What can we learn from the best sales people?

Posted by Commence on May 27, 2011 under Sales Training | Read the First Comment

This is the second post in a series of guest posts from Dave Kahle, author and leading sales educator. He will be discussing best practices of the top sales people. Follow Dave’s latest Tweets at @davekahle.

By Dave Kahle
Do great B2B sales people, regardless of what they sell, have any practices in common?  In other words, do the best sales people all sell the same way?

A number of years ago, a professional association attempted to answer that question.  They studied superstar sales people from a wide variety of industries and concluded: Yes!

In fact, the best sales people excel at the same things.  Here are the top five practices of the very best sales people:

1.  They see the situation from the customer’s point of view.

2.  They ask better questions.

3.  They listen more constructively.

4.  They are obsessed with time management.

5.  They do bigger deals.

Let’s look at the relationship among these items to see if there are any lessons for us.

“They do bigger deals.”  That is both the result of their work (that is, after all, why they are the best sales people) as well as their focus from the beginning.  They start with an understanding that it is their job to bring revenue into the company, and that the more revenue they bring in, the more valuable they are to their companies and the more successful they become.  And this realization leads them to what becomes an obsession.

“They are obsessed with time management.”  That means that they intentionally and methodically strive to make the best use of their sales time by focusing the bulk of their efforts on the highest-potential opportunities and customers.  You won’t find them running an errand for a “C” customer just to be a nice guy.

In my book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime, I make the point that this practice – investing in the highest potential prospects and customers – trumps all other sales practices.  If you are a great presenter, for example, and wonderful at closing the sale, your skills will be squandered if they are not exercised with the right people.

And what do the best sales people do with the time they invest in the highest-potential customers?  “Ask better questions,” and “listen more constructively.”  Amazing.  These two fundamental communication skills are, perhaps, the earliest communication skills we learn.  Yet, the best take these foundational skills and execute them better. And since they excel at these two fundamentals, they naturally gain a better understanding of the “customer’s point of view.”  Equipped with that competitive advantage, they formulate creative proposals that lead them back to where they started:  bigger deals.

This should be immensely encouraging to sales people.  Unlike the promotional messages from legions of sales trainers and authors, the reality is that there are no “secrets” in sales.  Success comes not from hidden strategies and mysterious tactics, but rather from the excellent execution of the essentials.

The best sales people execute the most fundamental skills with excellence.  And, since we can all do the things the best do, we can, if we choose, strive to do them better. And, if we strive to do them better, at some point we will arrive at the same place they are: a master sales person.

In other words, there is a path to sales mastery, and we can all follow it, if we choose.

It begins with our mind-set.  We need to see ourselves as professional sales people, whose job it is to bring revenue into the company.  That sounds so simple and so basic, yet legions of sales people are loath to consider themselves sales people.  They are account executives, sales facilitators, mobile customer service representatives, etc.  Some consider themselves to be exclusively the advocates for the customer and hand out discounts and concessions to anyone and everyone.

Since they don’t see themselves as professional sales people, they don’t invest in improving their sales skills.  They don’t understand that their behavior creates a reciprocal reaction on the part of the customer. The sales person’s actions create reactions on the part of the customer. If they want more profitable actions from the customer, they need to improve their actions.

Once we have the mind-set of the professional sales person, we slowly begin to gravitate toward the opportunities and customers that hold the greatest potential.  We understand that we only have a small and limited quantity of sales time, and that we must invest it, with a cold-blooded business attitude, in those situations that will bring the greatest reward.  In short, effective time management becomes a daily obsession.

Now, since we are interacting more frequently with the highest potential customers and prospects, we focus on excelling at the most fundamental communication skill:  asking better questions and listening more constructively.  Armed with these two fundamental and powerful communication devices, we strive for continued improvement and constant development.

With this as a path, sales mastery is an achievable goal for every committed sales person.

As the best have taught us, there is a path to sales mastery, and it comes through excellent execution of the essentials.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Image by insideview on Flickr, available under Creative Commons license.

Commence CRM and Sugar CRM

Posted by Commence on May 24, 2011 under CEO Corner | 2 Comments to Read

A Brief Comparison of Two Middle Market CRM Providers

Mid-size businesses and small enterprises looking for a CRM solution typically focus their energy on a few specific CRM software providers.  Two of the companies battling for a slice of this middle market are Commence CRM and Sugar CRM.  Both are considered high quality alternatives to the more expensive and complex Salesforce.com program, but there are several differences between the two.  This brief report highlights some of the differences that consumers may be interested in.

