Are CRMs a good thing?
Well… that depends on who you ask. Each employee’s role dictates their persona — and their response.
- Sales reps might say “Great. Another tool management’s forcing me to use.”
- Call center managers groan “We’re already using five systems. We don’t need a sixth.”
- Owners? “It’s probably not worth the investment.”
All different responses, but all in agreement.
Even though CRMs can increase sales by 2,700%, even though CRMs can improve efficiency by leaps and bounds, none of it matters without full buy-in from all parties.
So, how do you get everyone on board? It starts with understanding what each persona actually cares about, especially those who will use it every day.
The Sales Rep Persona
Always on the go. Can’t live without their phone. Sending follow-up emails in bed is their norm.
They think every second spent in a CRM is time they’re not earning a commission.
Sales Rep Frustrations
They can’t seem to keep client info organized across multiple platforms and sources of truth. There’s often a lack of clarity about their daily priorities other than “sell.” And, unsurprisingly, they aren’t interested in following mandates that oppose their way of doing things.
Sales Rep Motivators
Smashing quotas and big bonus checks (obviously) with a sense of victory whenever they persuade someone to agree with their point of view.
How an Extended Warranty CRM Can Help Sales Reps
Let’s think in terms of “Before and After.”
- 50 scattered leads -> A central queue that organizes whom to call first
- Dozens of open tabs -> one dashboard that focuses attention
- Guessing what entices prospects to buy -> Certainty from A/B testing sales scripts
“After” looks much better, doesn’t it?
But sales reps aren’t the only ones who need convincing.
The Sales Manager Persona
Equal parts mentor and motivator, this floor general is laser-focused on breaking those bottlenecks in the sales pipeline. And their white whale? Doing whatever it takes to streamline revenue.
Sales Manager Frustrations
Spreadsheets and reports. Sooo many spreadsheets and reports — each with their own special formula that can cause chaos by mistyping a number. Their most hair-pulling moments come from knowing improvement is always possible… but basically impossible to determine without proper data.
Sales Manager Motivators
Easy-to-use tools that scale to support five reps (or 500). Understanding why success (or failure) happens and — above all — how to spot teachable moments that spur growth.
How an Extended Warranty CRM Helps Sales Managers
- One-click reporting that shows what actions close sales. Or kill them.
- Custom group creation so the right rep handles the right lead
- Real-time visibility into lead statuses so no prospect turns cold
At the end of the day though, a decision like this needs to be made by the person who signs the checks. And they have very different concerns.
The Owner's Persona
Inherently risktakers. Consumed with constant improvement across each department, their mantra is “If you’re not growing, you’re dying.” They make decisions based on facts.
The Owner's Frustrations
Depending on the day, it could be looking at reports that are too granular, too general, or — worst of all — worthless because of incomplete data. On other days, it’s not being able to justify an investment without a guaranteed return.
The Owner's Motivators
Incessant improvement across the board through multiple tactics: budgeting more for direct marketing winners, driving retention numbers higher and more — all while showing investors there’s a clear path to upward trajectory.
How an Extended Warranty CRM Helps Owners
- Infinite, one-button reporting
- Agility based on real-time data
- Impartial intelligence that drives results
All Of This Still Begs The Question: Are CRMs a Good Thing?
Definitively yes.
Despite their built-in advantages, CRMs are often met with anti-adoption stemming from clumsy roll-outs, inadequate training or clunky interfaces. Sometimes, it’s the uncomfortable feeling that “Big Brother is watching.”
But we can tell you thoughtful implementation for each persona leads to outcomes that multiply.
Are we biased? Of course. But our clients aren’t.
In fact, many have switched to our platform because we can scale and customize for different roles and responsibilities in ways other extended warranty companies don’t.
See for yourself with a no-obligation CRM demo.
