How to Stop Your Reps from Dreading CRM Data Entry

CRM adoption. Two words which are enough to run a chill down a revenue leader’s spine.

Less than 40% of companies have full-scale adoption of a CRM. Why? 

The #1 challenge while adopting or working with a CRM is data entry leading to an even bigger problem of CRM failures. No wonder, 23% of people say that manual data entry is one of the major barriers of beginning to use a CRM or the challenges of using one regularly.

This is where the revenue leaders must jump in to ensure that CRM usage is not seen as a punishment, but rather as a valuable tool that eases their sales reps’ day-to-day lives.

Don’t know where to start? Fret not! 

In this article, we will address the pain points of your reps while dealing with CRM data entry and how you can stop them from dreading it. In the end, we will also be sharing a tool that can take away all the data entry fatigue. 

Ep #11: Components of a Modern Sales Tech Stack

Reps Dread CRM Data Entry

No prizes for guessing that reps HATE CRM data entry. Yet they are inundated time and again to spend time on this manual task. Rather than helping them sell more.

RevOps tech stack expert Don Otvos outlines his approach to getting rid of the data entry fear.

But before we solve it for you, let’s discuss why the CRM dashboard instills dread in the minds of reps using it.

1. Disconnect from selling 

When reps spend a major chunk of time punching data into the CRM system, they may feel disconnected from the core purpose of their job, which is – to sell and build relationships with customers. 

Engaging in data entry tasks can pull them away from actively interacting with potential clients, leading to frustration and a sense of detachment from their primary sales goals.

2. Perceived lack of value

Some reps may struggle to see the direct benefits of data entry in their day-to-day selling activities. They might question whether the time and effort invested in feeding information into the CRM actually contribute to closing deals. 

This perception can make data entry feel like a mundane and non-rewarding task, resulting in reluctance and disinterest.

3. Time-consuming & tedious nature 

Manual data entry is quite frustrating as its repetitive and time-consuming which further requires careful attention to detail. 

Reps end up spending a significant time of their workday typing in information, updating records, and managing records which can be mentally draining and lead to reduced job satisfaction. Instead, reps prefer to invest their time & energy in more impactful sales-related activities.

CRM data entry bogs down your sales as 35% of salespeople are spending over an hour a day on data entry work eating up the time they should be spending on selling.

4. Increased workload

Sales reps have the most demanding schedules and on top of their schedules comes the dreadful CRM data entry. 

It can feel like an additional burden creating a sense of overwhelm, as reps need to balance their selling responsibilities with the admin task of maintaining accurate and updated CRM records.

5. Data privacy concerns

Dealing with customer data requires a high level of responsibility and discretion. Reps may worry about the potential consequences of mishandling sensitive customer information or accidentally sharing confidential data with unauthorized individuals. 

These concerns add to the stress and anxiety of the data entry process, as reps are always trying to maintain data privacy and adhere to relevant regulations.

5 Ways to Stop your Reps from Dreading CRM Data Entry 

RevOps can make things easier for the reps by deploying tools and streamlining processes. We will discuss these in detail now. 

1. Simplify the data entry process & use automation

The first and foremost thing to do for getting rid of the reps’ fear is to make things easy for them. How? One word – automation. 

By automating data entry processes, you can relieve the burden on your sales reps. The automation tools work quietly in the background, eliminating the need for reps to manually input data saving them 8+ hours of time every week. 

As Don Otvos aptly puts it, 

Additionally, you may use tools that are compatible with mobile devices allowing reps to update information on the go, further easing the data entry burden.

2. Incorporate voice-to-text and AI assistants

Typing lengthy notes and updates can be a time-consuming task for sales reps. You may deploy voice-to-text functionality, to enable reps to dictate their interactions, follow-ups, and insights directly into the CRM. 

AI-powered assistants can transcribe voice inputs accurately and categorize them appropriately, ensuring data integrity while saving valuable time for your sales team.

