CRM has revolutionized the way sales reps work. Their purpose is to centralize and simplify data processing for the entire sales organization. And yet, they create at least as many problems as they solve, becoming a real thorn in the side of sales performance.
When used correctly, a CRM can increase sales by up to 29% and productivity by up to 34% (Salesforce). It would be a shame to miss out on such results, especially considering that companies spent approximately $37 billion in total on CRM in 2016 (Gartner) – more than on ERPs. However, 49% of CRM implementation projects fail (Forrester). Why such a failure?
Several reasons explain this widespread failure of CRM implementation in businesses:
- Less than 37% of sales reps actually use their CRM – meaning that 63% use it incorrectly or too little.
- 43% of sales reps don’t even use half of the CRM’s features.
Are CRMs too complicated, or do sales reps lack training and motivation to use them? A bit of both. So, how can you optimize your CRM usage?
At Incenteev, we have a very effective solution: the sales force motivation and coaching application. Indeed, such an application integrates perfectly with a CRM to optimize all its benefits. Here’s how.
The Sales Motivation App
A sales motivation and coaching application is a web and mobile platform that integrates with CRMs, ERPs, or other systems to extract data and visualize it differently. Such an application also uses data visualization and gamification to foster long-term sales rep engagement and make selling even more exciting. This way, you can optimize all the benefits of your CRM.
Combining a motivation app with a CRM offers 3 main advantages:
Mobility: Unlike a CRM that is only responsive or not very ergonomic, the application will be available on all of the sales rep’s devices – practical, especially when they travel a lot.
“Organizations using professional mobile applications report a 62% improvement in CRM application usage and adoption by users (Forrester).”
Coaching: A CRM provides a lot of information – many indicators. It’s easy to get lost, especially when customization is very difficult due to the industry sector or other factors. A sales force motivation application only displays the indicators you have defined, and in a much more ergonomic way: it’s not just about the numbers but their analysis – like a sports running app, Fitbit for example. Thanks to gamification and data visualization, the motivation app helps you easily visualize your goals and track your daily progress. It is therefore a perfect complement to the CRM.
“72% of CRM customers indicated they would trade features for ease of use (CSO Insights).”
Gamification: Thanks to playful mechanics, challenging and training your sales reps has never been easier. You can, for example, create quizzes to test your teams’ skills or train them on specific aspects of a product or solution. On a mobile application, it’s notably possible to create innovative challenges with mechanics different from a traditional challenge: for example, challenging sales reps on their number of appointments, their quiz results, or their overall performance.
“ The company benefits twofold from gamification: for its employees and for itself. On one hand, it increases its employees’ skills and knowledge; on the other, it contributes to their overall satisfaction and personal development. ” Brian Burke 1
Incenteev is a mobile application for sales force motivation and coaching – our mission is to make sales organizations happier and thus more effective. Here are 4 strategies to energize your sales force with digital tools:
1 Brian Burke is the Vice President of Research at Gartner and the author of “Gamify: How Gamification Motivates People To Do Extraordinary Things”.