Prioritize Sales Rep Adoption When Implementing a New Tool

We often are asked two related questions. First, does Revenue.io work with existing phone systems? Next, what needs to be in place to use Revenue.io? The answers are actually very simple: yes, and nothing. By design, Revenue.io is extremely easy to implement and can be integrated with your existing framework in a number of ways.

Since every sales team is different, Revenue.io can accommodate a variety of unique needs. Revenue.io is integrated in a manner that best helps them meet their goals. We can improve your current sales process by adding Revenue.io to your existing sales stack, or develop an entirely new process using Revenue.io.

This raises important considerations that are applicable to all sales tools, from CRMs, to email applications, to dialers. How does the addition of that particular tool affect your reps’ daily sales activities, and once you purchase this new tool or application, how do you ensure your sales reps will actually use it? The goals of any sales tool should be a 100% adoption and a positive impact.

How Much Will Your Sales Processes Change?

Outside of the typical technological considerations, you must examine how your new application will impact your current sales process. Does it significantly alter your reps routines? If so, does it create a positive impact? Will the change be easy for your reps to make? What new habits or processes will be learned? Do the alterations benefit your organization as whole?

Revenue.io, will seamlessly blend with and improve your existing tools and process, or create an entirely new sales process with increased efficiencies and effectiveness. For example, we can use call forwarding to work with your existing desk phones, or eliminate the use of a desk phone completely. This therefore allows you to make a choice. Keep the same tools your reps are completely familiar with, or build upon your current process.

Onboarding and Sales Rep Adoption

So you’ve invested in a new sales application. Now it’s time to get reps on board and back up to speed as quickly as possible. Here are three ways to drive adoption of your new sales tool:

Involve Reps Early

More often than not, sales applications are introduced to reps without any prior input from them. You can drive adoption and garner more enthusiasm when you involve reps from the start. Have them watch demos or even run a trial of potential tools so they can find the one that is most effective in their day-to-day actions. This also speeds up adoption because it generates excitement for the upcoming applications and produces familiarity with the tool before it is implemented.  

Keep it Simple

When it’s time to bring your new sales application to your reps, do not position it as just another piece of technology that they are required to use. The application should seamlessly blend with your existing systems in a manner that provides value to your reps. In the same vein, the tool shouldn’t require that reps work outside of their normal processes. For example, it would be counterproductive for reps to dial numbers manually, instead of simply clicking the number in Salesforce, which saves significant time.

Set Reps up for Success

Do everything you can to educate your reps on how to properly employ your new sales tools. The more knowledgeable and experienced they are with the applications, the faster the adoption rate. Hold brief user training sessions and provide step-by-step how-to guides. Also, you should have early adopters share best practices and show how they use the tool on a daily basis. These reps can also share their success stories to drum up user excitement. You should also ensure all your sales managers are experts in using the tool so they can assist reps at a moment’s notice.

In the end, the best sales tool is one that is the easiest for reps to adopt, and provides the most value to your organization as a whole.