3. Integration with sales tools

Make sure you integrate the CRM with other sales tools to improve the data entry completeness by eliminating duplicate efforts and ensuring a holistic view of customer interactions. 

For instance, when a sales rep schedules a meeting in their calendar, the CRM should automatically update the relevant contact’s record with the appointment details. 

Similarly, integrate email clients so that reps can easily log email interactions and track correspondence history within the CRM.

4. Real-time alerts

To prevent data entry tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming, implement real-time alerts and notifications. 

Notify reps about essential tasks, follow-ups, or deadlines through the CRM. With timely reminders, sales reps can promptly act on essential tasks preventing any lapses in customer communication. 

For instance, Nektar Buzz pushes the right insights to the right people at the right time. The sights are directly sent to Slack or Teams so that sales teams can be alerted about deals in real-time without adopting yet another dashboard. 

5. Showcase the value of CRM data

Communicate the importance of accurate and timely CRM data to your sales team. Regularly share success stories and use case scenarios that illustrate how leveraging CRM data has directly contributed to closing deals, understanding customer needs, and creating tailored sales strategies. 

By demonstrating the tangible benefits of data entry, reps will realize the impact of their efforts on their sales performance, fostering a sense of ownership and commitment to maintaining accurate CRM records.

Caroline Holt, VP Revenue Training & Enablement at Bonterra, puts it well, 

Why you Should Care About Accurate CRM Data

Data entry alone is not enough, you need to be equipped with accurate and pristine data. Accurate CRM data can make a difference in the bigger picture of your business in more ways than one. Here’s how. 

1. Higher rep productivity

By making it easier for your reps to feed the CRM data entry, you can save time for them to focus on more strategic and revenue-generating activities. 

They can invest their time in building relationships with prospects, identifying new opportunities, and devising effective sales strategies leading to improved company-wide rep productivity.  

2. Clean insights

Clean insights mean clear visibility into deals in the pipeline that allows reps to focus their effort on deals that need attention. 

With reliable insights, they can identify the potential bottlenecks and opportunities that are more likely to close. This visibility also leads to smarter resource allocation and efficient sales processes. 

The RevOps tech stack expert, Don Otvos aptly puts it 

3. Better sales coaching

A CRM fed with accurate data enables sales managers to pinpoint exact gap areas in the sales pipeline where reps may need coaching or support. 

Whether it’s addressing a particular stage in the sales cycle where deals tend to stall or identifying common challenges faced by reps, managers can provide targeted coaching for better team performance.

Don concisely reveals the essence of his approach:

4. More closed deals 

Well-organized CRM datasets directly impact the bottom line. With accurate CRM data, reps can close deals faster and prospect efficiently. 

As more deals are successfully closed, it translates to increased revenue for the company. The success of closing deals boosts the motivation and morale of the sales team putting you in a win-win situation. 

5. Higher ROI from CRM 

Investing in a CRM system like Salesforce can yield returns only when the data within the platform is accurately maintained. With organized data, the company can extract meaningful insights, make data-driven decisions, and optimize its sales & marketing strategies. 

Deploying tools with zero rep adoption to maintain clean data inside your Salesforce CRM can take the ROI up a notch. 

Let Nektar Eliminate the Data Entry Fatigue

We get how stressful manual CRM data entry can be for your sales reps. That’s where Nektar comes in to relieve your team from the burden of manual data entry. 

Nektar is designed to empower your CRM with comprehensive contact lists by auto-capturing information from your reps’ inboxes, calendars, and Zoom meetings. Through smart segmentation, it clearly identifies account contacts and Opportunity Contact Roles (OCR) based on their involvement and affinity with ongoing opportunities. 

You can get valuable intelligence on buyer-seller relationships and engagement with an automated buying committee map. Nektar also enriches each contact by adding job titles and phone numbers. This ensures they are automatically updated whenever any changes occur. 

The best part? Your reps don’t have to lift a finger for all of this. Nektar works in the background and requires no adoption. Giving your reps their valuable time back to focus on what they do best – selling.

Get in touch with one of the Nektar experts here. 

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