The 10-step Process to Master Sales Information Through Automation

Information Marketing Systems Inc. President Barton Goldenberg has automated sales forces for industry giants and small-scale companies alike. He’s also seen Fortune 500 corporations make the costly mistake of automating without careful planning. Based on years of hands-on experience, Goldenberg has developed a 10-step process for automating a sales force. With this process, sales managers and company presidents can control every stage of the automation cycle and significantly increase their chances of success.

1  Determine the functions to automate
Hundreds of sales automation efforts have ended up in the graveyard because some managers wrongly assume either that automation will cure structural problems or that automation will improve unmotivated, unproductive salespeople. Every company is different; each requires different automation solutions. Some will automate the sales function, some the sales and service functions and others the sales, service and administrative functions. It can be even more complex than that. Goldenberg says, “I recommend assigning a team, whether internal, consultant or a combination of the two, to analyze the sales, customer service and marketing operations. This step-by-step process, which describes how the company works today, provides a blueprint for tomorrow’s change.”

2  Automate what needs automating
In automating an inefficient business process, incapable salespeople or poor management can be disastrous. Automation worsens an already inefficient business process. “To avoid this hassle,” Goldenberg says, “address a wish list of how salespeople, customer support people, marketing personnel and management want to improve their work processes. During one audit I remember a salesman saying, `I’d be much more successful if I could get updated information about my client, as well as my competitor, prior to making a sales call.’ But that wasn’t what his system delivered. Your salespeople know what needs improving, so take the time to find out what they want automated.”

3  Gain top management support
Unless top management understands that automation supports business strategy, or that it will measurably improve and impact business results, or that it justifies the costs, you’ll never get a system off the ground. Make sure the information you identify in the analysis is as accurate as possible so that management can make decisions that implement proper business strategy.

4  Use appropriate technology
Select the technology and the systems that are most appropriate for your needs. There are three possible choices:

1. A system that you can easily enhance and enlarge over time.
2. A portable technology for businesses that network across regions.
3. A technology that is easily customized and modified to accommodate future changes.

Says Goldenberg, “Ideally, you’d like everyone involved in the sales process to share the information each user enters into the system.” That is smart use of technology.

5  Secure user ownership
Unless the end users are involved in the automation process from the word go, there is no guarantee that your system will address their needs. Get the users involved in every phase of design, development and testing. Then give each user a machine to identify as his own personal sales tool. These steps tell the users that management wants them involved in every step of the automation process.

6  Prototype the system
Instead of impatiently pushing a software through the firm, experiment on a small scale and phase in the expenditure. This achieves three important goals: It tests the system’s functionality; flags the necessary changes in organizational procedures; and most important, confirms that the objectives you have set for the automation project are feasible. The key concept is “test before you leap.” You’ll see that salespeople, with just a small portion of the package up and running, become eager for the company to introduce the next phase. It’s marvelous to see when it’s done right.

7  Train the users
For every $1.00 you spend on hardware, expect to spend $1.50 on training your salespeople. Depending on your company, training may mean different things. Do you need a telephone help line for immediate problem-solving capabilities? Do you want to train trainers to get new users up and running quickly? These questions identify your needs and help you identify a proper training package.

8  Motivate personnel
The best automation efforts succeed because users receive more information than they put into the system. Goldenberg offers this example: “Let’s say a salesperson inputs a piece of information she receives from a sales call at the end of her workday. With a fully integrated system, she can turn her computer on the next day to find interpretations of that data from marketing, customer service and management. The system gives her access to more information each day. This information helps her do a better selling job tomorrow than she did today. The return on her information investment is triple. That is what I call the 3-X factor. If only all investments were so rewarding!”

9  Administrate the system
Let the users know that this sales tool is not here today and gone tomorrow. Assign a group of users to oversee the welfare of the project. This ensures that the system will remain timely, relevant and easy to access and that it will continue to positively impact user decisions and strategies. Proper administration is the key to future success.

10  Keep management committed
Without continued management support after the initial stages, sales automation projects falter. If, however, management appreciates both the tangible and intangible results of implementing automation, they will remain committed to the project. Goldenberg recommends companies form a committee including members from sales, customer service, marketing, information systems and senior management. This committee should brief senior management on the project’s successes, failures and future needs. This secures for your system a champion in senior management.

To Goldenberg, these steps are not a guarantee, but rather a blueprint for success. Within each step in the process there are important decisions that determine whether individual companies will reap the rewards of sales automation. The 10 steps will help you identify your specific needs and give you a head start on the competition. Sales automation success is literally at your fingertips. All that remains is deciding when to start!