"Workflow" has such a nice ring to it. We've all been in situations where our work does anything but flow, whether from miscommunication, lack of clear direction, or overwhelming demands. On the other hand, with a properly implemented workflow, your work can, in fact, flow.

A workflow, according to BusinessDictionary.com, is a "progression of steps (tasks, events, interactions) that comprise a work process, involve two or more persons, and create or add value to the organization's activities." These steps can be sequential, meaning one has to follow another, or parallel, in which multiple steps can be carried out simultaneously. But how exactly do workflows "create or add value?" And how can yoursales process successfully implement workflows?

Benefits of Using Workflows

Workflows offer many benefits to sales teams, and to companies in general. They allow your entire sales process to go through a predefined, clearly established set of protocols, so that there is no questioning or second-guessing about what to do next. This can help to streamline all of your activities throughout the day, so that you can spend your time and energy on the things that really need your attention.

For example, when a marketing initiative generates several leads, how does your team prioritize them? Without a clear set of guidelines, it could be up to each salesperson to determine which leads should be put at the top of the list, and even which sales process they will follow - which increases the chance of inconsistent customer experiences. That's a risky approach, and potentially a highly inefficient one. However, with a well-designed workflow in place, there should be little doubt as to which leads are higher priorities or what the business process is, and your team can focus on converting the right leads. This will make your sales enablement efforts much more efficient, and can actually enhance your clients' customer experience, since your team is able to spend more time and resources delivering on their needs, instead of trying to set up their own hastily-constructed guidelines, and chasing after cold leads.

Another benefit in larger organizations is the ability to smoothly transition customer relationship management between departments. With clear protocols in place, other departments such as customer service, repair services, marketing, and so on, will know exactly when to hand potential customers over to sales.

So, with all these benefits, you may be asking how your company can incorporate workflows into your day-to-day operations. Here are some examples of how a workflow can be implemented.

Workflows in Action

The Signup Form Workflow. This workflow could begin when a lead comes in via a signup form on your company website. Your CRM automatically records this interaction, and then assigns the lead to a salesperson based on location, and possibly experience level.
The Followup Phone Call Workflow. Another possibility is that CRM sends an automatic, customized thank you email to the lead. A follow-up phone call is assigned to the salesperson.
The Booked Appointment Workflow. Or the thank you email includes a CTA button. The lead decides to click on the CTA button in the email, which in turn takes them to a booking calendar. At this point, the lead books an appointment. An automatic confirmation email is sent to the lead. With the appointment booked, a new meeting activity is created in the salesperson's calendar.
The Signed Contract Workflow. Or perhaps the lead signs a contract with the company. A follow-up CRM activity is created for the salesperson, and an onboarding email is automatically sent to the new customer. A CRM activity would then be created for the onboarding manager to follow up.
The Webinar Attendee Workflow. Your company hosts a webinar. The webinar attendee list is manually imported into CRM. Subsequently, a CRM activity is created for the salesperson to follow up with new leads generated as a result of the webinar.

Really, the variety of effective workflows is nearly limitless. Well-planned and diligently executed workflows allow for a certain amount of automation in sales, which can be of great benefit to busy salespeople. At the same time, workflows empower salespeople to enhance their sales pipeline management, and significantly increase their customer conversion rates. If you'd like more information on how to effectively implement workflows into your daily sales processes, contact us today.

Share: https://www.greenrope.com/blog/Blog540/Easy-Workflows-You-Can-Start-Using-Today

Share Category "Customer Experience":
https://www.greenrope.com/blog/BlogCategory17/Customer-Experience

Share Category "How-To":
https://www.greenrope.com/blog/BlogCategory2/How-To

Share Category "Marketing Automation":
https://www.greenrope.com/blog/BlogCategory16/Marketing-Automation

Share Category "Sales":
https://www.greenrope.com/blog/BlogCategory6/Sales

Share Category "SMB":
https://www.greenrope.com/blog/BlogCategory10/SMB

Sales

Marketing

Operations

Creative

Implementation

Training

CRM for Agencies

CRM for Nonprofits

Sales Workflows that You Can Start Using Today

Benefits of Using Workflows

Workflows in Action