Functionality: Both Commence CRM and Sugar are comprehensive offerings that rival enterprise level solutions such as Oracle and SAP.  In addition to contact and account management, calendaring and activity management, both solutions support sales force automation, lead management, marketing campaign management, customer support, e-mail integration, document management, mobile integration, reporting and analytics.  Integration with third party accounting solutions is also offered by both providers. Both products offer robust functionality and it is unlikely you will require features that are not offered by either CRM vendor.  Commence also offers an integrated project management solution which is attractive for companies that require this functionality.

Advantage:  Commence CRM if project management is required.

Customization: Both CRM solutions are customizable. Sugar CRM was originally released as a free open source CRM program, but is now sold under an annual subscription license.  The product is written using the PHP language which is not highly regarded as an enterprise level language and while the product can be highly customized it does require PHP knowledge for most customizations. Commence CRM is designed using Java, an industry standard for scalability and high speed performance.  Commence has incorporated a lot of flexibility within the user interface which enables the system administrator to tailor the applications without programming knowledge.  More sophisticated customization however would require Java expertise.

Advantage:  Commence CRM due to industry standard Java programming language.

Deployment: Both Commence CRM and Sugar CRM are online web based CRM solutions that may be deployed on premise or via a cloud computing environment.  Both offer a tremendous advantage over Salesforce.com who does not offer on-premise deployment.

Advantage:  Sugar CRM. Commence limits on-premise deployment to larger organizations.

Hosting & Data Security: Commence CRM has a strategic partnership with Rackspace, the industry’s number one rated hosting facility which has datacenters in the United States, Europe and Asia.   Rackspace provides the highest level cloud computing environment in the industry.  Sugar CRM can be hosted by the client or any third party hosting provider.  This may be of concern to customers looking for continuity with regard to new product releases and high quality support services.

Advantage:  Commence CRM. Rackspace is a recognized cloud computing leader.

Customer Support: Sugar CRM offers several customer service plans. They are separately priced from the product’s annual service fees.  Commence bundles in telephone support into the annual service fee.  Support is provided directly from the company’s headquarters in the United States.

Advantage:  Commence CRM. Telephone support included in annual service fees.

Price: Both products are attractively priced as compared to rival Salesforce.com and offer good value.   Sugar offers two editions: Sugar professional at $360 annually per user and Sugar Enterprise for $600 per user per year.  Commence CRM offers a bit more flexibility with regard to the selection of functionality and price, and lets you build your own CRM system by selecting the functionality you require at a price that meets your budget. Prices start at $220 per user annually and go up to $780 annually per user.

Advantage:  Commence CRM, due to flexible applications selection and pricing.

Image Credit: Sugar cubes by Original uploader was Creet at en.wikipedia – originally by Uwe Hermann source Wikimedia license CC Free photos from acobox.com

CRM Software Underutilized in Smaller Businesses

Posted by Commence on May 20, 2011 under CEO Corner | Read the First Comment

CRM Failure Rate Remains High

In order to gain a competitive edge or simply compete against larger corporations, mid-size and smaller enterprises need to take advantage of the same technology the bigger guys are using.  Many are turning their attention to Customer Relationship Management software or CRM as a tool to automate and improve how they market, sell and provide service to their customers.  CRM software can help companies implement a set of structured internal processes that enable them to become a more efficient sales and service organization.  The most significant challenge facing smaller businesses, however, is the lack of resources and experience with the implementation of CRM software and managing the changes associated with automating their internal processes.  This is almost always underestimated by smaller businesses that seem to prefer the do-it-yourself methodology versus engaging the expertise of the CRM vendor.  These do-it-yourselfers often learn that engaging the assistance of the CRM software provider is paramount to the successful implementation, use, and ROI realized from the CRM software.

With CRM – It’s All About Service

I find the CRM software sector perplexing.  Due to its rapid growth it has become one of the most competitive industries, chock full of low cost solutions, cut throat competition and immature products that deliver very little value.  In fact, the whole concept of customer relationship management seems to have disappeared. Today, many of the CRM vendors don’t have the time to discuss your requirements or demonstrate how their solution would address your business requirements.  They prefer that you simply place your credit card over the Internet and download the software.  They will then bill you each month that you utilize their product and if you require assistance: send an e-mail and someone will respond in a few days.  Is this really customer relationship management?

