How CRM Can Help When a Key Employee Departs

That good team member built relationships, developed leads and created opportunities . . . let’s call her Jean. She’s developed a sale territory, she created ongoing dialogue and she connected with the clients who could make or break the next quarter. Your company owns the relationships, the leads and the prospects — but what happens with that information when Jean leaves?   In a standard — but far from ideal! — scenario, Jean might have tracked that information in Excel. Unfortunately, that document is in her computer. She can take it all with her when she leaves. Hopefully there’s a non-compete agreement in place. Even if the exit interview goes swimmingly, Jean leaves your company and takes crucial information with her.   But with a good CRM in place, none of that crucial knowledge will leave with the employee. If your data is secure inside a system that can’t be downloaded, can’t be borrowed and can’t be accessed after a departure, then Jean can’t take the clients who belong to the company. It’s not a possibility.   Now, what about all that historical knowledge Jean has? Say Jean met last fall with a client who asked her to check in again in six months. If you’re manually tracking data, this information leaves when Jean leaves. But Dynamics CRM is a true customer relationship management system. Salespeople are tracking their opportunities and all the related information, so if they decide to leave for whatever reason, that new hire can jump right into the territory. Onboarding is easier, so profits don’t take a hit. Bottom line? Jean might leave, but her prospects stay — so your next star salesperson calls that client in six months, just as promised, and secures the sale.   Now, let’s talk about the “brain dump” — all those information bites that are irrelevant on their own, but create a client narrative when put together. Good employees pay good attention to those details, which makes their departures even more painful. Set as many processes and procedures as you like, but without an easy system, those nuggets of detail won’t get recorded. A Microsoft Dynamics CRM offers an opportunity to unload all the knowledge gained at a meeting or on a sales call. Months down the line, the relationship is just as strong . . . whether it’s Jean or the person who takes on her role, no damage has been done.   Dynamics CRM offers a key advantage through Outlook integration (http://www.crmpoint.net/Blog/post/how-outlook-integration-crm-can-transform-sales-and-operations).  That key employee might leave, but her sales-related emails are still available for access. Forget digging through an overflowing inbox: Dynamics CRM tracks what matters.   From conversations to correspondence, CRM keeps all the information together. So when that crucial employee heads to new pastures, your Dynamics CRM already has the details — and your team can wish her all the best and part on the happiest of terms.