At INBOUND17, HubSpot's major conference in Boston held in September, a number of updates were...
There are many different CRM systems out there, so how do you know which one is the best? Here are four signs that your CRM actually is user-friendly – and what to look for if you want to switch to a new one.
The market is big, even in the case of CRM systems, and it’s easy to get lost. Here’s the four most important signs that the system will save you time during the working day, rather than stealing it.
1. Navigation
A CRM should be of help to salespeople, not be an obstacle. Only those tasks that are relevant should be visible in the dashboard as everything else becomes distracting.
If you are looking to get started with a new system, make sure it’s easy to manage, organise your own dashboard and navigate to other relevant parts of the system. Therefore, look for a system that allows you to find the information you need with as few clicks as possible.
It’s also important that the sales department has access to the CRM system at any time – both when working in other systems and on mobile. This way, it is easy to log information, plan and sell wherever you are.
2. Simple Search Function
You should be able to easily search for a person or company. This search box must be available at any time, no matter where you are in the CRM system. If you click on any of the results that appear, you should be able to quickly move to the contact card or company profile.
3. Visual Dashboard
It should also be easy to get an overview of where you’re heading regarding goals, who to contact, and which agreements that must be clarified.
An easy-to-use CRM has visual representations of the aforementioned, which allows the salesperson to quickly take a look at their dashboard and focus on the main tasks, whether that is contacting new leads or following up existing deals.
4. Clear Contact Card
The contact card is a place where all information about a prospect is collected. Depending on the system you are using, you will have access to different types of information. We are based in HubSpot as this is the system we are working within on a daily basis.
The contact card contains contact details, the communication your company has had with the contact, both in the form of emails and notes from phone calls, and maybe even the date of the next meeting.
What’s contained on the contact card goes beyond the information that the salespeople note down when they talk to a customer. All the movements and actions the prospect has made on the website or the blog will also appear.
Have they opened the email you sent? Did they click on a link? Did they read your last blog post? Have they been looking at the pricing page?
A CRM that offers you everything in one place can be the key to an effective sales department that reaches its goals – or even exceeds it.
Want to know more about CRM and how it can make your whole B2B sales process more efficient? Our CRM pillar page is just one click away.