Your

COMPLETE CRM
HANDBOOK
Everything you need to know to get started with CRM
Introduction
CRM is much more than an acronym that’s been tossed
around the business and sales world for the past decade
or so.

C-R-M stands for “Customer Relationship

Management”

With a CRM application, there’s no secret formula. It simply manages most

of your critical customer information so that you can see it all in one place.
Without leaving the app, you can view contact info, follow up via email or
social media, manage tasks, and track your performance, among other
benefits. Implementing the right CRM can increase sales efficiency.
You can close more deals, boost sales, and improve forecast accuracy.

Is it time to invest in CRM?

The contents of this ebook will help you determine that. Over the next four
chapters, we will examine the following topics:

• Signs your business needs a CRM

• How CRM can improve your sales and productivity

• Building your CRM strategy

• How to maximize your ROI

First up, the six signs your business needs a CRM.

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Content
Chapter 1: Signs You Need a CRM....................................................................................................................4

Chapter 2: How CRM Improves Productivity..............................................................................................6

Chapter 3: How to Craft a CRM Strategy....................................................................................................10

Chapter 4: Maximising Your ROI.................................................................................................................... 13

Conclusion................................................................................................................................................................. 14

Useful Resources.................................................................................................................................................... 15

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CHAPTER 1

Signs You Need a CRM

Businesses typically begin with a basic relationship of seller-to-customer
— simple. In such an early stage, it might be fine to just maintain an Excel
spreadsheet or jot down notes about customers and incoming orders.
But as your business grows, this sort of record-keeping simply can’t do what
you need anymore. Here are some warning signs it’s time to trade in those
old ways and start managing your customer relationships more effectively:

1 There’s no single source for information

Storing your customer and order info in more than one location,
such as a spreadsheet or notes stuck to your computer, puts your
sales team at a disadvantage. They lack a single view of every
customer’s contact info, orders, and interactions.

2 There’s little or no visibility

Not only do you lack visibility into how your customers are
connecting with employees, but you also lack insight into what
your salespeople are doing. This makes it difficult to help them
be successful — and keep them accountable. “When your business
thrives, spreadsheets are
no longer enough to run
your business.”

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CHAPTER 1 - SIGNS YOU NEED A CRM

3 Reports are hard to create and share

Generating reports and analytics of your sales team’s monthly
5 All customers are given the same priority
Interested parties are not differentiated according to their value
progress against their quota would be ideal. But creating reports to the company. Instead, all customers and prospects receive
manually is cumbersome, often resulting in no tracking at all. the same offers and information – regardless as to which phase
of the buying process they are in and which industry and region

4
they belong to.
You don’t have a mobile solution

6
In recent times, working from home has become normal.
Your sales reps will be communicating with potential customers You don’t have a plan to support growth
and obtaining valuable information away from the office. What if your business grew from 20 to 200 this year? Are you
However, if this new data is stored on personal computer files confident that your current processes can support such growth?
and handwritten notes and is not properly transferred, the rest If you know that your business will grow and you are worried
of the sales team will not be up to date on important details. about keeping up, don’t stress. This is exactly the type of issue
These notes can also be easily lost - especially if an employee that a CRM system can address.
leaves the company.

Next up, let’s look at how

a CRM makes your business
more productive.

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CHAPTER 2

How CRM Improves Productivity

The saying “there never seem to be enough hours in the
day” is well known in the sales world, where time quite
Top Factors Constraining
literally equals money.
Business Activities*
According to our third edition of the Small and Medium
Businesses Trends Report, lack of time is the main 1 Insufficient time

constraint for SME decision makers.

2 Hiring the right talent

The more effectively and efficiently you use your time, the better it is
for your business. With a combination of a steady flow of new prospects,
an increase in time spent selling, and arming sales reps with the info they
3 Money/access to capital

need to close deals more quickly, small businesses can grow rapidly. *Source: Small & Medium Business Trends Report

CRM applications enable exactly this.

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CHAPTER 2 - HOW CRM IMPROVE S PRODUC TIVIT Y

Sales Pipeline Selling Time

Finding time to bring in a steady flow of new customers can be quite a Sales representatives need time to sell. Some of the time traps faced by
challenge for a small business sales team. This is often caused by issues salespeople are hard to overcome, but others can be easily fixed:
such as:
• Automation of repetitive tasks gives salespeople more time to
• Inability to route leads to the appropriate sales rep. concentrate on closing deals.

