CRM

It's important to have a CRM-like application to support the sales force.  However, if you can't get your salespeople to embrace it, use it and keep it updated - daily - then you won't benefit.

There are ten keys to getting you and your salespeople over the hump with CRM. 

1. The application must have an opportunity orientation rather than an account/contact orientation. 

2. Salespeople must be able to phone it in rather than input the information.

3. It must be simple to enter a new opportunity

4. It must integrate with your selling process and encourage, if not require that your salespeople follow that process.

5. It must sync with Outlook.

6. It must almost be fun to use.

7. You must be able to customize your dashboard without spending tens of thousands of dollars to do it.

8. You must be able to see, in real time, at a glance, the state of your business, your pipeline, an accurate forecast and your results.

9. It must be conducive to working from within the application.

10. It must be cost effective.

We believe that Landslide meets all of those criteria.  See some screenshots below:

The screen shot above shows the staged pipeline (in Baseline Selling), opportunities to watch (forecasted to close in the next four weeks), results for the last 12 months (showing an upward trend 5 months in a row) and the forecast for the next three months.

The screen shot above shows new activity for the last four months (trending in the wrong direction).

The screen shot above represents the salesperson's home page. The left side shows all current opportunities, where they are in the selling process, along with a confidence rating.  The right-hand side shows upcoming tasks and events.