One company that conducts business the old fashioned way is Commence Corporation, a provider of customer management software solutions for more than two decades.  Commence takes a completely different approach to selling their CRM software by first taking the time to understand the customers’ business, offering personal demonstrations and “try before you buy” programs that ensure the customer is comfortable with the CRM software and the value they will realize from it.  Commence also has a large staff of experienced personnel who assist each customer with the implementation, making recommendations along the way with regard to implementing an appropriate lead qualification process and a structured sales methodology.  The value of this service can be measured by the ROI Commence customers realize with Commence CRM and the number of years they remain customers.  My point is simple.  If you think you will impact the performance of your business with some low cost CRM solution that you purchase over the Internet you will be very disappointed.  Many CRM solutions may appear similar, but the winning formula is all about the level and quality of service provided by the CRM vendor.  This is what makes Commence a top rated CRM solution and differentiates it from the competition.

Commence CRM software is available on premise or as a cloud based CRM offering. To learn more about Commence CRM, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com and see for yourself why Commence is the best CRM solution for mid-size and small enterprises.

Image Credit: Diary by Sheikh tuhin source openclipart license Public Domain Free images from acobox.com

Picking the Best CRM Software

Posted by Commence on May 16, 2011 under CEO Corner | Read the First Comment

What should you be looking for when selecting CRM software?  Well it depends on what is important to you, but let me offer a few tips that may help you in the selection process.  While it seems almost impossible to differentiate one CRM solution from another other than by price, all CRM systems are not alike.  The first thing you need to do is determine what problem you are trying to address.  Most CRM systems address three specific business requirements.

One Central Database of All Customer Information

First is data consolidation. This enables you to capture, track, manage and share vital customer information with the people and departments that require it to efficiently do their jobs.  Previously known as contact management, this functionality is traditionally found in even the most basic CRM systems and is fine for those companies simply looking to get away from managing their business using an Excel spreadsheet.  But what if you need more?

Drive More Business and Close More deals

The next core functionality requirement most businesses have is how to get the telephone to ring more. Most businesses need more leads and may not have a structured sales process in place to ensure that both new leads and the sales cycle are properly managed to closure.  While lower cost CRM systems offer some basic sales management and reporting, you need to consider a mid-market offering that offers the work flow processes for creating marketing campaigns that generate new leads, qualifying or scoring the leads and automating the entire sales process.

Improve Your Customer’s Buying Experience

Lastly, providing world class customer service may be the difference between earning new and recurring business and losing to your competition.  More robust CRM systems offer a customer support application that provides service representatives with access to a complete customer profile. This enables them to react immediately to customer inquiries or complaints. Higher end CRM systems may also include a customer portal that allows the customer to check the status of their order or service ticket or edit their profile right within the CRM system.  This new self-service component provides customers with a better buying experience and gives your business a leg up on the competition.

Choosing a CRM Vendor

So now that you are thinking about your specific business challenges it’s time to start short listing some CRM vendors.  Most CRM companies target a specific market based on the functionality they offer.  The most basic low cost contact management solutions tend to sell to small office or small home businesses, while mid-market CRM providers focus on companies that have greater business requirements.  Enterprise CRM solutions offer scalable platforms that can support hundreds and even thousands of employees and as such tend to focus on this market segment.  So the question you need to ask is where do you fit?

Next, I would take a look at the CRM vendor’s track record. How long have they been in business? How many customers do they have that are similar to your business and what level of customer support do they provide?

While there are dozens of CRM software providers in the industry, one of the most popular CRM systems that appeals to mid-size and small enterprises is Commence CRM.  Commence has been providing CRM software solutions to this segment for more than twenty years and has been rated one of the best CRM software programs based on its robust functionality and attractive price points. Commence CRM is a web based CRM solution that provides online real time access to data from anywhere in the world.  What is also appealing about Commence CRM is that it may be deployed as a cloud based CRM program or implemented on premise.  Commence is ideal for mid-size companies that need a robust online CRM solution at an affordable price point.  For more information about Commence CRM software, visit the company’s web site at Commence.com.

Commence Corporation Introduces Affordable Flexible CRM Pricing Program

Posted by Commence on May 13, 2011 under Press Release | Read the First Comment

Select ONLY the CRM Applications You Need to Match Any Budget

Tinton Falls, N.J.  May 10, 2011 — Commence Corporation a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) has introduced a new flexible pricing structure that is attracting new business away from rival CRM software providers.  Many CRM vendors have designed pre-built application packages often called ‘editions’ that force customers to select a pre-set group of applications at a fixed cost.  Salesforce.com, one of the leading providers of CRM software not only forces customers to select a pre-packaged set of applications, they also limit how many users can utilize the applications without bumping up to the next level at a higher cost. “This just doesn’t make sense” says Larry Caretsky, president of Commence Corporation.  “Customers should not be forced into selecting a group of applications and features designed by the CRM vendor”.