• Lack of information on potential clients. • Providing one channel for reps to share information and connect
eliminates endless email loops and phone tag.
• Inadequate knowledge about a prospect before calling.
• Making the switch to mobile can eliminate downtime and increase
• Poor visibility and forecasting of the future pipeline. communication, which is a big challenge for a sales team on the go.

A CRM allows sales reps to store the data on prospects to ensure The right CRM system syncs with mobile devices anywhere, anytime
relevant information is ready at each interaction along the customer via the cloud, so the entire team is on the same page and has the most
purchase process. Plus, it quickly provides metrics related to visibility current information at their fingertips.
and forecasting.

“The right CRM system

syncs with mobile devices
anywhere, anytime via
the cloud, so the entire
team has the most
current information at
their fingertips.”

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CHAPTER 2 - HOW CRM IMPROVE S PRODUC TIVIT Y

Better Intelligence
Companies that embrace the AI opportunity will be able to create Artificial intelligence also creates opportunities for sales reps.
modern experiences their customers expect. For the first time, Here are three ways in which sales reps can leverage AI to close
businesses have access to the analytics, computing power and data more deals:
that will transform how they approach their customer relationships.
AI will help discover critical insights about customers and their • Data is automatically captured, enabling reps to focus on
preferences, predict the best actions to move relationships forward, the most valuable leads first.
and recommend and automate actions to increase sales productivity.
• Predictive sales help reps capture new opportunities and
So, what does AI for CRM look like? Imagine being able to capture forecast potential sales.
real-time signals, wherever they occur — from a customer’s support
request to a prospect’s tweet. Now, imagine being able to analyse • Digital assistants will analyse relevant news about each
every data point pulled from your CRM to create a complete view for prospect and customer.
each customer. Integrating AI and CRM essentially allows for automated
customer reports, efficient data capture, and even a prediction of
future customer behaviour. It’s a whole new way of connecting to your
customers and prospects, with intelligence powering a new era of
customer success.
Customer Relations Management

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CHAPTER 2 - HOW CRM IMPROVE S PRODUC TIVIT Y

Collecting Customer Data Don’t Forget to Think Mobile

For successful prospecting and pitching, you must gather vital

The Mobile Sales Team
information on potential clients. However, finding time to do so while
also trying to make your month’s numbers can be hard. CRMs help
As you consider CRM solutions, it’s important to consider that the
solve this problem by collecting valuable customer data, including:
modern sales team is no longer confined to their desks for 8 hours
a day. They are always on, always connected, and incredibly mobile.
• Client history
When considering any new tool, including a CRM, you should make sure
• Current client preferences the technology enhances this shift in productivity and fits into your sales
team’s existing workflows.
• Client social media presence
Mobile CRM Tools
• Client infrastructure details
When considering CRM tools, you’ll notice that a rare few have
• Past sales interactions functional mobile components. Make sure the technology you are
considering does not just add mobile functionality as an afterthought.
Solutions like the Salesforce Mobile App were built with a team’s
productivity in mind. Designed with apps and features that streamline
the sales process and enhance everyday operations, a true mobile CRM
can mean the difference between a solution that merely helps your
business and one that revolutionizes it.

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CHAPTER 3

How to Craft a CRM Strategy

As significant as it may be, building a successful CRM system
isn’t just about choosing the right technology. From a business
perspective, you also need a fool-proof plan. Here are seven basic
steps to building a winning plan:

1 Define Your Vision

Some people dismiss vision statements as a waste of time,
but successful sales leaders know the value of having a clear,
repeatable, action-oriented vision that your team can rally
around. Your vision can be many things, from becoming a market
leader for sales in your region to redefining customer service
within your industry. Make it both aspirational enough to have
an impact and clear enough that the entire organization can
understand it.

2 Define Your Strategy

Your strategy is what makes your vision achievable. Say you want
to be a market leader for sales. Do you do this by competing on
price, or by offering different products, or by emphasizing your
great after-sales service?

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CHAPTER 3 - HOW TO CR AF T A CRM STR ATEGY

3 Define Your Business Objectives

Business objectives are where vision and strategy get translated
7 Define Your Roadmap
You shouldn’t look at building an effective CRM system as a
into day-to-day work. A common mistake when implementing “big bang” event. Yes, a successful rollout is vital, but being able
a new CRM system is to replicate in it all the old business to deliver enhancements and new features after you go live is
objectives and processes, complete with their inefficiencies. equally important. Plan beyond launch day and consider what
Instead, view your implementation as an opportunity to review other capabilities you need to deliver for the business.
and optimize how you work.

