In 2022, 73% of French SMEs will not yet be using CRM software (source: HubSpot). The reasons for this low rate of adoption need to be explored. I’m convinced that many companies don’t see the value in CRM. CRM is seen as a cost item. The truth is, a CRM can save your company a lot of time and money.
CRM software is more than just a customer directory. To simply use CRM software to compile basic customer data is to completely miss the power of CRM. As a CRM expert since 2011, I’ve supported hundreds of CRM optimization projects. In this article, I’d like to share with you 5 strategic tips that will help you turn your CRM into a powerful tool for your teams and your sales performance.
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#1 Generate documents automatically
Customer information is the raw material and the heart of your CRM. It’s just waiting to be exploited! But how? One of the most obvious uses, and one that can save you precious time, is automatic document generation.
Imagine being able to automatically and instantly edit your quotations, sales proposals, purchase orders, attendance certificates, transport orders, general sales conditions and administrative forms.
Well, a CRM can automate the generation of all these documents, considerably lightening the administrative workload. If you’re equipped with CRM software, you have in your hands a tool capable of offering substantial time savings to your team.
Some may be reluctant. Automation can be frightening. What about data completeness when you entrust document production to software?
But if we apply Pareto’s law, we soon realize that the benefits far outweigh these obstacles. The initial investment (around €15 to €20 per user/month) is quickly amortized by the efficiency gained. And automation does not preclude human control after the fact.
You can call on a CRM integrator to facilitate and accelerate the implementation of this use case if you feel the need. All you need to do is prepare your document templates, and the integrator will take care of the rest.
Expect a transformation in just a few days. At my company Cloud Girafe, an expert in Salesforce integration, I regularly support my customers in deploying this type of simple but highly effective use case.
Automatic document generation in your CRM has another, often underestimated, benefit: it allows you to store all generated documents by default. This not only improves the document creation process, but also your document management.
For Salesforce users, I generally recommend the PDF Butler tool, which costs just 12 euros per month per user. The tool is very powerful and can generate all types of documents: Word, PDF, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
#2 Introducing electronic signatures
Now that electronic signatures have been adopted by almost 90% of the French population (source: Ipsos), there’s no reason why companies shouldn’t make use of this extremely practical feature.
The integration of electronic signatures completes the automatic generation of documents. These two quick wins work in synergy to form a powerful duo. The use of electronic signatures is now a matter of course. One of the most popular solutions is DocuSign, with its affordable rates of around €20 per user per month. For those looking for alternatives, I often recommend Sign Butler to my customers.
Using electronic signatures isn’t just about saving time. Its adoption can streamline your internal processes. There are several reasons for this. Firstly, electronic signatures require more rigorous prior identification of signatories, which
And that’s not all. The adoption of the electronic signature also reduces the number of discussions concerning contractual clauses, thanks to the simplicity of its mechanism. It eliminates ambiguities, makes exchanges more transparent, and removes the reticence that often stems from a lack of clarity. The rationalization offered by electronic signatures and their standardized mechanics ultimately makes it much easier to conclude deals, helping to increase the percentage of positive conclusions.
The adoption of e-signatures not only speeds up the signing process, it fundamentally changes the way sales are made. It eliminates the friction usually associated with finalizing contracts, enabling sales teams to close deals faster and with less effort, while improving the overall customer experience.
#3 Better use of reporting tools
CRM software is more than just a repository for customer information and a tool for improving sales processes. The wealth of data that CRM records makes it possible to precisely manage sales activity. It would be a pity to miss out on the analysis features that all good CRMs offer. Many companies fail to see the value of these features, as a Software Advice study reported by 99firms shows.
All CRM software worthy of the name (this is obviously the case with Salesforce, which I know very well, but also with CRM software for small and medium-sized businesses) provides access to informative dashboards and reports. These reporting features not only offer a clear and immediate view of your sales pipeline, they also enable advanced analysis of your activity and your relationship history with prospects and customers.
With CRM software, you can find out exactly what the conversion rate is, depending on the type of opportunity or product sold. This information is extremely valuable. It makes it possible to fine-tune your discount policies, for example, enabling you to automatically adjust the leeway granted to sales reps.
Access to this information not only boosts your sales, but also promotes a balanced distribution of sales among the various products in your catalog.
