Why Sales Reps Hate CRM's

CRM's have been around for a while, but it wasn't until salesforce became a big data monster did sales reps even pay attention to what was entered into their company CRM. Well now you have to pay attention, because if you don't, it may cost you your job.

 "Good morning sales reps, and we want to know what you're doing every minute of every day including your days off, and if you don't want to do it.  Well, you're fired."

Dear Sales Manager, screw you and your stupid cloud.

I have worked with a number of different online territory management "tools", and salesforce is the best and the worst.  It's the best because it offers a lot of content and capability, if you know how to use it correctly.  It's the worst because now it makes your boss conscious of every move you make in the field, and it takes up all your time to "fill in the blanks" of your work day.  It's really not a tool for the sales team, but more of a way to track a rep's activity.  That's right I said it.

Everyone one who reads this and works with, or for a CRM, will be upset by that remark, and make comments on how effective it is in the field. Reps spend 5 hours a week in some cases just entering all the data required. And for what?  So the managers know what you're doing every minute, of every hour, of every day.  Why do they need to know that information, if you're selling? If you are not selling, rather than enter data into your CRM, maybe you should get off your butt and go out in the field to sell.  Companies really need a CRM so when you leave or get fired someone can pick up right where you left off.  That's it, in a nutshell.  Designers can tell me its made to assist reps, and believe me CRM's do help with information and scheduling, but really it's a management tool to monitor activity...not that there's anything wrong with that.  Sales reps are an asset and assets need to be managed.  I know that's cold but it's the truth.

So why do sales reps hate CRM's?  Because like anyone else we don't want to be a number, or just an asset to be monitored.  We want to feel like we're a person not a piece of property.

Years ago, after attending corporate training on a variety of subjects including hiatal hernias, and pressure ulcers. And yes I'm being serious.  I received a phone call and a corresponding email 9 months later informing me that I wasn't filling out the fields correctly in Salesforce. Subsequently this was confusing everyone, and by everyone I mean the people at corporate monitoring sales activity.  I, personally, wasn't confused with the information. but apparently the "watch dogs" at corporate didn't appreciate my brevity of sales data. I informed them that the hour session at corporate that they spent going over the damn thing wasn't really enough time to grasp what the hell I was supposed to be entering, and if they wanted it done correctly they might want to spend a little more than 60 minutes covering the subject.  On a phone call at 5 am Pacific Time, which didn't catch me in the best of moods, here is the answer I received:

"Go to Youtube and check out the online tutorials.  They'll explain how it works.", my corporate trainer advised me on how to resolve the issue.

"Wait.  What?  You want me to learn on my own because the training wasn't adequate enough at corporate?"

"There is a lot to cover for new hires and we rely on these videos to help you. You need to review the videos and then start entering in your contacts, events, opportunities, and information correctly."

"I'm at 120% to quota right now and you want me to spend one hour each day to learn Salesforce? Why?"

"What do you mean why?  Because you have to do it. That's why!  Everyone has to do it."

"But why? It doesn't make sense.  Wouldn't my time be better spent in the field?"

"I'm not your manager so I can't answer that question."

"Even if you are not my manager, how is this helping me sell accounts?"

"What do you mean?  It helps you track all of the information you have regarding accounts, and it has all your marketing pieces and you can even email people straight from salesforce.com.  It's an invaluable tool for the sales reps."

"I have a day planner for scheduling on my iphone which is synced to my laptop computer which helps me schedule appointments in Outlook, so why do I need salesforce.  Especially since we have a separate website dedicated to marketing pieces. So again, why do I need to use salesforce?"

"What?  You need salesforce because everything is in one place and it's a handy reference tool for the reps.  What do you mean?  You can track events and opportunities and see how much progress your making.  Are you saying you're not going to fill out the information?"

"No, that's not what I'm saying.  I'm saying that this is all BS.  Salesforce is not a tool for me it's a tool to track me. I have plenty of tools to help me; a laptop, a iphone, a sales binder. And if I don't know my opportunities off the top of my head and need a CRM to help me track them, then I'm a loser.  Salesforce isn't helping me, it's helping corporate keep an eye on me."

" No it's not.  I don't want to have this conversation anymore.  Do you want me to call your manager?", I could tell that my phone call was upsetting her.  It was as if I were questioning someone's faith. I could see that she had drank the CRM Kool-Aid.  But again, her job depended on that Kool-Aid.

"You can call her, but I asked her the same question.  Just admit that it's created to track our results and not to help us and I'll hang up the phone and review the tutorials."

"I will not say that.  It's an invaluable tool to help you schedule your day, manage your territory,  and assist you in the field."

"No it's not . It takes me out of the field and I can schedule my day on Outlook. It's designed so that all the relevant information I accumulate is saved for the company, if I leave or get fired.  Just say it and I'll hang up. C'mon admit it. You know it's true?", I said and then chuckled to try and keep things light.  She didn't respond in kind.

"I will not.  I'm calling your manager the minute we end this call and maybe you WILL get fired."

"Sorry, but they don't fire reps at 120%.  20% yes, but not 120%. If you say it's made to monitor my activity I'll hang up right now and review the tutorials."

"I won't.  I will say this, if you don't start filling it out correctly I will report it to the VP, which I'm going to do anyway and you'll be in trouble."

"Okay suit yourself.  I'll call my manager right now.  Thanks for the phone call and I'll review those tutorials just so I don't get in trouble."

"Good.  I'm glad you came to your senses.  Can I expect the information to updated by Monday of next week?"

"Sure.  Cause I'm sure everyone will be looking at it to make sure I'm entering in my data correctly, not whether I'm selling or not."

"Regardless of what you think.  It must done."

"I'm sorry but I'm going to have to go now, I have to rearrange my schedule and cancel a few appointments this week so I can make sure I get my salesforce homework done.  Have a nice day."

"Your manager will be..." Click, and I hung up the phone.

"Hmmm. Must of dropped the call. FU and F salesforce."  I said to myself, and I went back to reviewing pictures of weird people at Walmart on Youtube.  There would be plenty of time to review the tutorials later. 

I think that gives you all a general idea of how many sales reps might feel about having to account for every second they are on the job.  It's time consuming and invasive.  If there were a company out there with any ambition, it might want to make the use of CRM's both fun and interactive for the reps.  The job is hard enough, but having to provide evidence of where you are at every minute is a pain in the ass, especially if you're above quota! We're sales reps not criminals.

Who out there has the right amount of ambition to make this happen?