Commence Corporation’s pricing structure allows customers to build their own CRM system by selecting only the applications they require and there is no limit to how many users can use the applications they have selected.   You start with the essentials such as account and contact management, calendaring, e-mail integration with MS Outlook, and activity management. Then add any additional applications you require from a comprehensive list that includes lead management, sales force automation, marketing campaign management, help desk, documents, project management, analytics and mobile integration.  Commence even offers an interface to popular accounting packages at an additional cost.

“Customers are finding our program very attractive and for good reason,” says Caretsky.   “No one wants to be told what applications they must purchase.  Our program offers the flexibility and affordability customers simply cannot get from competitive offerings while offering a growth path to additional functionality down the road”.   For more information about Commence Corporation’s flexible pricing structure visit the Commence CRM Pricing link or call Commence sales at 1-877- 266-6232.

About Commence Corporation

Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award winning CRM software that integrates people, processes and technology.  Available on premise or via a cloud computing environment, Commence CRM solutions streamline the front office business processes that directly impact sales execution and customer service.   Commence is one of the most trusted names in CRM software. The company has been providing customer management software solutions to the middle market for more than two decades and services several thousand customers in twenty two countries around the world.

Media Contact:

Nicole Reed
Marketing@commence.com

Sales Leader’s Question and Answer

Posted by Commence on May 10, 2011 under CEO Corner | Be the First to Comment

By Dave Kahle

Q. I wanted to do some sales training last year, but it just wasn’t the right time for it.  We had too many things on our plate.  Looking at our calendar this year, I am coming to the same conclusion.  Am I ever going to have time to do sales training? Will it ever be the right time?

A.  Great question.  Probably the number one reason sales managers don’t provide sales training for their teams is “the timing just isn’t right.”

Why is it that some companies, regardless of the press of the urgent and the demands of the customers, find time to provide regular training and development opportunities for their sales force, and others, in the same industry, just can’t make the time?

The answer really does not lie in the ebb and flow of “things to do.” Nor does it lie in the open spaces of the calendar – if only you could find some empty days, you could slot in a sales training event. The answer does not lie in the world of stuff outside of ourselves that so occupies our time and attention.  Rather, the answer lies inside ourselves and our organizations – in our attitudes, our values and our corporate culture.

Let me lay some ground work with a bit of thinking about effective sales, in general and then circle around to address the question head on.

1.  I think everyone would agree with this statement:  Better sales people sell more than average sales people.

Better sales performance is not a matter of inheriting the best customer, or falling into a lucky deal.  Those things happen occasionally, but year in and year out, the best performing sales people are those who ‘sell better’ than the rest.  They do something, and usually a lot of things, better than their colleagues.  As a result, their customers respond more positively to them, and the sales people post better numbers.  They sell more because they act differently.  Not just differently – but better.

There is a direct relationship between what the sales person does and how much he sells.  Here’s a simple example.  One study found that 74 percent of purchasing agents said they would be “much more likely to buy from a sales person, if that person would just listen.” Doesn’t it follow, then, that those sales people who listen better sell more than those who don’t?  So, if you could help all of your sales people listen better, wouldn’t that result in more sales?  Of course it would. And listening is just one of a number of sales practices that are essential to better sales performance.

That’s my point.  What a sales person does directly and measurably impacts how much a sales person sells. And better sales people, because they do things better, sell more than average sales people.

2.  Most of my readers would also agree with this statement:  Almost every sales person can become better.

One of the things that I have most enjoyed about my career as a sales person has been the fact that I have never yet reached my potential.  I can always do better.  And, frankly, I’m a pretty good sales person.

I’m not perfect yet, even though I have tried to get there my whole life. Rarely does a day go by that I don’t find myself saying, “I should have done this or that better.”  Unfortunately, it is in the nature of sales that one is never as good as he can be.  Vince Lombardi aptly summed up the challenge of continuous improvement in a different area:

We will relentlessly pursue perfection, knowing full well that we will never attain it, because no one is perfect.  But, we will chase perfection, because in the process we will catch excellence.

