As the world of technology has changed, so too has the role of the Sales team. It used to be that securing a sales deal would have begun with a cold call, but now sales executives have to work in an even faster and competitive market.

The customer lifecycle is no longer simply the focus of the sales team. Instead, in businesses today the process of success begins with the marketing department and how closely they work together with sales executives.

The necessity of staying relevant has only increased as the market has become more complex and seeking opportunities becomes more of a challenge. So having the right information has become even more critical, as it can be the determining factor as to whether you win a deal or not.

The Changing Process

Although meeting customers face-to-face is still of great importance, and many companies try to exhibit themselves in order to secure potential customers, it is falling more and more into the hands of technology to promote businesses. This technology means that customers are now choosing to search for information online, rather than speaking with the sales team directly. Therefore, the sales executives are beginning to rely on different methods to find customers, or for customers to find them.

Rather than the leads beginning with the sales executives, it seems that now it starts with the marketing team contacting or being contacted in regards to the company’s products or services. This is due to the fact that prospects are getting the majority of information from online, websites, organic search and social networks, rather than ringing through to make contact and being put straight through to sales. It is often the marketing team who monitor contact with the company, using ERP and CRM systems, so they are the ones who initially contact prospects. After the initial contact, the marketing team are able to align the customers with the appropriate sales member.

How does Software help this?

Once the sales team have made contact, using CRM software they can alter the customer information, make notes after conversations, as well as track the opportunity as it progresses. This means they are guided through the process, being able to engage with the customer and nurture them during their project. So they are provided the tools to track where each and every one of their customers are in their project, knowing when and how they need to make contact.

Using the latest Microsoft Dynamics CRM 2013 software, companies are giving their sales team an effective and efficient system which can aid them in a fast and competitive market. This is a significant benefit considering that many salespeople are often on the road and not always in the office, therefore they require software which can be mobile so they can use it wherever they are. The result is that they are not hindered in contacting new customers whilst they are tending to current ones. This means that sales teams are not having to work long hours to secure new leads, instead whilst working on a particular project they can communicate with new prospects, with the knowledge that all information is available and can be altered even if they are not in the office. Therefore, the software has helped to reduce the effort and workload on the sales team’s shoulders, whilst increasing the number of new wins for the business.

 

 

How can Prodware help your Sales Team?

At Prodware, we understand the importance of the sales team and the vital role they play for many businesses. As Europe’s largest Microsoft Dynamics partner, we are able to provide the right software to ensure those in your sales team have the essential tools to help their role and improve their productivity. Go to choosemycrm and choosemyerp to find the right solution for your requirements.