Why Cloud-Based Sales Management Software is the Future
The world of sales has changed considerably over the last 10 years. There was a time when sales teams would gather around desktop computers entering information into spreadsheets and ultimately losing leads. Now, successful businesses embrace cloud-based sales management software and there is a good reason why this isn’t just a fad; it’s the future of sales.
The Transition from Legacy to Cloud CRM
Do you recall a time when your sales data existed solely on one computer? In the case of a crash, your entire sales history could be lost overnight. Legacy sales management systems were similar to islands—inaccessible, inflexible, and usually a headache.
Cloud-based sales software has changed all that with data existing in the cloud and at your fingertips anytime and anywhere. You could say you now have your sales department in your pocket, regardless if you’re meeting clients across town or wrapping up deals from a coffee shop in another country.
What Makes Cloud-Based Sales Software Different?
Accessibility That Actually Works
A key feature of cloud-based sales management software is that it is simple enough for your sales team to use. It allows your team to access customer data, update the status of a deal, and communicate and collaborate in real-time, wherever they are as long as they have an Internet-connected device. They cannot say “I will update that once I am back in the office.”
Imagine your best salesperson is stuck in traffic, but he needs to see a client purchase history before his next meeting. With cloud CRM, he can pull-up everything he needs to know within seconds on his smart phone. That is the speed agility that gets deals done.
Real-Time Collaboration and Data Sync
Traditional sales management often meant playing telephone with information. One team member changes the status of a lead but it can take hours or days for colleagues to see the change. SaaS sales management keeps that from happening by ensuring up-to-date information is available instantaneously to every stakeholder.
When your marketing team comes up with a hot lead at 2 PM, your sales team knows about it at 2:01 PM. When a deal closes, the entire organization can celebrate knowing everyone is included still.
The Compelling Business Case for Cloud-Based Sales Management Software
Cost-Effectiveness That Makes Sense
Let’s talk money. In the past, sales management solutions had a significant upfront capital expense; you had to purchase everything–servers, licenses, and pay for an IT team to maintain it. You might spend months implementing a sales management system, only to find it was too old to even use by the time it went live.
Cloud-based sales software is the complete opposite. You pay a predictable monthly subscription fee, you get automatic updates, and your IT staff will spend time growing the company instead of managing servers. It is like going from purchasing a car to car sharing; you are going to get there, and you do not have to worry about maintenance.
Scalability Without the Headaches
Growing businesses face a common dilemma: their sales tools either can’t keep up with expansion or cost a fortune to scale. Cloud CRM solves this elegantly. Need to add fifty new users? It’s often just a few clicks and some additional monthly fees. Expanding to new countries? Your cloud-based sales software is already globally accessible.
One of our clients started with five sales reps using their cloud-based system. Two years later, they had teams across three continents—all using the same platform seamlessly. Try doing that with traditional software.
Security and Confidence in Cloud-Based Sales Management Software
This is where some business owners start to get anxious. “Is my data really secure in the cloud?” That’s a reasonable question and you might be surprised by the answer.
Life is good at SaaS sales management providers invest millions of dollars on security—much more than a typical business could spend securing their own servers. They have full-time teams of security professionals, multiple data centers, and backup systems that would make NASA envious.
The bottom line is, your data is probably safer in a reputable cloud system than it ever was on your office server. Plus, when was the last time your local IT person performed a security audit at 3 AM? Cloud providers do this continuously.
Integration Capabilities That Connect Everything
Playing Well with Other Tools
The best cloud sales software does not attempt to do it all—it is great at managing sales while involving your tools from email marketing, accounting, customer service, etc, to create a symphony.
Having connectivity allows your sales team to spend their time selling and not switching between apps and moving data from one place to another. When everything connects to everything else, you experience a “wow factor”.
The Mobile-First Advantage of Cloud CRM
Sales happens everywhere except behind a desk. Your team is in client offices, at trade shows, traveling between meetings. Cloud-based sales management software recognizes this reality by offering robust mobile experiences that don’t feel like afterthoughts.
Future-Proofing Your Sales Operations
Automatic Updates and Continuous Innovation
With traditional software, updates were events—often painful ones involving downtime, training sessions, and compatibility issues. SaaS sales management providers release improvements continuously, often without you even noticing.
Your sales management software is better each month without you or your team having to do anything. New features are added automatically, performance is enhanced, and security is safer without you having to do anything. It’s just like having a sales software with endless possibilities based upon your business’ needs.
Moving to a Cloud-Based Solution: What to Expect?
Moving to cloud-based sales software is not a technological project – it is changing how your business works for the better. These transitions are normally much less painful than anticipated with realistic expectations and good planning from the provider.
The positive aspects begin almost immediately; you can expect to access things more quickly, collaborate more efficiently, and see your sales pipeline better. Likewise, the medium and long term benefits of cloud computing, including scalability, cost savings, and competitive advantage will be realized in a few short months.
Conclusion: Take The Cloud Based Sales Management Software Leap In The Future
Cloud based sales management software is not just the future, it’s the here and now for a forward-thinking company like yours. The fact that the software is accessible, affordable, secure and adaptable makes it an obvious choice for businesses that are serious about being successful in sales.
The question isn’t should I switch, but how quickly can I adopt a solution that will help me revolutionize my sales process? Your competitors are already relocating to the cloud. The question now is whether you lead, or follow.
BusinessEzee can give you the best sales management software, contact now to explore.