Copper Staff
Contributors from members of the Copper team
When it comes to optimizing your workday, sales tracking software can work wonders. In fact, sales tracking is one of the most tedious tasks an organization has to perform each day. It helps them to pinpoint leads, opportunities, and blockages in the pipeline -- but not without hours and hours of grueling work. Thankfully, sales tracking programs are designed to do most of the legwork, so sales agents can get back to what they do best, selling. If you’re looking to optimize your day, here’s what you should look for in sales tracking software.
Full Visibility of the Sales Pipeline
Did you know that most CRM programs are implemented without significant business gains? The problem is that most of these apps don’t focus on the configuration of the sales pipeline. A fully visible sales pipeline benefits you in multiple ways, and we’ll focus on three of the following points: pinpointing blockages, viewing updates in real time, and closing more opportunities.
• Pinpoint Blockages - Full visibility of the sales pipeline across all departments is required to track the progression of opportunities from start to finish (initial contact to close). By having instant access to every stage (including important data pertaining to each stage), it’s easier to spot blockages in the pipeline so you can readjust your efforts to get them ‘unstuck’.
• Real Time Updates - Being able to see changes and updates for all opportunities in real time allows team members to more accurately track and close opportunities. Therefore, efficiency increases when time isn't wasted calling a contact who has already been talked to.
• Probability of Closure - The probability of closure helps sales agents determine how hard they have to work at each opportunity in order to gain a win. It also helps organizations determine their sales forecasts more accurately. However, most sales tracking programs only allow companies to see a historical view (i.e. a past window) of these probabilities, which often leads to inaccuracies. By having a fully visible pipeline, you’ll be able to see the probability of closing in real time, helping you to focus your efforts more effectively.
Interface Customization
No two businesses are alike, so why do so many companies create out of the box sales tracking solutions? The answer to that question will always remain a mystery, but for the sake of productivity, we’ll focus on why it’s important to choose a customizable one. Depending on your business, certain categories will need to be customized in order to match your pipeline. CRM programs with sales tracking features can do this, but most come pre-packaged and don’t allow you to manipulate the categories. While it may be manageable for one person to try and work around this lack of configurability, it isn’t easy for an entire team. What ensues is confusion that results in lost time, lost opportunities, and increased administrative tasks. Choosing a tool that allows for customization will:
• Integrate better with your organization • Fulfill your team’s specific sales habits • Boost productivity across all departments • Provide a better ROI
Easy to Use Sales Tracking
Sales tracking should be one of the easiest tasks to complete in your sales department -- unfortunately, this isn’t always the case. This is why so many organizations are turning to CRM programs for help. If you’re looking to go this route, choose a CRM that’s easy to use. Some CRMs are so difficult to use that they require special training before anyone can understand them or use them. This means more time off of the phones, more time away from the computer, and more lost opportunities. The sales tracking software you choose should take no more than a few hours to master and a few minutes to use. As you can see, sales tracking is a task that you just can’t afford to ignore. Having the right software can literally make or break your sales. Use the above information as a guideline when purchasing a sales tracking tool -- and start closing more deals today.
