Sales Tracking Software Solutions for Small Businesses
Your buddy at the barbecue tells you how the new Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) software they recently installed
at their company has revolutionized their sales tracking and
sales management.
He waxes lyrical about no more sales leads slipping through the
cracks; a much higher close rate on sales inquiries; more
precise and cost effective marketing campaigns; enhanced
productivity and customer service levels; vastly improved
reporting and so on. Great! Sounds like a sales tracking CRM
solution is just what the doctor ordered for your company. You
have been getting by using Microsoft Outlook to manage your
database of sales prospects, follow-ups, notes, profiles etc.
but it's starting to prove woefully inadequate.
Only problem is his business is in an entirely different
industry sector to yours, with a much bigger IT budget to boot.
Their CRM solution seems like an unattainable dream for your
small business.
So now what? A quick search for CRM on Google returns 26,600,000
results! Whoa! So you narrow your search query to Small Business
CRM only to get 6,260,000 results. You then put "Small Business
CRM" in quotation marks which yields 29,300 results. But now the
fun really starts..
You realise there are hundreds of CRM, Contact Management, Sales
Force Automation and other Sales Tracking software tools to
choose from. Each of these tools sports a dizzying array of
features, some of which won't apply to your business.
To confuse matters even further, you notice some of these
applications are Web Based CRM (sometimes referred to as Hosted
CRM), or Open Source CRM. Others are the more traditional
Customer Relationship Management software tools you are already
familiar with. Yet others are embedded within MS Outlook, but
with an added CRM component.
Many CRM packages now cater for certain industries. That is,
these software solutions may have been customized, or had
specific add-on's developed, for specific industries. One of
these tailored solutions might be suitable for your particular
small business.
Which of these CRM apps should you download to evaluate? How
should you evaluate them?
Many at this point realize that they need a more thorough
evaluation of their requirements so as to enable them to put
together a Request For Information (RFI) or Request For Proposal
(RFP). This will be of tremendous benefit if they decide to call
on the services of a CRM consultant to fast track the important
decision of selecting and implementing a tailored CRM solution
suitable for smaller businesses.
This should be your kicking-off point. Sit down with all your
staff and co-operatively draw up a list of all your
specifications. Keep it broad - you can always narrow down the
options later. And be sure to involve your staff - ensure
everyone has an opportunity to contribute.
>From this informed position you are far more able to choose the
correct sales tracking/CRM solution for your small business and
will see marked improvements in productivity levels and sales.
After all what has not been measured, remains undefined. What is
undefined cannot be improved. There are specific criteria that
you and your CRM consultant need to fulfil. Build your wish
list, meld it with reality and build it into your business.