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Why Salesreps hate their CRM - and how to improve this

Many CRM systems are still well in the past. They do not do what their users, especially sales people want them to do. They do not see them as helpful. Why not? What can be done to improve the situation? The CRMKonvos team discusses with Denis Pombriant of Beagle Research.

Why do salespersons rather clean the bathroom than use their CRM?

Do you know why a CRM system cannot be "sexy"?

You will not be surprised to learn that technology is only one aspect in this picture.

It’s not just the bathroom. A study that was conducted by Beagle Research found a long list of things salespeople would rather do than work with their CRM systems. For instance, waiting in line at the motor vehicles office, having a fight with your significant other, going to the dentist -- you get the idea--are all ahead of CRM. The question is why? And Denis simple answer is that all the other things are finite and have an endpoint but CRM seems to be forever or at least more long term. That says a lot. Still, people are reluctant to discuss this and it’s no one’s fault, certainly it’s not the fault of the software, the software vendor or incompetence about the purchase process. What this nets out to is that the majority of CRM in use today was designed for another time, for different business processes that have been superseded by the Covid era but that started even before Covid.

Digressing slightly, the same phenomenon could be seen about ten or more years ago. Back then businesses were trying to get CRM to the Web and they also wanted to give customers more control but many took shortcuts. Often they simply put browser front ends on systems that were previously used by customer engagement personnel with the result that regular customers didn’t understand the processes they were working in and many got frustrated and left the engagement and the vendor.

Being an analyst, Denis, of course has a view on trends and on what is right or wrong with pricing.

Enjoy the last CRMKonvo of 2020. It is well worth it.

Thanks to our loyal audience. I wish you a very happy and prosperous 2021. Stay safe!



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