Put these two paradigms together (#1 & #2 above) and you have a pretty good rationalization for continuous and immediate sales training.  If better sales practices bring in more money, and every sales person can become better, then investing in making them better will bring in more money.

How can you afford the luxury of not improving the practices of your sales team?

3.  But wait, some of you are saying, sales training doesn’t automatically mean better sales practices.

You’re right.  It doesn’t.  But it sure outperforms the alternative of not doing anything and expecting everyone will just automatically improve by trial and error. I’m going to make a radical statement here:  I believe that there is not an exceptional performer in any endeavor who is entirely self-taught (with the once in a generation exception for the occasional savant).  Tiger Woods, for example, has a swing coach.

The more sophisticated and challenging is the endeavor, the more likely that the exceptional performer has had multitude of coaches, mentors and trainers along the way. Sales is an incredibly sophisticated endeavor, where learning on your own can only take you so far.

Everyone who wants to improve, in every endeavor known to mankind, sooner or later puts himself in a situation where he/she learns from a coach, trainer or mentor – someone who has gone before and has a gift of being able to discern and communicate the intricacies and insights of the field. It takes someone outside of ourselves to help us see and realize our real potential.

The dedicated sales person, for example, buys all the books, gets the Ezines, listens to the podcasts, etc.  The sales manager who wants his team to perform well, constantly injects them into learning experiences.  He brings in the videos, distributes good articles, sends them to the seminars, etc.

And, like everything else, there are qualities of sales training.  You can bring in old Tom, for example, who is getting ready to retire and is looking for something less demanding than sales to do. Or, you can employ the local unemployed sales person who always wanted to be a trainer. The world is full of both types.

But, if you are going to invest your sales force’s valuable time and your hard-earned money, I’d recommend you invest it into a safe choice – professionals who have an understanding of how people learn and change, real life successful experience in sales, and years of proven experience in the profession of training.

4.  One more point.  Have you ever stopped to calculate the cost of maintaining the status quo?

Today — just this one day — how many opportunities did your sales people not uncover because they haven’t been trained in how to better uncover opportunities?  How many opportunities did they miss because they have not been trained to listen well?  How many new customers should have been developed this month, but weren’t because your sales people have never been instructed in how to develop a new customer?  How many high-potential customers languish in business-as-usual because your sales people have never been taught how to penetrate large accounts?

Just play around with those numbers and the conclusion will stagger you.  The greatest cost in most companies is one which never makes it on the P&L statement – the cost of opportunities lost, customers not created, and sales not made due to a sales force performing at far less than its potential.

Now that I’ve laid some ground work, let me go back and answer the question.  Is there ever a good time to do sales training?  It depends on your values, your attitude and your culture.

If you believe that your sales people can not become any better, then NO, do not make the time for sales training.

If you are perfectly content with the numbers your sales force is producing, then, NO, do not make the time for sales training.

If you think everyone will improve forever on their own, then NO, there will never be a good time for sales training.

If, on the other hand, you believe that just a small change in the behavior of a sales person can leverage into huge increases in sales and profits, then by all means make the time, as soon as possible.

Is there a good time to do sales training?  That really is the wrong question.  The question you should be asking instead is: How can you justify continuing to bear the costs of a sales team performing at less than optimum?  How can you justify the maintenance of the status quo?

Parenthetically, our Sales Resource Center provides a virtually unlimited number of sales development lessons, delivered to every sales person’s computer, 24/7, for one low monthly fee.

About the Author:

Dave Kahle is one of the world’s leading sales educators. He’s written nine books, presented in 47 states and seven countries, and has helped enrich tens of thousands of sales people and transform hundreds of sales organizations.  Sign up for his free weekly Ezine, and visit his blog.  For a limited time, receive $547 of free bonuses with the purchase of his latest book, How to Sell Anything to Anyone Anytime.

Commence CRM Gives Laser-Sharp Focus to Sales Teams With New Lead Scorer

Posted by Commence on May 5, 2011 under Press Release | Be the First to Comment

Latest Addition to Award-Winning Customer Relationship Management Software Helps Companies Increase Sales Effectiveness

TINTON FALLS, NJ–(Marketwire - April 26, 2010) –  Commence Corporation, a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software for small to mid-size enterprises, today announced the availability of Commence Lead Scorer, the latest addition to its suite of award-winning CRM solutions. Commence’s lead scoring feature moves beyond traditional CRM programs and enables increased sales effectiveness by targeting high potential customers.

