Seventy-two percent of sellers’ time is wasted on non-selling tasks, according to our Trends in Sales Ops report*, a survey of more than 7,700 sales professionals. The good news? There are straightforward ways to refocus reps on the things that matter the most.
Let’s discuss the 5 common productivity pitfalls that hold salespeople back.
1. Excessive Time Spent on Administrative Tasks
The problem
Administrative tasks can sap a significant portion of a salesperson’s time, leaving less time available for selling. This issue often stems from juggling multiple, disconnected tools that require manual updating.
The solution
Consolidate your sales tools into an integrated platform that automates routine tasks.
Using a unified CRM system that syncs data across channels, your team can focus less on admin and more on closing deals.
2. Don’t Tap the Full Potential of their Region
The problem
Sellers sometimes fail to tap into the full potential of their territories due to a lack of clear direction and accountability. When territories aren’t fully utilised, valuable opportunities go unnoticed.
The solution
Implement criteria that give sellers visibility into the hottest opportunities in their territories. This may involve setting parameters for identifying big-win accounts, and ensuring that resources and efforts are directed toward the prospects with the highest probability to close.
3. Uncertainty in Advancing Customers in the Pipeline
The problem
A common challenge is determining when to move a customer to the next stage of the sales pipeline. Without clarity, sellers might hesitate, potentially delaying the sales process.
The solution
Name and define the stages of your sales process clearly. Then, specify the exit criteria for each stage. Lastly, make it easy for sellers to update pipeline data.
4. Slow Quote Approval Processes
The problem
Lengthy approval processes for quotes can frustrate sellers and customers, leading to delays and lost sales.
The solution
Audit your current approval process to identify redundancies and streamline operations. This may involve leveraging technology to automate approvals or delegating authority to reduce bottlenecks.
Next step: boost sales productivity with the configure, price, and quote (CPQ) capabilities in Salesforce.
5. Is Sales Enablement Working?
The problem
Seventy-two per cent of sellers do not expect to hit their quota in the coming year, according to the State of Sales* report.
The solution
To measure and show the impact of your sales enablement, start with the outcomes you want to achieve, and build training and milestones to get there. Track the reps’ behaviour change. Adapt, learn, repeat.
See how Salesforce enablement helps reps achieve the right outcomes with targeted milestones and training.
Below are the steps for Salesforce’s Enablement Program
in their own business.
- They define their revenue objective.
- They create an enablement track to change behaviour. To ensure the sales team is bringing in the best prospects, they provide them with quality information on the target market.
- They track milestones — like training completed and meetings set — as they are achieved. Then they adjust. For example, if discovery meetings are low, they update the milestone to drive an increase.
- Salesforce measures the impact on the goal early and often. They measure the quality gain in the pipeline based on the increased likelihood that opportunities will close.
Next step?
The path to enhanced productivity starts with taking decisive action.
