Table of Contents
- What is Sales Force Automation?
- What are the Key Features of a Sales Force Automation Tool
- Top 10 Sales Force Automation Tools for 2020
What is Sales Force Automation?
Sales force automation is the process of automating sales activities to assist sales teams in their operations of data and lead managementOpens a new window , opportunity tracking, and sales conversions.
This includes time-consuming but monotonous tasks associated with prospect data entry, data segmentation, prospect allocation, and other behind-the-scenes chores. A study conducted by IDC even suggests that sales force automation in CRMs helps in a 30% increase in sales closures.
Sales force automation has now become more advanced with the help of modern technologies like AI and machine learning. The tools offer high-level features such as predictive analytics driven sales forecasting, customer intelligence reports, and account-based marketing that guarantee a significant decrease in sales administration and sales-cycle time.
In this article, let’s discuss the top ten sales force automation software platforms for 2020 and beyond. But before we look at the platforms, let’s understand the key features of a sales force automation tool.
4 Key Must-have Features Of Sales Force Automation Tools
While every sales force automation tool offers its unique modules, we will discuss the key features of sales force automation that every tool must offer.
1. Contact Management
The contact management function includes a complete dashboard of contact information, profiles, interactions, complaints, issues, purchases, notes, emails, and all other activities. Contact management automation helps enhance collaboration across business units such as sales, marketing, and customer services.
2. Lead Management
An automated lead management system saves valuable time of sales professionals and provides them with the right lead information at the right time. Important lead management features include lead capturing, customized lead assignment, real-time lead tracking, and lead segmentation.
3. Opportunity Management
Opportunity tracking is a vital function in the sales pipeline. Automating this function using sales force automation tools can enable real-time data accessibility, opportunity milestone tracking, competitor information, and sales forecasting.
4. Report and Analysis
A robust reporting and analysis dashboard is imperative for every sales force automation tool. This includes customizable reports, performance insights, competitor insights, and sales forecasts.
Top 10 Sales Force Automation Software Tools For 2020
There are various sales force automation tools available in the market that differ from industry to company size as well as business models. This is a listing of the most popular mainstream sales force automation software that offer as many of the must-have features.
However, this is a mature market and specialist tools exist to serve the needs of specific industries, B2B or B2C needs, or even by business scale – for SMBs, mid-size companies and enterprise scale companies. Readers should explore the market for tools that may be custom build to serve their specific context use-case, budget and industry regulations as well.
Let us take a look at the most promising sales force automation software tools for 2020 and beyond.
1. HubSpot CRM – The Hubspot sales tool is an integrated automation system that claims to help boost sales productivity. Known for its inbound marketing strategies, the Hubspot brand is already a favorite among marketers. But what makes it an ideal match for sales force automation are the advanced features offered by the tool.
From automating follow-up emails to personalizing and tailoring every message, the HubSpot Sales tool promises to build real connections for sales professionals. It also offers advanced features such as predictive lead scoring, automated task and deal creation, and document templates along with the basic sales force automation functionalities.
The tool acts as an all-in-one sales software and provides easy integration with G-suite, Office 365, and Outlook. This, along with all the advanced offerings make Hubspot a top contender for our sales force automation tools for 2020.
2. Bitrix 24 – Bitrix 24 is a Customer Relationship ManagementOpens a new window platform that also provides sales force automation functions. It has more than six million users and offers a basic platform for free. This makes it an easy choice for SMBs and start-ups. The tool also offers advanced functionalities that are charged for.
The tool offers features such as lead management, pipeline management, documentation templates, online payments, and social network management. Bitrix 24 CRM tool is often referred to as a complete CRM by users and reviewers, appreciated for its multi-functionality across the organization.
The tool also has its own marketplace where users can install ready applications to add new functions and features to their CRM. The flexibility and easy interface offered by Bitrix 24 ranks it on the top of our sales force automation tools for 2020.
