How to Use CRM Dashboards to Better Manage Sales

The Customer Relationship Management (CRM) dashboard is an essential tool for sales people and managers. It enables them to see information regarding performances, processes, and new opportunities with a single glance in real time. Knowing the best ways to take advantage of this valuable tool is critical for sales success.

Managers and Representatives Need Different CRMs

A manager and sales agents may all use the same brand of CRM. However, each requires the ability to customize it to make the CRM useful to their job duties. For example, a sales manager will want to have immediate access to a sales pipeline overview to continually monitor opportunities and determine areas that could move along faster. Other useful CRM dashboard features for a sales manager include:

• Closed sales per team member
• Weekly, monthly, sales cycle, sales activity, and velocity reports
• Sales projections by territory, team, and agent
• Activity and event calendars for themselves and their team
• Customer contact information, especially for those who still need nurturing

For a sales reps, the most important information to view first is open leads and current sales opportunities. These should be high-quality leads that are getting close to buying. Some other features of a quality salesperson CRM dashboard include:

• Customer segments
• Sales pipeline data
• Sales workflows
• The salesperson’s own event and activity calendar
• Contact information for fresh and high-quality leads
• VoIP integration that enables sales representatives to place calls directly from their dashboard
• Consolidation of team data to ensure that all salespeople are working with the same information

Combining CRM with Data Analytics for an Even Better Sales Dashboard

For as helpful as a CRM dashboard can be, it sometimes doesn’t offer enough analytics and information for sales managers and agents to gain the greatest benefit from them. Unfortunately, this has caused some salespeople to abandon using CRMs and left sales managers frustrated with trying to get them to see the value.

The benefit in combining analytics with CRM is that it provides immediate access to crucial data such as KPIs and commission information that is often highly motivating to sales agents. That is because a CRM with data analytics tools enabled can pull information from multiple sources and bring it together in one central location.

CRM Software Programs to Consider

The beauty of CRM dashboards is that organizations can choose multiple brands based on their unique needs. Here are some top contenders to consider:

• Activities, Meetings, Pipeline (AMP): As its name suggests, this CRM puts those three pieces of critical information on the front dashboard.
• Clean Your Room: A play on a common command that parents make to their children, this software aims to hold people accountable for staying updated with their leads and reaching their goals.
• Daily Pipe Gen: This CRM prominently displays daily targets to ensure there are enough leads in the pipeline to make it to the end of the month.
• State of the Union: This CRM is noted for giving a high-level overview of monthly business and other essential metrics.

With 2019 just around the horizon, now is the perfect opportunity for sales organizations to consider whether they are using their current CRM to its full advantage or if it’s time to make a change.