In this respect, one of Salesforce’s major assets is its ability to offer granular control over data visibility. Regardless of the sophistication of your reports, each user only has access to the information their profile allows them to see. This level of security and customization ensures that data management is both flexible and secure, giving you invaluable peace of mind.
dReporting in Salesforce stands out for its intuitiveness. After initial training, many customers not only gain in autonomy, but also reach an impressive level of expertise, often surpassing my own!
This ability to empower users is a testament to Salesforce’s power and ease of use, transforming every member of your team into a potential analyst, able to decipher and exploit data for enhanced performance. Contrary to popular belief, Salesforce is not just for large groups, and has recently rolled out an offer at €25 per month per user. So, if you’re a small or medium-sized business, considering using Salesforce is not heresy – quite the contrary!
But I’m not just preaching to the choir here, and I know that, generally speaking, most CRMs today offer reporting functionalities that it would be a shame not to exploit. You have access to data visualization tools in your CRM, so take advantage of them!
#4 Be rigorous about data entry
CRM shouldn’t be seen as a chore, but as the beating heart of your sales strategy. An indicator of CRM under-utilization? An abnormally high opportunity conversion rate. This indicates that your teams are only entering opportunities when they are virtually certain of winning them, and are neglecting those that have been lost.
This reluctance to capture all the data relating to opportunities often stems from a lack of awareness of the benefits that CRM can offer. It’s because people don’t see what CRM software can do for them that they end up using it as little as possible.
And yet, by conscientiously feeding the CRM, the benefits are many: quotations and order forms are generated without error, continuity of service is ensured even in the absence of a salesperson, mailing campaigns are facilitated, and therefore the chances of success are increased.
What’s more, by registering opportunities as soon as they arise, you can fine-tune your conversion rate estimates, intervene strategically to win the business, and fine-tune your pipeline management. This proactive approach enables you to anticipate fluctuations in activity, whether in off-peak or peak demand periods.
CRM must be a collaborative space where information flows freely between all departments.
Each contribution enriches the shared knowledge base, transforming the time invested in data entry into tangible added value for the whole company. By cultivating this perspective, CRM becomes a lever for growth, a strategic management tool and a catalyst for opportunities for everyone in the organization.
#5 Don’t restrict CRM by using too many rules
As a specialist in rebuilding troubled CRM projects, I’ve often been confronted with a recurring pitfall: over-regulation of the tool. One piece of advice I’ll never stop repeating: avoid making too many fields mandatory, and limit the number of rules.
Excessive constraints generate frustration and resistance, which often hinders user adoption of CRM. The key lies in the relevance of the process: a mandatory field should correspond to a precise need in the registration lifecycle, and not constitute a permanent obstacle.
Take the example of essential company information, such as SIREN and address, which is crucial for invoicing, but not necessarily available or relevant to a salesperson upstream in the process. The latter would benefit more from focusing on understanding the prospect’s decision-makers, needs, budget and pain points, in order to navigate effectively through the sales process.
The error lies not in the absence of mandatory fields, but in their excess. This problem, often downplayed, should not be limited to simple e-mail exchanges between the integrator and the project manager. It deserves to be addressed in dedicated workshops, bringing together key users and a variety of stakeholders, for in-depth reflection on which fields are essential and when they should be activated.
This collaborative approach makes it possible not only to define crucial information, but also to adjust its mandatory nature according to the phase of the process, ensuring that CRM is used smoothly and adapted to all operational needs.
Conclusion: CRM, a lever for growth and efficiency
The main idea I’d like to convey through this article is that CRM is not just a customer management tool, it’s a real growth catalyst for your company. By optimizing its use through the quick wins I’ve suggested, you can not only improve your customer relationship management, but also significantly increase your sales and the efficiency of your internal processes.
A well-tuned CRM, properly adopted by all teams, becomes a unifying tool, conducive to collaboration and innovation.
All this goes back to Cloud Girafe‘, which is to help companies make productive use of their CRM solution. As a Salesforce integrator, Cloud Girafe can help you transform your customer relationship management into a real competitive advantage. I invite you to visit the Cloud Girafe website to find out more.
This brings me to a little bonus advice: don’t skimp on the quality of your CRM. Choose a platform capable of supporting and amplifying your business ambitions, now and in the future!
