It’s the manager’s role to oversee how their company is doing. In order to achieve this, they need regular access to a host of different information. In the past, different departments used to produce manual reports. They may be on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual basis. There could be a measure of human error, due to the amount of manual input required. It could also be difficult to compare the reports between the different departments.
When Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems were made available, life became a lot easier. They would be a central hub for a vast array of data. They could be kept on a single computer or stored on the company’s server. Companies could alternatively pay the third party to host the system in the cloud. When this occurred, staff were able to access the information from their computers, laptops, tablets, or smartphones. We will now discuss how such technology can help you oversee your company’s performance.
Email and Calendar Extensions
A highly popular CRM system is called Salesforce. It is cloud-based and hosts a formidable array of functionality. It is also possible to purchase add-ons (known as extensions) that will connect and sync to it. Some such apps can be used to oversee email analytics performance and to receive all the Salesforce data via the company inboxes. Managers can find out whether emails have been delivered, and be protected from double booking calendar appointments.
Every customer interaction can be integrated within the software. This means managers can observe a person’s sales experience from start to finish. If there are warm leads that have not been followed, up, the system will flag the issue. Every time a customer changes their email address, the software can be updated to prevent wrongly addressed communications.
Company Analytics
All a company’s sales data can be fed into the CRM system. Because much of this is done electronically, there is less margin for error. The key information can then be accessed using a custom-made dashboard.
Smart solutions have the capacity to harness the power of Artificial Intelligence. For instance, it can be used to analyze your company data and make sales forecasts. Reports can be standardized and produced on demand. This makes it easier to review the current staffing levels and decide whether further recruitment and/or training is required. This can then be fed into the company’s business plans.
Software For Field Staff
There are a number of job sheet apps that can be used on IOS (for iPhones) and Android phones. This means remote workers can access new jobs this way, and even gain map directions.
Managers are enabled to have a greater understanding of what their field staff are doing, and where they are at any given moment. This increased accountability helps ensure the staff are productive. As often as a manager wishes, they can see whether an employee has completed a checklist, got a client to sign for work done, or received payment using a different smartphone app.
Video Conferencing Software
Whilst the above software incorporates file and content sharing between colleagues, there are also verbal options available. These days there are many apps people can use for video conferencing. They include Google Hangouts, Microsoft Rooms, Skype, Facetime, Whatsapp, and Zoom.
This software creates great opportunities for staff communication, and it’s especially useful during the current Covid-19 pandemic. People can video conference with one another using their computers, tablets, or smartphones. Managers can ask their staff for updates and stats. They can begin a call with one employee, and add others if needed later on.
Zoom provides the option to select screen view, which enables managers to display such things as weekly reports or sales charts. Employees can even go into separate meeting rooms to discuss strategies before they return and provide feedback.
As we have discovered, CRM systems are powerful tools that can be enhanced by the addition of other smart software. They can integrate with such things as social media, and provide instant information on things like payments and invoices. When this technology is coupled with video conferencing apps, a company’s functionality is dramatically enhanced.
Whilst some of this software is available to download free of charge, you would need to subscribe to access more of the available functions. When all the benefits are added together, however, it may well be worth the financial investment. This technology offers powerful tools that can help companies oversee their performance, and it opens the way for their continued growth and success.