Sales Force Automation (SFA) Software Solutions

SFA Software Reviews

	SAP Sales On Demand — An Initial Review
	Sales OnDemand is the newest software as a service offering, and in contrast to SAP's history of delivering broad business suites, this on-demand product is laser focused on sales people and their need for a social injection to sales force automation (SFA). Our review of this product reveals a big shift from anything SAP has done before.
	Salesnet CRM Deep Dive Review
	Salesnet was one of the earliest software as a service CRM systems in the marketplace. However, an unusual turn of events delayed this systems market share rise. Now under the auspices of RightNow Technologies, but with a new company direction and management team, Salesnet is proving its capable of more than just keeping its customers, but intends to add many more.

Sales Force Automation Thought Leaders In Their Own Words

	Sales Planning & Execution System Discussion
	CSO Insights reports that sales win rates are at an all-time low, while at the same time sales deals resulting in no decision are at an all-time high. In this video discussion with Tim Braman, VP of Revegy, we examine how sales planning and execution systems, sometimes called sales enablement systems, help sales teams collaborate and improve sales effectiveness.

Sales Force Automation Featured Articles

	The Business Case For An Integrated Revenue Cycle
	When companies move beyond just a sales cycle and get to a complete lead to customer revenue cycle, they acquire more and better leads, more effectively advance those leads through the pipe, increase sales wins, grow customer acquisitions and earn more revenues. But getting there isn't easy. Here we share the business case, along with a proven framework, to achieve an integrated revenue cycle.
	5 Reasons To Invest in Sales Force Automation Software
	Research firm Aberdeen Group determined best-in-class adopters of SFA software saw their deals increase in size by an average of 27%, sales cycles decrease by 16% and cut the time-to-quota by 15%. Using SFA systems, these organizations' also realized revenue growth of 26%, while their sales administrative time was slashed by 14%.
	Achieving High Performance Sales Teams
	When enthralled in the day to day trenches, it can be difficult to maintain strategy, focus and forward momentum let alone systemically improve predictable performance and identify new solutions to old sales challenges. The following sales strategies are a reminder of the best practices to achieve long-term sales success, build winning sales teams and satisfy sales stakeholders.
	5 Steps To Achieving SFA Buy-In
	One of the knottiest problems in implementing a Sales Force Automation software system in any size company is getting enthusiastic acceptance of the project. Quite simply, without active buy-in from the sales people who will use and manage the CRM system, it will almost certainly fail. Here are several mitigating measures to achieve success with sales staff.
	Practical Advice For SFA Software Selection Projects
	Like a treasure map, SFA software helps guide your sales teams to increased sales person productivity, more effective sales planning, improved sales predictability, increased sales win rates, better sales person quota performance and higher sales commissions. Yet finding the right SFA software may require a different map, one to guide you through an array of alternatives.
	Designing Better Dashboards
	Dashboard designs are worth multiple iterative revisions as they are a primary means of communicating key performance indicators. Well designed dashboards make it easier for knowledge workers and executives to instantly view key metrics and based on the information, invest in further data analysis which often leads to actionable follow-up and course corrections.
	What To Do When Your SFA System is Broken
	The scary numbers related to CRM and SFA implementation failures are no secret. However, getting past the alarming statistics and reviewing root causes provides a balanced perspective on why sales force automation (SFA) implementations fail — why they break — and what you can do about it. Unfortunately, the problem isn't always with the software.
	4 Crucial Steps To Fixing Declining Sales
	CSO Insights surveyed 2,800 companies and found most were raising sales quotas, despite low quota achievement in the prior year. In fact, quota attainment has been steadily declining for years and CSO Insights expects it to drop further. This article examines the root causes of these sales challenges and explores how the best companies have adapted to deliver superior results.
	Best Practices for Shortening the Sales Cycle
	A 2010 Aberdeen research report reveals the reasons companies' sales cycles are too long and the methods which best-of-breed businesses implemented in order to successfully combat this costly problem. This follow-on article describes the 6 step approach to systemically reduce sales cycles, increase sales win rates and increase cash flow.

SFA & Sales Thought Leadership Views

	How Much Sales Crap Do You Endure?		Rethinking Sales in a Social CRM Strategy
	As much as this title resonates, your salespeople will ask, "Are you kidding me? It should say, 'How much crap do we put up with from Management'?" Go To ...		We can take the opportunity that a Social CRM strategy can offer to change the approach we have been taking in organizing B2B sales activities. Go To ...
	An Inside View of Inside Sales		CRM versus Contact Management
	Sales forces are increasing channel partners and transitioning revenue responsibility from field to inside sales. Some did well with this change. Go To ...		Migrating your Rolodex to a browser-based CRM application, without accompanying CRM strategy, is probably at best contact management. More ...
	Use Social Media to Prep for Sales Calls		33% of Your Pipeline Will Never Close
	SiriusDecisions projects that by 2015, 71% of initial BtoB inquiries will be web-driven, and "a sound social media strategy is key to driving this inbound interest." Go To ...		33% of the sale opportunities in your current pipeline will never close. Here's how to get your head out of the clouds and do something about it. Go To ...

More References

• TheCustomerCollective is an interesting assembly of blog posts and content from some of the best minds in the sales and social CRM industries. The Sales 2.0 site is a well organized collection of sales learning, sales training, sales process advice.

• Wikipedia provides a strong article on sales force automation software — including key success factors, strategic advantages, inherit risks and mobile CRM.

• Despite the volume of CRM blogs, SFA blogs are much more scarce. There are a few blogs which include many good articles on sales force automation and related pieces, including gotSFA.com, crmblogguy.com, crmgal.com and haileyblog.com.

• CRMlandmark.com provides a helpful article on the tangible differences between CRM and SFA at http://www.crmlandmark.com/crmjourney_sfaandcrm.htm . On a similar note, CRMsearch published an article on the differences between contact management and CRM.

	Sales Force Automation (SFA) Sales Force Automation solutions are credited as a driver of early CRM adoption. However, user adoption, change management, process consistencies, business process improvements and information reporting remain significant challenges in SFA deployments. For the implementors that establish clear objectives while mitigating known risks, the rewards can include improved customer relationships, staff productivity, forecast visibility, sales win rates, customer share and market share.