![]() Our survey findings confirm that sales managers simply aren't getting the visibility they need to identify risk and spend too much time chasing reps getting a handle on what's actually going to close. ![]() And with spotty data, no idea if or when a key meeting actually took place, or how engaged a prospect is, their conclusions often miss the mark. In the end, managers are forced to make decisions about the likelihood of a deal closing based on what they hear, not based on what they see. And it's precious time that could be better spent on defining a closing strategy rather than interrogating the rep for deal data. It's actually pretty subjective and way less transparent. It turns out that the 1:1 is no Vulcan mind meld (a telepathic union between two beings). ![]() Unfortunately, just 18% find their 1:1s with direct reports to be effective. Without accurate CRM data, managers glean what they can from stale reports and impromptu meetings with their reps. And that's where the mind reading, private detective work, and cat wrangling comes into play. Sadly, only 19% of those managers we surveyed find the data captured in their CRM to be extremely helpful, with 70% admitting that they rely on 1:1 meetings, reports, or team calls to get better visibility into pipeline health. In a way, that's probably for the best-but I digress. Unfortunately, sales reps don't have the resources and discretionary time that a Starfleet commander has-nor do they have a nifty captain's chair from which to bark out a summary of the day's activities and launch the occasional torpedo. Like a CRM, the captain's log works great as long as you have a reliable way to accurately enter and record all of that data. Beyond being a clever way to catch the TV audience up on key plot points, the captain's log was a record-keeping device used to keep superiors abreast of what was happening on a mission and to preserve historical data for future generations. In fairness, the CRM is a little like the captain's log on Star Trek. Findings from a recent Clari survey of enterprise sales organizations reveal that 70% of enterprise sales managers look beyond CRM to find the insights they need to understand deal status. It's hard to get an accurate read on pipeline when your team of strapped-for-time reps either fails to log their activity or captures only scant deal details that don't tell the whole story. On a daily basis, you're compelled to perform the tasks of private investigator, mind reader, cat wrangler, and other sundry professions just to get the job done. If you're a sales manager, you can identify with Bones. And despite his protestations, he inevitably completes the task that needs to be done with whatever seemingly inadequate tools he has on hand. Of course, McCoy's probably best known for his signature catchphrase, "I'm a doctor, not a (insert wildly inappropriate job title here)." He's not a bricklayer or an engineer or an astrophysicist. He's a driven leader and a pragmatist who trusts his instincts and has justifiable reservations about technology. McCoy (aka "Bones") would have made a great 21st century sales manager. Oddly, Enterprise chief medical officer Dr. If the OTC process is like Star Trek, then today's sales manager is the real McCoy. Survey reveals sales managers struggle to understand pipeline health.
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