Your sales data tracking is not up to par. What software can you use to improve it?

Improving sales data tracking can be transformative for businesses, and selecting the right software is crucial. CRM platforms like Salesforce offer comprehensive tools for tracking customer interactions, sales opportunities, and performance metrics. For analytics-focused solutions, Tableau provides visual insights into sales trends, helping identify growth opportunities. HubSpot excels in integrating sales, marketing, and service data, facilitating a holistic view of customer journeys. Zoho CRM is another versatile option, offering automation, analytics, and customization to streamline sales processes. Finally, Microsoft Dynamics 365 blends CRM and ERP capabilities, ideal for businesses seeking an all-in-one solution.

As much as I am an advocate of the power of technology to automate, or assist, I would question leaping immediately to a technological solution for what seems to be more of a problem with reality and perception. If you can’t solve your problem, accurately with a pen and paper or a spreadsheet, then no amount of clever tech is going to make it go away . On the contrary, what you find happens, is that you end up scaling, failure and error.

In my experience - to improve sales data tracking, you can consider using various software solutions that address common challenges in sales reporting and analytics. Some of the software options include: Sales team management software, Field Sales Management Software, Sales Rep Tracking Software, Online Sales Tracking Software.

CRM Software: Salesforce, HubSpot CRM, Zoho CRM. Business Intelligence Tools: Tableau, Microsoft Power BI, Google Analytics. Sales & Marketing Automation: Marketo, Pipedrive, Infusionsoft by Keap. ERP Systems: SAP ERP, Oracle NetSuite, Microsoft Dynamics 365. Accounting Software: QuickBooks, Xero, FreshBooks. E-commerce Analytics: Shopify Analytics, Adobe Analytics. Custom Solutions: Tailored software developed for specific needs. When selecting software, consider factors like integration capabilities with your current systems, scalability as your business grows, user-friendliness, and the quality of customer support. Trial versions can be a great way to test whether the software fits your needs.

It's essential to recognize that accurate and reliable data is the backbone of effective decision-making in any business, especially in sales. Data quality issues can indeed arise from various sources like human error, inconsistent data formats, or outdated information. Having clear data entry rules is crucial to ensure consistency and accuracy right from the point of data capture. Regular data audits help identify any discrepancies or anomalies in the data, allowing for timely corrections. Additionally, employing data cleansing tools can streamline the process of identifying and rectifying data inconsistencies or errors, ensuring that the data remains accurate and reliable over time.

I have personally seen - by leveraging sales tracking software, businesses can overcome common issues such as limited analysis of customer data, manual work, performance tracking, and data inaccuracies. The software provides automation solutions, integrates with existing CRMs, and offers real-time location tracking and performance insights for sales teams.

Another tool worth mentioning is Zoho CRM. Its user-friendly interface and customizable features make it ideal for businesses of various sizes. For a more analytics-focused approach, Tableau and Microsoft Power BI are excellent for visualizing complex data sets, making them digestible and actionable.

Automation well implemented works and delivers well. So the benefits of sales data tracking software should be measured against kpi's related to growth, sales and efficiency. Nevertheless, business dynamics are difficult to predict so you have to establish a consistent and flexible set of process, people and technology to monitor, learn and make adjustments in a reliable, agile and sustainable way in order to keep obtaining the benefits already granted and go for expanded ones too.

In addition to the complexities of sales data tracking, data analysis poses a significant challenge. Data analysis involves processing, interpreting, and presenting data to derive valuable insights and recommendations, which can be intricate and time-consuming, particularly when dealing with diverse data sources and formats. To streamline this process, leveraging sales data tracking software is essential. This software facilitates automated data collection, integration, and visualization, while offering customizable dashboards, reports, and alerts, empowering businesses to simplify and enhance their data analysis efforts.

By automating data collection, integration, and visualization, sales data tracking software allows businesses to efficiently handle large volumes of data from diverse sources and formats. This automation not only saves time but also reduces the risk of human error associated with manual data processing. Moreover, such software often comes equipped with features like customizable dashboards, pre-built reports, and real-time alerts, enabling users to gain valuable insights into sales performance quickly and effectively. These insights empower businesses to make informed decisions, identify trends, and capitalize on opportunities in a timely manner.

