What’s the most important thing for the growth of a business? Products? Customers? Employees? Or all of them? Well, businesses don’t have a single measure that determines success. But their sales performance is undoubtedly a crucial growth-determining factor. And because of this, it’s important to track sales performance accurately.
But how can you do that? There was a time when manual performance report generation was in trend. Later, people started using simple spreadsheet software to track sales. But today, with more modern sales tactics like the hybrid sales approach, sophisticated and advanced sales tracking software are all the rage.
Most sales people spend only one-third of a day actually interacting with customers. The rest of their time goes to tasks like writing emails, prospecting, entering data, etc., all of which can be automated with a sales tracking system. Clearly, sales tracking software is the best way to measure, present, and improve your sales team’s performance.
But with so many different CRM and sales tracking software available in the market, how do you choose the right one? To begin, read our guide below to find out the 5 essential features you need to look for in your sales tracking system.
Features You Need In Your Sales Tracking Software
1. Security and Ease of Use
A good sales tracking software should have an easy-to-use interface so that there is no hassle while operating it. And while maintaining this ease of use, data security is also critical.
So while choosing a sales tracking system, look at both its UI and security features carefully. Being swayed by either one will leave you stuck with an underperforming sales tracking software. An excellent way to test ease of use is to see how many clicks it takes to perform a specific task on a software. Too many clicks and endless menus are never good, no matter how good the software looks. For testing security, you can always review past performance, existing client feedback for the software, and security certifications of the CRM company.
The sales tracking system from Commence does a great job at both. It is user-friendly and highly interactive, with simple menus and a fantastic dashboard.
2. Intelligence and Productivity
When there is no organized way to go about doing something, a simple task such as sending out a company mail to a client seems like a big task. In today’s world, with literally no time to lose, maintaining productivity is crucial. And when it comes to your business, sales productivity drives growth.
The perfect sales tracking system should enhance your team’s performance and make it less time-consuming for them to close deals. It should be able to sort clients that bring in the most revenue and those with a minimal prospect. Moreover, it must have a filtering feature that shows you only the information you need to interact with a lead instead of every single bit of data you have collected.
Some sales tracking software also lets you keep track of marketing/sales goals through inbuilt calendars and to-do checklists. If time management is your priority, you should definitely look for such software.
3. Efficient Activity Tracking
When you exercise, your fitness watch tracks what kind of activity you are performing and the number of calories you burn. But why is it important to follow such fine details of just a workout? The answer is results. When we put in so much hard work and energy, we want to see results. And the same goes true for your business too.
A software that can track every employee’s performance and client responses is beneficial. Such a sales tracking system will help you set scalable goals and provide timely incentives to excellent performing sales team members. Moreover, having a statistical record of sales growth is crucial for planning production and client servicing too.
So always look for a sales tracking software that presents you with all these details in a comprehensive yet easily understandable manner. Ensure that the system you choose tracks all the critical sales metrics for your business efficiently. Also, see if it has a feature for maintaining sales cycle history with different leads.
4. Integrations
When it comes to additional perks, the more, the merrier. Multiple integrations just take the value of a sales tracking software to a new height.
Integrations make your sales tracking system a one-stop platform for executing any task proficiently without diverting you to numerous applications. For example, suppose the software has Excel integration. In that case, it can help you transfer all the data to spreadsheets without manual data entry.
Similarly, creating pie charts and tables in the same software, social media tracking, and integration with other MS Office/Google Workspace features are some things you should keep an eye out for.
5. Appropriate Predictive Features
Is a sales tracking software only meant to present you with sales data? No! Its duties extend far beyond data presentation and tracking. An appropriate sales tracking system also intelligently predicts future steps and trends.
For example, if you’re in the middle of the sales funnel and don’t know how to proceed to make a lead respond positively, a sound sales tracking system can predict the next step for you based on past results. This way, you won’t be playing the guessing game with your leads.
Predictive analytics is a feature most sales tracking software is equipped with these days. This futuristic feature can assist your business’s growth by utilizing data intelligently and thereby reducing risks. So before opting for a sales tracking software, always check its predictive features.
Parting Words
The above 5 are the basic features you must have in a sales tracking system, regardless of your business type. However, you might need additional features and improved scalability. This depends on the kind of products you sell, where you’re located, and how your sales team operates. Remember, it’s important to look for customizable and updatable sales tracking software such that you can meet all your needs. So even before you go hunting for the perfect sales tracking system, make a list of all your requirements. A