Part 1: CRM in B2B sales

A CRM system is justifiably used in B2B sales in particular. The claim in the sale has grown and good data management is not only an advantage, but a necessity. Moreover, a CRM is often the ideal Supplement to an ERP system. We have listed here which process the system accompanies and which advantages these applications have.

1. The productProducts no longer stand for themselves. Due to the wide range of products on the market, one of many must be convincing. This is the task of marketing and sales. The relevance of data is high and an important basis for argumentation in sales. In the CRM system, this data is available to everyone and stored in a sustainable manner.

2. The participantsSeller and buyer is a model that often no longer applies. The decision-maker side usually has several participants with different expectations. The sales side usually does not consist of just one person either. A CRM system provides support here with the demands made and services offered.

3. The processThe purchase process also deviates from the classic scheme. A sales process can take months or years. With a CRM solution, these processes remain controllable.

4. The documentationThese processes develop completely new masses of data. Unfortunately, these can usually only be standardised in theory. A CRM system enables flexible documentation of the sales process.

5. The overviewTo ensure that flexible documentation does not end in chaos, a clear overview of the process flow must still be visible. Detailed search masks make it possible, for example, to always have access to important information in the CRM.

6. The decision basisDetailed documentation and an overview of the process provide all parties involved with a sound basis for decision-making. Information content must be guaranteed, especially when responsibilities change.

Tools in the CRM system:

Query and report current data for:

the status of individual leads
the potential of a client
the own sales funnel
the team sales funnel

Plannable measures for:

Sales opportunities
employees
the sales team
Cross-selling and up-selling
Cooperation with other departments

Sales management and controlling for:

Resource planning
the target definition
Reporting
the risk management

Click here for part 2: "Introducing CRM in B2B sales"

SAP B1 blog