Automation, or rather the industry buzz phrase ‘Sales Force Automation’, when uttered, can incite a certain fear and loathing among sales teams. Why? Because of misunderstandings and incorrect ideas attached to automation when it comes to sales. We are here to myth bust and manage expectations about automation and what it can do for your sales processes. Ready to find out how to successfully implement automation?
1. Pinpoint Your Processes to Automate
Not every part of the sales process will make sense to automate. So you will need to observe and identify where your opportunities lie. This could be found in time-consuming tasks that are slowing down sales teams. It could also be the processes that lend themselves to human error, or in current systems where the ROI is leaving much to be desired. Once you’re able to identify these opportunities and figure out how to successfully implement automation, you’ll be able to save so much time.
2. Align Automation With Your Company Culture
Sales teams are quick to assume that automation will equate in a loss of autonomy, suffering client relationships, and even a disappearance of their own commissions. This is incorrect. When implemented properly, automation will only enhance and encourage the above-mentioned. So, why do employees fear the takeover of machines? It is because oftentimes, none of this is properly communicated or is consistent with the business’s values.
To prevent doubtfulness and fear, have conversations with your sales representatives right at the beginning. Gather information, share your goals about why you will be implementing automation, and ask for any feedback. Because at the end of the day, the way your team works is a reflection of how your business works.
3. Know What’s Out There
Do you know whether your automation strategy will be more focused on RPA tech or cognitive tools? Understand what the market has to offer. How it can it complement your business (i.e. where are your pain points?). Consider as well an outsider’s perspective, as it could be all the more valuable to help you make this decision.
4. Make It About the Sales Team First
In order to integrate automation into your sales processes well, you’ll need to make the value of automation clear. How will it help your sales team? They need to understand how it will be useful for them right at the beginning.
This can be done through providing the appropriate training and professional development. This also means having the sales team track their own individual progress with the tools. Often, whenever new tech comes in, teams fear that management will be tracking their every move or worried about every digit. Which is why you need to eliminate the hesitation by allowing your sales team to discover the value of this new technology – of automating systems – for themselves. They’re more likely to embrace it this way!
5. Plan for the Best, Plan for the Worst
Your very deliberate approach to understanding which parts of your business’s you can automate needs to be documented. With the same deliberation in which you learnt about this tech, spell it out in a tangible document. Have you outlined the possible negative and exception scenarios? This is a part of automation (and life). And next, test it with a pilot phase.
Automation is too powerful of a tool to be overlooked for any business. Whether it is for data or chat bots, these tools have the ability to transform your business and revolutionise your efficiency. Be a part of the future and take your company to the next level with a Hunt and Hawk free flying class for your business. We know tech and we are champions at implementing it. Contact us and together we’ll crack down the ways on how to successfully implement automation into your business.