Commence Corporation’s CEO, Larry Caretsky, remarked, “Most companies rely on the expertise of their individual sales representatives to qualify opportunities, which can be inefficient and costly due to a lack of consistency. The amount of time sales teams are spending following up on poorly qualified opportunities may be costing more than most businesses might think. With the addition of our Lead Scorer, companies will receive critical sales intelligence that can support measurable results.”

The Lead Scorer is an automated business process that ranks and scores leads based on a set of pre-defined criteria. The criteria consist of a series of customizable questions that are used to automatically provide a score for each lead based on the responses entered into the system. With a standardized set of qualifiers established by sales management, the process is no longer dependent on the varying experience levels of sales representatives resulting in a high level of consistency.

Combined with Commence’s suite of fully integrated applications for sales, marketing and customer support, the Lead Scorer will give sales teams a laser-sharp focus on the most qualified sales opportunities. By including an automated drip-marketing application that is directly tied to the lead qualification system, the solution nurtures each long-term lead with periodic mailings so the sales team can spend the most time on their most qualified opportunities.

“Commence has a long history of consistently providing added value to our customers. We’re the only CRM that delivers this unique lead scoring functionality at no additional charge to users,” added Caretsky. “By relying on Commence Lead Scorer, companies will shrink their sales cycles and improve their bottom-line results.”

The Commence CRM solution, which may be deployed on-premise or on-demand as a software-as-a-service (SaaS CRM), provides a consolidated system for all customer information, as well as powerful reporting and analytics and support for remote and mobile users. More information about Commence Lead Scorer can be accessed at www.commence.com.

About Commence Corporation
Founded in 1988, Commence develops and delivers a diverse suite of award-winning CRM products that integrate people, processes and technology. Delivered via the popular software-as-a-service (SaaS) model or implemented as on premise licensed software, Commence CRM solutions are used by thousands of companies to streamline sales and customer service front-end business processes. As a result, Commence clients increase workforce productivity, generate positive customer interactions, and reduce cost. More information about Commence can be accessed at Commence.com or at 1-877-COMMENCE.

Improve Business Performance With Commence CRM Analytics

Posted by Commence on May 2, 2011 under CEO Corner | 2 Comments to Read

CRM software provider Commence Corporation has taken their online CRM solution to the next level by incorporating real time analytics as a component of their CRM offering.  The analytics program is designed to provide senior management with a complete snapshot of business performance so that they can take a proactive approach to improve how they market, sell and provide service to their customers.

Designed for mid-size companies and small enterprises Commence CRM is a top rated CRM solution that is continuing to attract companies looking for a comprehensive easy to use affordable online CRM system.  Commence provides a suite of customer management software that automates the front office business processes that directly impact sales execution and customer service.   One of the areas that differentiate Commence CRM from competitive CRM offerings is the product’s multiple levels of reporting.   In addition to pre-built customer management reports Commence CRM also incorporates a report generator, similar to Crystal reports, that enables customers to create custom reports to address unique reporting requirements.   The addition of the analytics module makes the reporting capabilities of Commence CRM one of the best in the business.

The analytical reporting provides customers with a graphical analysis of key business metrics for lead management, sales pipeline management, marketing campaign management and customer service.  Designed specifically for executive level management the analytics reporting gives management the information they need to make informed business decisions and has shown to significantly impact the lead generation process and close ratios.

The analytics  identify how many leads were generated each month or quarter, what the source of the leads were, how many of the leads turned into sales opportunities, how many of the opportunities turned into new business and what was the value of that new business.

The CRM analytics program also provides real time sales pipeline data illustrating the sales opportunities by month by outcome, the top ten sales opportunities by revenue and by close date, as well as a corporate funnel by sales stage that enables sales management to manage the movement of each sales opportunity from introduction to closure.

Commence CRM also provides real time executive level reporting for customer service and displays information such as all open service tickets by representative, all open service tickets by age and more.  This enables management to ensure that they continue to provide world class service to their customers.

Commence continues to raise the bar in Customer Management software.  The addition of the analytical reporting component is just another differentiator between Commence CRM and alternative CRM solutions.

About Commence Corporation:

Commence is a leading provider of Customer Relationship Management software (CRM) for mid-size and small enterprises.  The company has been providing both desktop and web based CRM software for more than two decades.  Commence CRM is highly regarded for the products robust functionality, customizability and ease of use and is now delivered as a cloud based CRM offering.  To learn more about Commence CRM software, visit the company’s web site at www.commence.com.