Salespeople: Don’t Believe CRM Myths 

Even as smart phones and laptops dominate our work and lives, new advancements in technology are often met with protest. CRM is no exception. Sales is about people, shaking hands with customers and acquiring leads by communicating face-to-face and over the phone. It’s no wonder, then, that salespeople tend to reject the adoption of CRM software into their daily practices. They fear that CRM will take time away from closing deals and offer a means for sales managers to monitor their interactions with prospective clients. This fear has resulted in the creation of a host of CRM myths.

We’re here to dispel these myths. Of course, enterprise software isn’t going to do your business any good if it’s poorly implemented or misused. But when enterprise software is installed and utilized in accordance with your business needs, it helps users mitigate risk and work more efficiently. Again, CRM is no exception. Salespeople who cast their fears of change aside will find an increase in the number of closed deals once CRM is implemented successfully. Let’s address some of the specific objections salespeople have against acquiring CRM.

“I’m in sales, not IT.”

Salespeople tend to imagine CRM software as a convoluted contraption that requires a computer science degree to figure out. They picture the hours wasting away as they continue to battle their new software. However, top CRM vendors are well aware that if a system isn’t user-friendly or intuitive, the system simply won’t be, well, used.

With this in mind, CRM leaders Microsoft Dynamics 365 and Salesforce built customizable dashboards so all members of your sales team can easily access the data they need to fulfill their tasks. Both vendors allow each salesperson to select charts and navigate dashboards to track individual progress and perform their specific tasks with greater ease. For employees who already use Microsoft products, Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM will already be familiar, and it can easily sync with existing Microsoft applications. Salesforce is renowned for its point-and-click tools which enable simple customization without writing code.

But Microsoft and Salesforce’s attention to creating a streamlined user experience doesn’t mean that there isn’t any training or time required to learn how to use CRM. Whenever new enterprise software is implemented, users will need time to adapt to the system. Once salespeople become accustomed with the solution, they will find their efficiency and number of leads increasing. Complicated, lengthy business processes become automated with CRM, speeding up the sales cycle and making the benefits well worth the training period. 

“CRM won’t help me in the field.”

CRM isn’t just trapped in desktops. It travels with your sales team on mobile devices while they make sales pitches and track leads in the field. With Microsoft Dynamics 365 or Salesforce, sales teams can schedule meetings, access critical insights, clock billable hours and perform other tasks that improve efficiency and customer relationships.

Salespeople can also quickly solve problems on-the-go rather than run back and forth to the office to connect to peers and resources. In an increasingly fast-paced marketplace, sales reps have no time to waste, making the capacity to perform business processes in the palm of your hand an imperative for closing deals. CRM is the tool you need to keep your sales team up to speed.

“My manager will watch my every move.”

Unfortunately, CRM is sometimes leveraged by sales managers to track their team’s every move, but salespeople are amiss to automatically assume that CRM will be implemented as a tool for invasive surveillance. Though the transparency afforded through CRM can be misused, it can also build a cohesive sales team that drives more revenue. One study found that CRM adoption raises the quality of communication between sales reps and managers by almost 57%.

Storing lead-related data in a shared database doesn’t threaten individual commissions or create an Orwellian environment if CRM best practices are implemented. Instead, by enabling collaboration and transparency, leads receive quality service and evolve into loyal customers.

Wrap Up

Usability, efficiency, flexibility, mobility, transparency: CRM software offers these advantages and more to your sales team. But your team will only reap these benefits if CRM is implemented successfully.

Datix has over 20 years of experience as enterprise software experts, making us fully equipped to help manufacturers and distributors implement CRM software in accordance with specific business needs. As certified partners of both Microsoft Dynamics 365 CRM and Salesforce, we’re uniquely equipped to help you select an advanced CRM solution. Furthermore, we can help you further streamline business processes and increase productivity with Unity, our integration solution, which connects CRM with Epicor ERP to build one robust system.

Don’t let CRM myths get in the way of exciting business opportunities. Contact Datix to learn how CRM can optimize your sales performance!

{{cta(‘770c1544-d87d-4acb-9fc4-7a25e1385094′,’justifycenter’)}}