Now that your CRM system and strategy are in place, it’s time to see the

4 Get Your Team on Board

Executive sponsorship is vital for your CRM vision, strategy
best ways to measure and maximize the technology.

and business objectives, and a successful rollout. A lack of

executive sponsorship is one of the top five contributing factors
to CRM failure.
QUICK SUMMARY:
Get on the path to success by creating a

5 Identify the Metrics

The saying “you can’t manage what you can’t measure” sums
comprehensive CRM strategy. Follow these
tips to get started on the right foot:

up this point nicely. Metrics should be visible to everyone, and Define Your Vision
this means creating dashboards for all levels of the organisation,
Define Your Strategy
from sales reps and managers, to the executive team.
Define Your Business Objectives

6 Prioritize Your Initiatives

You’re not going to get everything done at once, so decide
Get Your Team on Board

Identify the Metrics

what’s most important to deliver first. Training is often the Prioritise Your Initiatives
priority, so everyone is ready to use the new CRM system as
Define Your Roadmap
soon as it is available.

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CUSTOMER SPOTLIGHT:

TOOLTO
TOOLTO has a diverse range of customers -
from insurers and banks to car hire firms and
fleet management companies- so when they were Salesforce gives us the agility to innovate
looking for a tool to help them keep the customer faster and scale quickly as we break into new
at the heart of their operations, they turned to territories and new markets.
Salesforce to help them do it. NUNO SOBRAL
TOOLTO CEO
With innovative technology and augmented reality, Salesforce has
helped TOOLTO stay customer-orientated whilst providing them
with the scalability to grow.

SEE THE WHOLE STORY

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CHAPTER 4

Maximising Your ROI

Here are several best practices to remember when working to
maximize your ROI, from CRM search’s Karen D. Schwartz:

Choose a Cloud-Based CRM Solution Infighting between Sales & Marketing

All major CRM vendors offer cloud versions of their apps. CRM data is valuable when used to qualify leads for the sales
Choosing this software as a service (SaaS) model means companies department and to show which marketing campaigns lead to closed
no longer have to deal with things that on-premise CRM apps demand, sales. But these insights can be missed if sales and marketing don’t work
like servers, software issues, and new version upgrades. together. Before you do anything else, get both departments in a room
to map out common goals, and to discuss how to use the data.
Integrate with Applications that Provide Value
Take advantage of the new business and social applications that are Generating Reports for the Sake of It
out there, and integrate them with your CRM system. These include The right CRM application can present data in an almost effortless
marketing automation and accounting software, plus key social tools, preformatted report or dashboard. But this analysis will do you no
information, and groups on social networks, and capture real-time data. good if it is ignored. Take the time to not only read the reports but to
understand and act on them when needed.
Allow for Mobile Integration
Make everything accessible on mobile devices for your salespeople so Building “Relationships” with Customers
they can work from anywhere — things like reviewing correspondence, CRMs are excellent tools to connect with your customers and build
managing contacts, and accounts. The integration should also ideally relationships that grow over time. But don’t just assume that everything
work with back-office systems, social networks, and web conferencing. is fine and well. Be aware that customers evolve and change, and your
business may need to change with them.
And so you are fully covered, here are some practices to avoid
when working to maximize your CRM ROI, from CRM Buyer’s
Christopher Bucholtz:

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Conclusion
A successful enterprise starts with a foundation
of great customer relationships. It is never just a
transaction between the buyer and seller, but more
so a relationship in which you, as the seller, connect
with people who need your product or service.

As your company expands, these connections

become more and more important. You should
share relevant information across the various
teams in your organisation that are in contact with
the customers. A CRM system can serve as a vital
nerve centre to manage the customer information
needed in a growing business. In a world where the
most successful companies are customer-focused,
CRM apps are the key.

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Useful resources

Salesforce Small Small Business Salesforce Resource Customer Stories

Business Demo Solutions Centre

Salesforce is the world’s Generate leads, drive sales, Discover many useful Find some inspiration by
No.1 Customer Relationship increase customer satisfaction resources with guides on just exploring how Salesforce
Management (CRM) solution and innovate as you grow. about everything you need helped other businesses just
for small businesses. It’s to help your business grow. like yours to grow and succeed.
cloud-based and easy to use,
making it an ideal solution
for growing businesses.

WATCH THE DEMO LEARN MORE LEARN MORE LEARN MORE

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