The correct technology is becoming more critical for sales teams to compete successfully
Small and medium-sized businesses may find it difficult to integrate new technology because it seems to be too complicated, sophisticated, or expensive.
As a result, a rising amount of companies have found that they have outgrown their original CRM technology implementations.
- Don’t scale to meet growing demand
- Can’t integrate with other systems
- Aren’t flexible enough to address changing needs
Eventually, most sales teams are ready to make use of Dynamics 365 strength and adaptability. Then then, there remain a few lingering questions.
- Is it too complicated?
- What will it take to set it up?
- How will it be maintained as needs rise?
As a starting point, here’s the general path most sales organizations pursue.
Using a spreadsheet
First, a basic Excel spreadsheet with just the most important columns is generally used.
Next Steps, Status, etc.
There may just be one salesman in the company, and the pipeline is just beginning to fill.
Next, another salesman is hired, and information must now be shared.
A shared Google sheet may seem to be a straightforward solution, but it may quickly become bulky and difficult to use when others add information to it.
Basic Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Systems
When it comes to CRMs, there is a slew of alternatives to choose from, from PipeDrive to Zoho CRM to Keap to Nimble to Simply to Freshworks to Nutshell to Insightly to Streak.
No lack of CRM alternatives exists.
Even if you start with one and aren’t satisfied, you may always try another. However, replacing CRM systems comes at a price, and the process is disruptive.
However, firms rapidly learn a few problems, such as the fact that the initial price point and beautiful interfaces seem enticing at first glance.
Thinly-implemented functionalities This isn’t a complete list of all the features that the company claims to offer, but rather a list of bullet points to be ticked off in marketing materials.
Only a limited number of systems can be integrated. It’s not always possible to get the complete dataset, even if you use an integration tool like Zapier (a popular middleware platform that can link hundreds of apps) to export or import data. An ERP system like NetSuite, Oracle or Quickbooks might be particularly difficult to interface with.
The reporting process is rigid. When it comes to creating bespoke reports or dealing with data that has been modified, these smaller CRMs just can’t do the task. Exporting data and performing transformations before importing them into a reporting system is now an additional step.
Going the extra mile with your CRM strategy
If you’ve encountered any of the following, you may be ready to go beyond a basic CRM platform into something that can better suit your organisation’s requirements and develop with your company.
Integrate your CRM with other platforms in your organisation.
It’s more than simply importing and exporting that’s the issue here. In today’s world, systems must be able to communicate back and forth in real-time. To make matters more complicated, the issue of who owns the master records arises as a result of data management and integration.
When one system is altered, what is the effect on the other systems?
Make the most of unexplored possibilities.
Client support requests may indicate fresh sales opportunities, or at the very least, a chance for a sales representative to check in with a customer to guarantee their retention and contentment, for example. Using a more complex CRM, rules and automation may be built up to recognise these situations and warn the salesperson.
Marketing materials including emails, adverts, websites, and more may also be a source of information on customers. When a salesperson has “info” about a prospect’s behaviour, they may follow up with them at the exact moment when the prospect is most receptive and responsive.
Reporting may be tailored to suit your needs.
It’s pointless to collect, manage, report on, and exchange data if it can’t be used effectively? Having the ability to generate visually appealing charts and summaries that communicate successful tales may shed light on individual salespeople, territory, accounts, and more. Because of the power and flexibility required, you’ll need the right platform in order to execute this.
Generate custom quotes
If you’re using a lower-end CRM that doesn’t have this built-in, you’ll have to export data and manually create quotes in other programmes like QuickBooks or Microsoft Word or Excel.
Set up a standardised workflow and procedure
Data can be cleaned up, and reports can be enhanced when everyone on the team follows a consistent method for handling sales information. Workflow consistency, whether you’re working from a mobile device or in the office, helps achieve this. This is a limitation of many CRMs, especially the more basic ones.
Manage accounts and leads based on geographic regions.
There is a need to ensure that territory management is managed with justice and accuracy if you have a workforce that is spread out throughout the nation. The majority of entry-level CRMs provide very rudimentary tools for managing territories.
Summary
Is your CRM too small for your needs? Dynamics 365 should be on your shortlist if the preceding scenario sounds similar. Microsoft Dynamics is a lot more than just a CRM platform; it’s the most important platform for organisations to develop.
We can assist you in determining whether Dynamics 365 is a good fit for your company. We can help you adopt Dynamics 365 as well, thanks to its feature-rich and low-cost Quickstart implementation services.