Implementing a solution for sales management is a critical process that can make or break a project. Avoiding common mistakes and making the right decisions are two sides of the same coin that, if ignored, can irreparably undermine the entire process. Here are our tips for getting off on the right foot and rapidly and seamlessly implementing a solution for your sales team.
Implementing sales solutions: the most common mistakes
While many companies believe they are ready to start their digital transformation journey, they often need consultants to guide them through the process and help them avoid the pitfalls that can lead to failure. But what are the most common mistakes companies make when they decide to move to a new solution for sales management?
Not having the right approach is probably the single biggest contributor to a failed implementation. Despite the good intentions that drive today’s manufacturing enterprises to revolutionise their sales technology, the long-term objectives driving digitisation are often overlooked and important business and user adoption aspects are underestimated.
Sometimes the desire to implement a large-scale project obscures some complexities in terms of costs, timing and resources. It is often more effective to divide the project into a series of steps, thus creating a realistic roadmap with short-term objectives.
Many enterprises also place little emphasis on selecting the team that will be involved in the implementation. These teams often include people who have no real decision-making powers or lack the necessary skills to assess the actual needs of the business. This impedes efficient implementation, as authorisations must be sought and information shared with other internal stakeholders, which significantly lengthens the time to complete the project and jeopardises its success.
Another common mistake relates to the involvement of resources and their acceptance of change. Often, imposing new technology from above can have a negative effect on company resources. In particular, management’s inability to explain and thus gain acceptance for this change can be a major obstacle to implementing innovative solutions. After all, a company that initiates a digital transformation has to proceed in a concerted manner, having clearly identified the needs, objectives and advantages of this “revolution”. So how can manufacturing enterprises implement an efficient solution for sales management without running into these obstacles?
Atlantic Technologies’ advice for a successful implementation
The most important step in implementing an innovative technology solution is undoubtedly the assessment phase. This is true even when you decide to integrate a state-of-the-art sales management solution like Salesforce Sales Cloud into your organisation. Every enterprise has unique characteristics that are rooted in specific needs and objectives, which must be considered during implementation.
Obviously, choosing the best solution for sales maangement is important, but first and foremost it is essential to choose the right consultant – a partner that can bring to light, through careful listening and in-depth analysis, the needs and objectives associated with a specific customer. Only in this way can a project roadmap be developed that is both sustainable and suited to the objectives that led the company to embark on a process of digital transformation with respect to CRM.
During the preliminary implementation phase of a project, the consultants at Atlantic Technologies work with the client to develop an assessment matrix. This involves identifying the objectives that the company, at all levels, intends to achieve with the new solution in relation to the added value it can deliver to the company. This makes it possible to develop an implementation plan based on an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) approach, i.e., a roadmap with consecutive stages to going live that will enable the business to reap maximum value in a short amount of time. This makes the implementation process considerably lighter, more efficient, effective and less costly for the company.
Another key issue, which is always addressed during the assessment, is identifying the company team that will be impacted by the project. More specifically, during the preliminary phase, the process owner and key user who will be involved in all the steps of implementation must be identified, in their capacity as decision makers and resources that will use the new solution. This will make it possible to complete the project more quickly by preventing harmful bottlenecks from forming that would be detrimental to the company’s business and the integration process itself.
Then there is the issue of the way the project is approached internally. The transition to a new technological solution within an enterprise needs to be supported by management and accepted by those who will actually use it on a daily basis. This requires creating an environment within the company that is conducive to change and innovation. With this in mind, Atlantic Technologies offers its change management expertise to management and other users involved in the project.
In terms of consulting, Atlantic Technologies has proven expertise both in CRM, having been a Salesforce partner since 2005, and in the manufacturing sector, serving as Manufacturing Expert for clients such as Biesse, Bonfiglioli, BTicino, Legrand, Fedegari, Technogym and others. For the sales team, Salesforce Sales Cloud is the flagship solution, providing corporate sales teams with all customer information throughout the sales cycle. This allows sales managers to save time and optimise their efforts and resources by generating effective insights that are more actionable by other departments.
Sales Accelerator to implement Sales Cloud quickly and efficiently
To better support our manufacturing clients, we have developed an accelerator for implementing the best solution for sales management, Sales Cloud. The accelerator features 4 different packs that can be chosen by the client according to their needs.
● Foundation Pack: this is a preliminary highly specialised consultancy activity designed to support the client in establishing a sustainable digital transformation roadmap based on a minimum viable product approach and on identifying the best team to achieve the set objectives. This assessment phase helps to identify the best approach for phase 1 of the implementation and how it will evolve over time.
● Starter Pack: this pack is suitable for enterprises that need to quickly implement a simple CRM solution that can keep the entire sales process under control, even when mobile. It also makes it possible to generate more accurate and reliable sales performance data, and forecasts and improves cooperation between the various company departments by centralising and pooling information. The Starter Pack comes with standard pre-defined modules and can manage one language and currency, with an unlimited number of users. It is ideal for enterprises that are new to Salesforce.
● Starter Pack Plus: Compared to the standard Starter Pack, the Plus pack offers additional modules that can be selected to suit the needs of your business (including managing international branches, multiple languages and currencies) and time-to-market. It also includes a portal dedicated to single or multi-firm sales agents and makes it possible to effectively plan client visits and to monitor competitors so that they can adapt their sales approach accordingly.
● Tailored Pack: this is a fully customisable option for businesses that have an immediate need for a bespoke packaged solution. The modules included in the package can also be highly customised and others can be added. With the Tailored Pack, companies can maximise the productivity of individual sales teams, digitise and automate internal processes, while reducing the business silos that are incompatible with an integrated, 360-degree approach to the market.
These are just some of the features and capabilities of our Sales Accelerator. To learn more about how Atlantic Technologies can help manufacturing enterprises implement Salesforce Sales Cloud, contact us!
