Salesforce Workflow Automation for SMEs: 4 Reasons to Integrate It

With 80% of overall businesses already leveraging automation, reports published suggest that small businesses are leading the board with 18% of them leveraging automation compared to 15% of the medium enterprises.

The integration of salesforce automation comes in handy in more ways than one. From automating to simplifying the sales-related tasks, SFA allows businesses to focus on work that matters including customer engagement and lead generation.

So, if you own a small and medium sized enterprise (SME), integration of salesforce workflow automation can be a boon to improve the efficiency of the sales processes.

4 Reasons Why Your SME Needs Salesforce Workflow Automation

SMEs, for the most part, work with limited staff, which explains the need for an efficient sales process. This is where the integration of SFA tools come into the picture.

Following are a few reasons that highlight the need of salesforce automation for SMEs:

1. In the sales process, the easiest way to improve workflow efficiency is by eliminating redundant tasks. This is what SFA automates, allowing the sales team to have more time to allocate to other valuable tasks in the sales cycle.
2. SFA tools like 1Channel have a well-developed and comprehensive dashboard, which provides access to accurate data and insights, allowing the sales team and the managers to make data-driven decisions for favourable outcomes.
3. Customer experience is the main outlook for every business. With SFA software, SMEs can centralise the customer information in one place, automate the follow-ups and foster a better customer relationship and build better brand loyalty.
4. Customisable and flexible SFA tools like 1Channel grow and scale alongside your business. With room for adjustments, the tools can have added functionalities that tend to the growing needs of the business.

10 Core Features of SFA Solutions for SMEs to Look Out For

When you are on the hunt for the best salesforce process automation software, you need to be mindful of the features. From customisation to mobile access, these advanced tools are equipped with numerous features that cater to the business needs of SMEs.

Following are a list of the leading SFA features that would benefit SMEs:

Location and Time Tracking: Monitor the activities of the sales team in real-time.

Market Intelligence: Get access to valuable data like competitor insights, customer preferences, and sales trends.

In-store Sales, Primary and Tertiary Sales Tracking: Have an overall look into the in-store and different levels of sales transactions.

Channel Sales Management: Streamline channel partner interactions to get better insights into channel sales and performance.

Retail Execution and Merchandising: Keep a check on the display products and ensure promotions are visible in store with proper inventory and stocks.

Gamification: Includes features like leaderboards, badges, and rewards for sales achievements for better enthusiasm among channel partners and influencers.

Geo-Tagging and Geo-Fencing: Keep a record of location of the sales activities and also set up virtual boundaries across locations.

Real-Time Visibility and Reporting: Access to sales data, team performance, inventory levels, in a single place.

Beat Planning: Organise the daily routes and schedules of field sales team.

Leaderboard: Keep a record of top performing sales representatives to foster healthy competition.

A culmination of these features in the salesforce workflow tools will ensure that your sales cycle is reduced and the sales success is amplified.

3 Benefits of Using SFA for SMEs

Now that you have a clear understanding of the need for salesforce workflow automation, it is vital that we also peek into the benefits of this tool.

1. Lower Operational Costs

One of the biggest benefits of harnessing SFA into the workflow of your SME is to reduce the operational costs. With the elimination of mundane administrative tasks, especially with the manual data entry, it becomes easier for businesses to divert their focus onto the more important tasks at hand. So, for SMEs, which are often working on lean budgets, the upfront cost of SFA software can later save a lot on operational costs.

2. Increased Sales Efficiency

Outcomes like centralised data, automated workflow and effective lead management allow the sales team to channelise their focus on the more crucial tasks at hand. Instead of following up manually one by one, SFA tools streamline the process with automated yet personalised messages. This, in turn, streamlines the sales efficiency, leading to better conversions. Closing sales become second nature for the sales team in that case.

3. Enhanced Customer Retention

With so much competition, businesses need to be on top of their game when it comes to customer relationship management. Integrating SFA with CRM thus leads to better customer retention. It provides the customers a more personalised experience, translating to better brand loyalty and repeat purchases in the future.

Tips for Implementing SFA Cost-Effectively for your SME

For SMEs, being able to successfully integrate SFA solutions into your business can be transformative and change the course of business growth.

Following are a few tips that can streamline that process for you:

1. If you are convinced about implementing SFA for your small or medium enterprise, the first step is to choose the right software. You want to pick a software that will complement your current operations and make the transition quite smooth. So, always choose SFA software with core and customisable features like 1Channel provides.
2. When implementing SFA into your SME, it goes without saying that every team member will be utilising the software. Hence, rigorous and uplifting training of the team through workshops and real-time practical demonstrations is a must.
3. SFA tools do a lot more than simply automate the sales process and mundane workflow. Instead, the data that it aggregates and sorts out in the centralised dashboard is nothing short of liquid gold for SMEs. You can analyse and then utilise that data to refine your marketing strategies for the better.
4. To maximise the efficiency of the SFA tool, it is mandatory that you couple it with the existing systems in the business including CRM or other inventory systems. Doing so provides a comprehensive view of the customer data, allowing businesses to streamline the workflow across varying departments.

1Channel’s SFA Solutions: A Cost-Effective Choice for SMEs

For SMEs looking to achieve growth without stretching budgets, salesforce workflow automation is a beneficial inclusion in your business. From providing actionable insights to improving customer experience, these solutions are designed to support your SME’s sales and business growth.

Is Your SME Ready for SFA? With 1Channel, you can implement an automation solution that is tailored to your business’ needs, budget and growth aspirations.

Book your free demo with us today!