CRM – It’s a Big Subject
Many agencies think about CRM from the narrow focus of a prospecting tool. While options abound the proper implementation of effective sales automation includes a healthy amount of planning, business process review and the correct identification of value proposition. Most agencies implement CRM only to be met by low adoption by producers, frustration and in many cases eventual abandonment of the initiative. It’s not the CRM, it’s the lack of proper planning and expectation. We have experience successfully implementing CRM systems and more importantly successfully integrating them into the agency’s sales cycle.
CRM is More Than Sales
Customer Relationship Management is something that exists across multiple systems. Regardless of the number of systems you have your clients should feel a single unified experience. We help you expand your desire for ‘prospect tracking’ into a full client management approach.
The Keys to Success
Your first decision shouldn’t be “Do we buy Salesforce or Dynamics?” It should be “what tools are our producers missing that would increase their ability to identify and land more new business?” Often the answer is more process than software.
Your Producers Aren’t Clerical Workers – Please Stop Asking Them to Self Report
In our 20 years experience in the industry we’ve uncovered some basic facts about producers. 1) The best producers don’t have the time or attention span to fully document their sales activities. The producers who diligently document their activities in a CRM system don’t actually close much business. Why? Activity doesn’t equal sales success. Commerical insurance is still a people business and relationships develop with face-time. Face-time takes time and this doesn’t leave much time for typing notes into. Don’t assume your new Gen Y producers will turn your CRM system into a success merely because their generation is tech saavy.
How Does CRM Create Success?
A successful CRM system relies on third-party data integration, not producer typing skills. Your sales automation should provide your producers with direction and insight, then they go close the deal. Producers should be the consumers of the insight generated by the CRM system, not the operators of the system. What’s the producer experience of a successful CRM system? Producer opens CRM, producer receives insight, producer closes CRM, producer closes new business. Wash, rinse, repeat. If this isn’t your experience we should talk.