We’ve all heard the expression, “New day, same old stuff,” or some variation thereof. In some ways that statement can be applied to CRM, or so says one marketing writer.

While acknowledging that “CRM has evolved extensively” over the last few decades, Nick Balletta, in his MarketingTool blog on Tuesday for Media Post, documented the course CRM has followed over the years he has been using it and, in spite of cloud CRM, has found that much of what he experienced with CRM (although it wasn’t called that then) remains the same today as it was years ago. 

Balletta points out that original “CRM” system s were really database management systems used to by sales management to track the work and progress of their sales reps while also keeping current on their account statuses “just in case.”   In addition, the reports generated by these systems were valuable in keeping upper corporate management apprised of sales activity. 

However, Balletta believes the main reasons CRM tool s were used then and now is that the observation of whether or not sales reps are conscientious and adept at using the CRM tools provides a good read on how proficient they are at actually selling. He wrote:

 “In my experience, it was evident that sales people who were best at managing the CRM tool of the day were often the least successful sales people. Also, if you had a sales rep who was consistently obtaining and exceeding quota and wasn't great on updating the CRM tool, you let them slide.” You let them slide, he explained, because you hire sales people to sell, not “to build and run reports.”

So, even though CRM may exist in the cloud these days, Balletta maintains that some fundamental challenges remain the same. The difference, he says, is that now, “The ‘database’ is integrated with e-mail marketing tools and allows sales and marketing to run comprehensive campaigns. The database software exists in ‘the cloud’ and can be accessed and updated through mobile devices.” And although this evolution may sound like what he calls, “customer relationship Nirvana” (tongue in cheek), Balletta brings up some real issues that have always existed with every form of CRM and should be addressed regardless of whether or not a CRM application is hosted in the cloud.

To begin with, he says to be wary of sales people, especially newbies and flounderers, who just fill up the database to create an illusion of activity. He suggests sales management let sales reps know this is taken seriously while at the same time taking steps to ensure the database stays current. The integration of e-mail marketing tools with CRM should help to make this step easier, he says.

Next (this guy has a sense of humor), Balletta says to “eat your own dog food” (that’s the title he gave this particular blog, by the way). By that he means that sales management should set an example by using the CRM tools in the way they want the reps to use them. “By utilizing the CRM as the default tool for the entire sales organization, you are ensuring that everyone is speaking the same language,” he wrote. Plus he said this could drive more sales.

Finally, it’s important to show sales reps how CRM tools can be beneficial to them, Balletta believes. He said to emphasis the bottom line to tell reps that “understanding the connection between the CRM, the company's economic goals and your personal success will help determine how you communicate with your customers.” The integration of e-mail marketing tools will also produce the leads that will demonstrate to reps the importance of maintaining good data.

Taken together, all of this points to one thing: “the sales tools are as good as the sales people who use them,” Balletta says. That is why it is so important for sales organizations to “train sales people to incorporate the CRM into their deal cycle,” whether it’s cloud CRM or your father’s database management system.