As in most technology categories, evolution is inevitable, and sales enablement is no different. Change is good and is usually motivated by customer problems or challenges that need to be fixed. Consider CRM, and the many challenges that have plagued adoption of these systems. Even after decades since their inception, failure rates for CRM can run as high as 50%, yet if properly implemented, CRM ROI can exceed 245% (Forrester).
So where’s the disconnect and how do we save sales enablement technology from suffering the same fate as other sales tech solutions? For starters, we’ve always believed that ease-of-use is critical for adoption and success. From the beginning, we wanted to engineer a sales enablement platform that was easy to use, which is why we leveraged the power of the Apple iPad and iOS to provide a familiar, intuitive interface to get sales professionals working productively as quickly as possible. We’re also big believers in creating a sales solution that is easy to customize, to match and optimize the unique sales process of each and every customer. That we thought, would help promote faster and broader adoption within an organization.
And we’re not alone here. The importance of UX and customization are mentioned by a few industry experts as key requirements for the future:
- Leading analyst firm Gartner provided two key takeaways from their October 2018 SAM report: “Assess (SE) vendors based on the scope of their sales enablement platform capabilities because application integration and customization capabilities are important for realizing long-term value from these tools.
- According to Forrester the three critical SEA capabilities include user experience, integration, and prescriptive content, respectively. Forrester is also of the opinion that customers who invest in a “custom experience” will surely deliver a best-in-class experience.
- SiriusDecisions mentions “They (sales professionals) have learning preferences, preferences for certain assets and [preferences for] the environment in which they work. If you look at the user-centric design principle, the organizations doing this have great success with it, but it’s not as easy as it seems and it’s not one-size-fits-all.”
We agree. Our approach to sales enablement is and has always been creating a solution with a “custom fit”. Your solution should be designed to complement the way your sales people sell, minimizing disruption and maximizing team-wide success. We achieve this by combining our set of core features with add-on modules to custom-build solutions in as little as a few days, not months. It’s our belief (and one we see being gaining traction in the marketplace) that a custom-built app will make using it much easier, enabling any sales team to operate on the same basic set of tools, content, and standard (or interactive) presentations, so they can better sell, cross-sell, and upsell from a simple, easy-to-use home screen.
Customization can help sales people optimize meeting preparation and follow-up, and help them successfully navigate through conversations with the right content, anytime, or anywhere. A custom solution built to address your specific needs will also help expedite onboarding, training and continuous learning which are critical for achieving and sustaining success.
Customization doesn’t need to be a long, ultra-expensive process either. Gone are the days of 6-12-month service engagements. Most sales enablement app’s can be designed and built in a matter of weeks – if you follow a proven methodology, or select a vendor with a workshop approach that breaks down the development process into manageable chunks, such as:
- Ideation to accurately identify your sales approach and set of unique sales requirements.
- Creation, design and validation of your prototype, then custom designed to adhere to your brand guidelines and include all necessary sales tools and collateral.
- Customization to include additional special features or capabilities needed to extend the power of your Beehivr app
- Integration to enterprise CMS, CRM, and other systems seamlessly to your salesman app
- Training with classroom instruction, fully documented training manuals and workshops based on your needs
Sales enablement tech need not be a one-size-fits-all proposition. Learn more about customization by reading our services page. You’re SE solution should be has unique and effective as your top sales people. Custom build it, and they will come!