it to. With all the tools out there to reduce email congestion, do you really want to recreate it inside your CRM? Certain emails are key – customer requests, contract updates, and the like. On the other hand, think of how many short, simple messages go back and forth just to schedule a meeting with a client. The only one of value, from a tracking perspective, is the final one that books the appointment.

Don’t drown out the signal because you put too much noise in there.

Next Steps

“Less is more.” “Keep it simple.” “Tune out the noise.” This minimalist approach can make your account managers more satisfied and more productive so they can stay on top of customer relationships and sell more.

Make the time to review screens and processes with your team. Listen to their honest feedback. Look together for ways to minimize data capture and reduce unnecessary tracking in your CRM.

Of course, a third-party perspective can be of great benefit, helping you see optimizations that can bring you to the next level. If you are using or evaluating Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM, Azamba Consulting can help.

To talk about how Azamba Consulting Group can assist you with your CRM implementation or development project, contact us online, or call 888.724.3999.

We offer fixed fee CRM engagements and a 100% money back guarantee because you deserve to work with a company that delivers on their promises.

By Peter Wolf, Azamba Consulting Group, www.azamba.com

Peter Wolf is the president and founder of Azamba. He has spent the last 20 years focused on helping small and medium-sized businesses become more profitable through effective and efficient usage of CRM.

His passion is blending the promise of CRM with the realities of business needs to create successful outcomes.

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