Puzzel ramps up CRM & Sales Analytics to Speed Growth
To support double digit growth, Puzzel is undertaking a bold plan to upgrade CRM processes and modernize sales reporting. Results so far include sales teams achieving monthly activity targets 20-30% more often and sales forecasting accuracy improving to within 98%.
New technologies and routines improve performance and decision-making
Puzzel, recognized by Gartner for the third year in a row as a leader in contact center solutions, experienced year-on-year growth of 20% and has ambitious growth targets this year.
The company, who supports more than 500 customers across the Nordics, UK and Baltics, expanded into Finland in early 2018 and was chosen by insurance company – If – to support the largest cloud-based contact center in Europe, with a solution for telephony, web chat, Facebook, e-task (e.g. e-task in CRM) and SMS.
To continue high growth levels, the company is taking clear steps to support management level decision-making and sales performance. One of the key initiatives, is a bold plan to upgrade their CRM processes and modernize their sales reporting.
We are fortunate to have exceptional sales teams in 6 countries, but we can’t fully reach our potential without taking advantage of CRM data and insights. We must instantly and reliably see what is going, at all times, if we are going to make our goals a reality.
Gunnar Aasen, Chief Commercial Officer
Limited by static sales reporting
The CRM system wasn’t being used to its full potential. Sales added select data to the CRM system before weekly reporting deadlines and sales directors exported the data to Excel in order to create reports.
As a result, the management team relied on sales reports created by each country to know ‘what’ is happening. The reports were quickly outdated and didn’t allow leaders to explore ‘why’ things were happening.
Because the company used a variety of other tools for email, quotes and proposal processes, important background information was missing from sales reports.
The company, therefore, stepped up routines and implemented systems that made reliable sales reports available online, from one location.
Fresh approach with deeper insight
When Aasen joined Puzzel in 2016, the company started a two-pronged approach: 1) systematically addressing places where their CRM strategy was slipping; and 2) investing in a business analytics tool – Business Analyze.
Aasen has deep experience both using, selling and implementing sales enablement technologies, in addition to contact center solutions.
– The first step was to start logging everything in our SuperOffice CRM. It is a very good tool, but like every system, it is only as good as how we use it. We cleaned out many custom fields and tried to use SuperOffice as it was designed.
– We worked in teams to develop a mutual understanding of why sales data and measurement is so important. Then we invested in Business Analyze to make this data readily accessible and meaningful.
– During the past 1-2 years we have had many other projects and of course sales opportunities that took priority at times, but we remained committed to better internal routines.
Better data and decisions
Now Puzzel is consistently capturing and using data as a decision-making tool. Live dashboard reports help leaders and their teams understand day-to-day progress – and what needs to be done going forward. Because errors in sales figures are so obvious on dashboards, the reporting accuracy has increased to approx. 95%.
Other improvements include:
- Automated – Revenue and activity reports are automatically generated and displayed for the board, sales directors and individuals.
- Consistent – The lowest level information is rolled-up to higher level, leaving no room for inconsistency.
- Performance improvements – In each region, sales directors actively use Business Analyze as a coaching tool.
- Goal achievements – 20-30% more often achieve weekly activity targets.
CEO Børge Astrup’s office monitor shows live sales figures so he sees what’s going on at any given time.
Complete control
“Good data and reporting for decision making processes is essential for our growth. For example, our pipeline used to be inflated but now the forecast is 95% accurate – and so is overall reporting accuracy. We have better control and can plan ahead.”
“We believe we have to be measured in order to improve. Methodically working with CRM and Business Analyze has become a normal part of our culture. It’s helping us reach ambitious growth targets,” concludes Aasen.
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