You know the old saying, “you never appreciate a good thing until it’s gone”? I have a new appreciation for that phrase. In recent days, due to some unexpected challenges, I’ve been required to do my job WITHOUT my CRM solution. I have witnessed firsthand a productivity spiral downward without access to what some may roll their eyes at and cast aside as unnecessary.  

Still doubting your own CRM, and why your company paid top dollar for it?

Let me provide some insight into how “life without CRM” has been different and painful for me.

• I have gone from having zero client related emails “stored’ in my outlook, to having 158, stored in a folder that I never needed before. I have no idea what’s in there, or what it pertains to, but I know it’s important.

• I have approximately 844 notes scribbled on pieces of paper on my desk, reminding me to follow up with clients, prospects and others. They are prioritized, based on…honestly, they are just in a pile and I have no idea which is the most important. I don’t know where to start, so I just keep ignoring them.  I’ve been just responding to those that yell the loudest. I sure hope they are the most valuable opportunities!

• I had some free time on my calendar and decided to make some proactive calls into my target accounts, but I realized that I had no access to the 2+ years of background we had captured about them in CRM, and decided to wait, instead of call in blindly like I used to (before CRM).

• My boss asked for an updated sales forecast. Typically, that’s about 10 minutes of reviewing my pipeline in CRM and making minor updates. I spent a couple of hours looking through spreadsheets stored on my desktop, notes from my recent meetings that are scattered across OneNote and three paper notebooks. I tried to review the pile of notes on my desk, but decided I didn’t have time. So I “SWAGGED” a few numbers and dates.  I think I covered all the major stuff.  Wait…Did they say they expected to sign that contract in January or June?

• After a recent sales rep’s departure, I needed to re-assign all of his active accounts and deals, to ensure nothing fell through the proverbial crack.  Then it hit me. I don’t have my CRM. I’ll have to go from memory…Hold on…I’m almost 50!  I don’t have any memory!

• Members of my sales team (yes, those same ones that said “I hate CRM” a year ago) are bugging me to death, asking “When can I get my CRM back?”  Emails….phone calls…personal visits to my home. They won’t leave me alone!

 Is it possible that I've finally given CRM a real chance, leveraged it to make myself and my team better, and now I actually miss it??!! What is the world coming to?

Sorry to cut this short, but I've got to send another email to find out when I'm getting my CRM back.

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