recent survey, fewer than a quarter of salespeople who can access CRM through a mobile device actually do.
Because user adoption is one of the most fundamental keys to getting the maximum ROI out of a CRM system, it’s important to open up as many avenues to system use as technology permits. Sales staff may in fact be more inclined to use a CRM solution if they can access it from their phones in addition to, or instead of, via a desktop or laptop computer.
Also, the more ways a sales team can use CRM, the more value your business gets out of the investment. Giving them mobile access, and encouraging them to use it, opens up new avenues for increasing productivity and ROI.
Using CRM From A Mobile Device
Here are three great examples of how mobile CRM access can increase a sales person’s effectiveness and productivity when they’re in the field:
1) Customer Service
Thomas has a lunch meeting with his client, Dan. During the meeting, Dan mentions a minor technical issue that his company is having. While Dan doesn’t treat the problem as a big deal, Thomas knows that it could become one, if left untreated.
After lunch, Thomas logs into his company’s CRM using his iPhone and creates a new support ticket that is then automatically assigned to the correct customer support que. This ensures that the client’s issue will be addressed and resolved as quickly as possible.
2) Collaborative Social Feedback
Amanda travels to a client’s production facility to discuss additional products the client is requesting. The client’s needs are wide-ranging, and may involve customizations and changes to production and delivery schedules at Amanda’s business. The client wants to fast-track the order, and needs an answer as quickly as possible–or he may seek another vendor.
Using her Android phone to access her CRM’s enterprise social network, Amanda is able to enter detailed notes about the client’s requests, and share those notes with all of the relevant parties at her company. She can see who has viewed those notes, as well as any responses they’ve added. Within hours, she’s able to give her client an answer, and secure the contract for her company.
3) Project Management
While away from the office, Sally receives a phone call from Tim, a client. Sally is his primary point of contact within the company, and Tim has a question about part of the project. That particular part is being handled by another department, and Sally isn’t up to speed on all of the latest developments.
Without mobile access to CRM, Sally would have to hang up, call the other department head, then get back to Tim with updated information. With the integrated project management features of CRM, Sally can immediately view milestones and progress reports on her mobile device, and give Tim a real-time update. Not only did she save time, Sally also improved the experience for her client.
Expanding Capabilities
The catalog of mobile functions and applications for CRM continues to grow on a continual basis. These expanding capabilities give your salespeople more options for using CRM to access important customer information in real time, log and share meeting notes, and provide great customer service.
The more your sales team uses CRM, the greater your ROI on the investment–and mobile access puts CRM at their fingertips 24/7.
