Empowerment Tools: From Daily Journal to CRM

When I was a boy in primary school, we had a daily journal. It was small but thick enough to cover the entire school year. Each page, as you would expect, had a place for the date. Each day had a section for what was done and what homework was required for the next class.

In those days, the first and second-grade teachers would dictate our plans to us! We were told exactly what to write in the journal. Its purpose was meant to be a reporting tool for my parents. And that did not go well with me…  I had good grades, but it was killing my joy. I did not feel in charge and certainly not responsible.

Then in third grade, a teacher by the name of Mr. Michel was teaching math. Mr. Michel's approach to learning was very different. In Mr. Michel's class, we started learning how to resolve math problems at our own pace. That was the first time I was in charge. That year, I was so excited about homework, I still remember working late at night in that thick math book. Math became fun for me; it was more like a game now! The journal became more personalized and was not dictated to us. It became a useful tool for me, my teacher, and my parents.

We need to look at CRM from the same paradigm. How is CRM helping us – Individually and collectively? We all have a different approach to work. Still, one thing is important to consider: is CRM empowering me and my team to get better at what we do?

I started using CRM early on.  It was the tool that helped me stay focused on my next activities. It kept me organized, and it was easy to pull a list to give to someone to use in a marketing campaign. My first contact management tool was Act! Then I graduated to more robust CRM platforms. Now I’m a Microsoft Dynamics 365 user.

Today, CRM gives much more to the individual. It is no longer a tool that helps just the sales team. It helps everyone work together. At our company, the entire organization is involved in using our CRM. For sales, it is where we find new leads, maintain our sales activities, manage our pipeline, and gather our notes. For marketing, it connects marketing platforms, provides the leads, creates lists for campaigns, and shows their impact on revenue. For customer service, it is a place to track time and make sure that our customers are happy and followed up with promptly. For operations, it is our company’s contact database. CRM is a decision tool.  It enables us to focus on what is most important right now.  Whether that be a hot deal, the best campaign, or the most important support.

Ultimately CRM is a collaborative tool helping everyone to be in the "zone" and productive at work on the right task more easily and with more joy!

At TopLine Results, we prioritize productivity and efficiency.  If you’d like us to help you navigate this space, contact us by calling 1-800-880-1960 or email info@toplineresults.com.