I can surely say that to improve sales data tracking, you can consider using sales tracking software with the following features: Comprehensive Data Tracking, Real-time Updates and Automation, Integration and Customization, Security and Ease of Use, Support and Training. By considering these features, you can select a sales tracking software that best suits your business needs and helps improve your sales data tracking capabilities.

Look for platforms instead of point solutions, unless you have no other option. Going from data gathering to data visualization and analysis is quite a standard need, but platforms that simplify the task usually demand more budgets. You must consider implementation effort, timing and integration to make a reasonable good decision.

Sales data tracking softwares have broadly 3 levels, 1. Data collection/ input - System should be intuitive enough to reduce the redundant manual data entry tasks. It should support Sales Reps to focus on actual sales efforts rather than making them spend more time in feeding data in the box. 2. Automation - Data than should be used to trigger business automations to drive desired end outcomes. 3. Analytics - It is equally important to look for powerful comprehensive data visualisation and analysis capabilities in the sales data tracking platform you are evaluating. After all end goal of using Sales data tracking platform is to collect the data -> Automate workflows -> draw patterns and take best business decisions.

I think the below two types of software we need to consider for improving sales data tracking: 1. CRM Software: Look into adopting a robust Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system. These tools help organize and analyze customer interactions, making it easier to track and manage sales data. 2. Business Intelligence (BI) Tools: Explore BI software that allows you to gather, analyze, and visualize data. These tools can provide valuable insights into your sales performance and trends. Also, we can consider utilizing dedicated analytics platforms to enhance your sales data tracking capabilities.

When choosing sales data tracking software, prioritize features that facilitate seamless data integration from multiple platforms, customizable data visualization, robust reporting capabilities, proactive alerting for data changes, and robust data security measures to protect valuable business data.

In my experience I used the following CRM (Microsoft AX, SAP and Sales Force) Salesforce is the best by far, with its intuitive interface, options, easy navigation, linking several opportunities together, very easy interface

In my experience, using Microsoft Power BI and Dynamics together have resulted in really great business insights, analytics, and data tracking. I’ve had success using Salesforce too.

Sales data tracking software offers a wide range of options, each with distinct advantages. For instance, HubSpot provides CRM, marketing, and sales tools with robust data integration, visualization, reporting, and alerting features. Zoho Analytics is a cloud-based platform offering business intelligence and analytics with similar features. Tableau, available as desktop or cloud-based software, specializes in data visualization, analytics, and reporting. Power BI is a cloud-based solution known for its data visualization, analytics, and reporting features.

It totally depends upon nature of your business, target audience, end product you are selling, type of business teams and processes involved , lead volume etc.

Salesforce Sales Cloud: Salesforce is a leading CRM platform that offers Sales Cloud, a comprehensive sales data tracking solution. It provides features for managing leads, opportunities, contacts, and accounts, along with customizable dashboards, reports, and analytics tools. HubSpot Sales Hub: HubSpot Sales Hub is another robust CRM platform with advanced sales data tracking capabilities. It includes features for pipeline management, email tracking, sales automation, and customizable reporting.

Salesforce, HubSpot, and Zoho CRM are popular choices for sales data tracking. They offer robust features for lead management, pipeline tracking, and analytics. The best one for you depends on your specific requirements, team size, and budget.

Empower Sales Teams with Insights: Provide sales teams with access to relevant sales data and insights to help them prioritize leads, tailor their approach to individual customers, and close deals more effectively. Continuously Monitor and Adjust: Regularly monitor your sales data tracking processes and performance metrics to identify areas for improvement. Adjust your data tracking strategies and KPIs as needed to adapt to changing business conditions and goals. Invest in Training and Education: Provide training and education to your sales teams on the importance of data tracking, how to use sales data effectively, and best practices for data entry and analysis.