CRM software has become a commodity market. In the small to mid-size business sector 90 percent of the software companies provide a similar array of features and functions. In fact, in many instances the only thing that separates them is price. Despite the myriad of options to choose from, industry experts say that a large percentage of companies that select CRM software fail to get it properly implemented and utilized. There is a very good reason for this and it has to do with a lack of experienced resources.

CRM is a resource intensive process. Its success is predicated on experienced sales and marketing resources that understand how to design and automate the internal business processes that impact how they market, sell and provide service to their customers, but let’s face reality here. Small businesses struggle to recruit senior level sales and marketing executives and in most cases simply cannot afford them. If you look at most small to mid-size businesses the sales manager has a few years of sales experience and limited sales management experienced. The marketing organization either doesn’t exist or is managed by an individual with two to three years of experience or someone right out of college. How do I know this? Because I have been involved with more than 100 CRM installations in small to mid-size businesses. In each case it quickly became apparent that the customers needed a great deal of assistance with establishing and automating a sales methodology or structure for managing their sales pipeline. They also wanted to use the CRM software to generate marketing campaigns, but had little experience with understanding the best practices for creating a marketing mix or how to best communicate their message to their target audience. They simply needed help.

Commence Professional Services Make the Difference

Commence Corporation is certainly not the only CRM solution provider that has experienced the resource challenges that face the SMB sector, but we are one of the only companies that has done something about it. The company has developed a “Sales and Marketing Enablement Program” that is designed to provide advice and counsel along with best practices for improving sales execution. The program has been designed by a team of highly experienced sales, marketing and customer service professionals that average more than 20 years of service with the company. Coupling a top-rated CRM software solution with a team of experienced professionals has enabled Commence customers to realize an immediate and substantial impact on the performance of their business. This is the key differentiator that separates Commence CRM from the myriad of other options out there. For more information about the Sales and Marketing Enablement Program, contact Commence sales at 877-266-6362.