The competitive world of sales has its fair share of proverbs and clichés, but there’s one old adage that poses a question worth considering – are you selling, or are you closing?

Today, it’s impossible to deny that sales reps who are out in the field appealing to prospects on a day-to-day basis need tools that let them do both. That’s where customer relationship management (CRM) technology enters the picture. Developed to streamline the relationship management process, CRM tech once sounded like a sales dream come true.

Unfortunately, the reality is that many modern systems focus far too much on mundane data entry and other snooze-worthy tasks while overlooking the fact that sales reps prefer tasks that actually help them sell.

That’s a big problem.

Why Old-School CRM Solutions Deserve A Compliment

Despite flaws that sometimes seem fatal for sales users, CRM tech is still generally considered a necessity. Convenient access to customer information is a must, whether you’re gearing up for a pitch or looking for a way to address a longtime customer’s issue. If you intend to remain competitive, however, relying only on CRM software is never going to make the cut.

Instead, businesses looking for an edge should adopt complimentary tools for sales users that ease automate the data entry for sales reps without sacrificing the features your business needs to satisfy its customers. It’s also essential to ensure that the software integrates resources designed to stimulate sales success in the field. With this careful balance of benefits, you’ll get a more data rich CRM system that can be used for all the great behind-the-scenes benefits CRM offers, and sales reps get a tool that helps them sell without having to waste time with data entry.

Which Features Should You Look For?

Think you’re ready to streamline life for your reps? You’ll want to keep certain features in mind. Start by ensuring that your solution allows your sales reps to access the necessary data in a flash, no matter where they are. Instant access to product content makes for a smooth, hiccup-free business meeting, and with key marketing insights at their disposal, your reps should have no trouble relaying your business’s message in a way that makes an impact.

Once you’ve nailed down the perfect sales features, search for a tool that minimizes the burden your reps have to bear when it comes to data entry. Tapping away at a tablet to enter minute updates during every step of the sales process is apt to take a toll on morale and productivity. Sales tools that plug directly into your CRM system to automatically syncs customer data, on the other hand, eliminates this issue, so your team can focus on building the relationships that will make your CRM efforts worth the price.

Plus, keep an eye out for features like integrated call reporting and effortless content-sharing features. They can work wonders by making certain that every member of the team is on the same page.

See How StorySlab Stands Out

Custom-designed to suit the demands of your business, StorySlab is here to set the new standard for complimenting the CRM experience. It’s a turnkey, tablet-based software solution that’s designed to bolster the sales process, and it automatically captures and records key customer information, so your reps don’t have to.