I still remember when the first CRM was rolled out. Prior to that, we used an XLS spread sheet macro at the branch and division level that rolled up to HQ. The old process was simple enough. We measured, at the rep level, calls, appointments scheduled, sales, and revenue. Every Friday, I plugged in my numbers, and off it went. But the new CRM system required we go in daily and update account information. I felt that, quite literally, every second that I spent in that system was taking money out of my pocket. And so began a not so healthy relationship with sales automation and the tools designed to help me.
I quickly figured out that if I logged in and didn’t update anything, the system would flag me as compliant, so I took to logging in and out first thing in the morning and updating on Fridays only. Then they updated the system, so we needed to change at least one piece of data. I began toggling one insignificant field when I logged in. A game of cat and mouse had begun – and it lasted years.
Meanwhile, I was working on my own innovations. Around the time we got the CRM, I started harnessing LinkedIn to research my prospects. I would routinely find myself in LinkedIn jail for attempting too many searches. This was before LinkedIn Navigator was developed to allow you to do search with impunity – if you were up for a small monthly subscription cost.
I pioneered posting blog content on social channels that my client executives would see in order to generate engagement and sales conversations. While I pushed back on the Sales technology that I was being given, I cried out for help with the sales techniques I was slowly developing and that were enabling us to make quota.
These days, there is a lot of debate about Sales Enablement, Sales Tech, and where to find ROI in modernizing sales. The main question is this: Can Sales Tech that extends to the myriad of tools that sellers are given to help them sell, increase the entire team’s output while minimizing inefficiency?
I think the answer depends on who you ask. Most fields of research eventually tend toward the analytical. Sales is no difference. Management and shareholders alike want to know if we invest a dollar in technology how much will we get in return – and for good reason. Let’s face it, implementing and learning new tools and methods takes time. The learning curves can be steep and often leave some users (and entire businesses) on the side of the road. There needs to be corporate will to institute new tools. CRM is a perfect example. Despite my cat and mouse game, my former employer still uses a CRM and has much better data integrity than they did a decade ago when I was gaming the system.
I think that my bad apple story illustrates the importance of listening to the innovators in your sales force before devising a one-size-fits-all solution. I have come up with just three things I’d like to see more of when a corporation is evaluating a new tool or service to help sales.
- Survey the team on what they need in the space. Before even evaluating vendors and solutions, create a focus group from your sales team and find out where they need help. Knowing their hot buttons will not only point you in the right direction to solve their issues, but it will also get their buy-in on new solutions you eventually role out. Having that help (especially at the beginning) is critical to the longevity and success of new programs whether they are training or software.
- Start slow and start deliberately. Have a plan that does not include biting off every segment and geography on day one. Getting it right is a huge multiplier for Sales Enablement. Conversely, getting it wrong all at once will vastly decrease the chances of the project getting off the ground and can hurt the reputation of Sales Enablement when it comes to trying new programs down the road.
- Measure the results and have regular conversations about what is working and what isn’t. This goes hand-in-hand with taking it slow. Finding the sweet spot and smoothing over the rough edges of any sales solution is vital, but it is hard to be everywhere at once. This is where data and KPIs can help. Know your baseline CRM metrics. How many leads, new opportunities, and sales are generated each month before you implement the new solutions? How has the program you implemented impacted those numbers? Not only can data help you calculate ROI, it can allow you to iterate on a sales solution so it works for your industry and circumstances—saving you money, time, and reputation in the long run.
My hope is that this has given you a new perspective on the implementation and use of new tools and programs for Sales. Yes, you will always have rebels like me who may make it hard to implement new technology, but it is well worth the effort to include these mavericks in your planning. If they are a big part of your success today, just imagine how the Enterprise will benefit by including their efforts into new automation and trainings.