Door to Door Cable Sales & Auditing 101

How to Choose a Best Of Breed CRM

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Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is all about finding better ways to manage the interaction between your company and prospective/existing/lost clients. The ultimate goal is to increase operating margins through sales efficiency, ancillary selling (up and cross selling), reducing churn and persuading lost clients to return.

Because CRM applies to virtually any industry the probability of having off-the-shelf software to meet your all your needs is slim-to-none. This is particularly true in the cable industry where specialization has turned out to be a good thing. Specialization and experience in the industry has resulted in software that is architecturally sound, scalable, easily customized, as well as user friendly. Most importantly, Best of Breed CRM software can integrate Sales Force Automation (SFA) , Tap Audits and Customer Survey modules.

Tips for Choosing a Best of Breed cable CRM software

When cable operators are choosing a CRM There are three very important factors to consider. These factors include, understanding what you need, choosing a CRM with the right features and making sure you have a quality vendor. The following checklist will help guide you.

1. Determining your needs by analyzing your workflow
• Identify your pain, where are the bottlenecks and other points of inefficiency?
• Know what your churn rate is and why a CRM will effect.
• Know your DSR turnover rate and identify why this occurring.
• How will the situation differ in 3-5 years, specifically the competitive environment and what growth you expect.
• Listen to your managers as their feedback is critical to achieve buy-in.
2. Does the CRM you are considering purchasing
• Run on a Windows Platform?
• Designed specifically for the cable industry? If not there may be a need for wasteful customization.
• Integrate with barcode scanners?
• Allow for offline reporting?
• Directly import customer data from ICOMS, CSG, or AMDOCS including back balance inquiries and cable packages/campaigns?
• Classify customer levels of service for Video, Phone, Data and WiMax?
• Perform route generation using any field and level of service in order to optimize route type sales or optimized for speed (route information only)?
• Use Quick Sales Disposition (clicks versus typing) in other words clicking off responses on display versus typing them in?
• Update customer information directly from handheld device?
• Run credit checks at or prior to a sale?
• Include handheld devices that can record a sale, print a receipt and schedule a work order?
• Provide one-stop shop/repair for mobile device, software and printer so you can avoid multiple vendors?
• Have proven results in the Cable industry?
• Provide access to any CPE on the account?
• Provide seamless integration with Tap Audit and Customer Survey modules thus allowing auditors to convert unauthorized users on the spot or surveyors to immediately up-sell? and Customer Survey Modules thus allowing for auditors to make sales out of disconnects?
3. Does the Vendor you are considering purchasing the software from:
• Have a verifiable history in cable, with references, showing sales and audit productivity increases within 30 days of deployment?
• Have a stable profitable history?
• Have a technical support staff with low turnover and high cable industry knowledge in order to maximize productive time?
• Have experienced project managers who the know the cable industry and ensure the system is set up correctly the first time?
• Have qualified trainers to ensure maximum adoption rates?

Choosing the right CRM for your cable company is crucial to improving sales efficiencies, lowering turnover and decreasing churn. To be a high industry performer, think through you CRM decision carefully.