Seven tips for profiting from lean times with CRM

Long before recessionary pressures gripped economies, businesses were struggling with the challenges of an increasingly competitive sales environment. As more companies vie for the attention of demanding and information-empowered customers, the ability of sales, marketing and service organizations to improve the efficiency of their customer-facing teams becomes a competitive essential.
Smart business executives have learned that investing in customer relationships and overall effectiveness pays big dividends when the rebound invariably occurs.

A tight economy is a good time to try new tactics, educate your sales force and adopt metrics that yield insights about the effectiveness of your sales and marketing programs. Now is the time to embrace new ideas so that when business improves, you will have the edge on your competition.

Start by investing in technology to support and drive these new ideas throughout your organisation.

This Oracle white paper lists seven tips for leveraging customer relationship management (CRM) processes to turbocharge your sales operation during lean economic times.

Contents:

* - Overhaul your sales methodology
* - Turbo-charge your sales teams by embedding best practices into the selling process
* - Optimise forecasting accuracy
* - Improve prospecting effectiveness
* - Link marketing to sales results
* - Scrutinise customer service levels
* - Mobilise your sales team