3. Salesforce CRM – Salesforce CRM is one of the most popular brands in the sales and marketing automation softwareOpens a new window market. As the name suggests, the tool is an on-demand CRM suite that extends its offerings to sales force automation as well. The tool is recognized by Gartner, Inc. as a leader for sales force automation for thirteen consecutive years.
The Salesforce automation CRM has capabilities such as database management, lead management, pipeline management, partner relationship management, and service post-sale. These features enable users to manage contacts, track deals, manage calendars, capture leads, and monitor sales performance.
With easy synchronization to contacts, calendars, emails, and tasks across multiple platforms, the tool offers easy collaboration between all business functions. All these features and benefits guarantee a top spot for the Salesforce CRM on our list of sales force automation tools for 2020.
4. Leadsquared – Leadsquared is a sales automation and CRM platform with more than a hundred thousand users. The tool claims to deliver higher sales and marketing productivity powered by its robust sales and marketing automation tools. The platform serves users across industries such as edTech, higher ed, insurance, career schools, banks, and healthcare.
Leadsquared offers advanced solutions for sales force automation such as lead capturing, lead nurturing, lead distribution, predictive scoring, and sales execution. The tool also provides a field force automation platform that claims to boost the efficiency of field teams by automating, tracking and reporting field sales processes.
With such advanced functionalities, Leadsquared positions itself as a lead conversion platform for sales and marketing teams. Explore the advanced solutions provided by this powerful automation engine as it is a part of our top ten sales force automation tools for 2020.
5. Keep (InfusionSoft) – Keap, previously known as InfusionSoft, is a CRM platform that offers marketing and sales automation functionalities. The tool is an ideal match for growing, service-based businesses in home, professional, and personal services.
Keap offers an easy-to-use interface for you to manage sales pipelines in a single view dashboard. The features offered by the tool include lead tracking and management, contact and lead organization and workflow maintenance, trigger email sequences, and website lead capture.
With an emphasis on organizing and automating sales processes and rigorous follow-ups, Keap is also rated highly for its outstanding service. Explore the fourteen-day free trial of Keap sales force automation tool and consider it for your sales strategy in 2020.
6. Microsoft Dynamics CRM – Microsoft Dynamics is an established name in the CRM market with more than forty thousand active users. The tool offers technology support to technology to organize, automate, and synchronize sales, marketing, and customer service functions. We will focus on the sales module of the CRM tool.
An exceptionally advanced feature offered by the sales module of Microsoft Dynamics is that it provides easy access to social data for lead generation and relationship management. The real-time value of social data automation helps sales professionals make relevant, valuable, and productive conversations with prospects.
Other advanced features offered by the tools are smart selling with contextual AI, integration with LinkedIn Sales Navigator, advanced insights, data-driven feedback engines, and real-time data availability. This easily scalable tool powered by AI and machine learning definitely makes it to the top sales force automation tools for 2020.
7. Zoho CRM – Zoho CRM is a cloud-based CRM application that offers sales force automation capabilities. The solutions offered by the tool are tailor-made for SMBs and start-ups that require an easy-to-use and engaging interface.
A key feature offered by the tool is the gamification of sales processes that keeps sales employees engaged and motivated to achieve their targets. Other important features offered include lead management, deal management, forecasting, activity workflows, and account management.
While the tool is suitable for multiple industries and company sizes, we find it most compatible with medium-sized companies. Its easy-to-customize automation platform makes it a strong contender for the top ten sales force automation tools for 2020.
8. Zendesk Sell (Base) – Zendesk Sell, formerly known as Base, provides a standalone sales automation platform as part of its integrated CRM. The tool is a web and mobile-based CRM application for B2B and B2C sales professionals. The tool claims to be flexible, reliable, and scalable based on the requirement of sales teams.
Advanced features offered by the Zendesk sales force automation platform are an easy-to-use UI, data-driven analytics to support sales forecasting, ticketing system, and integrated customer support. These state-of-the-art features are bound to enhance productivity, processes, and pipeline visibility for sales teams.
Highly rated for its customer support, functionality and value-for-money, Zendesk Sell is another top contender for our top ten list of sales force automation tools for 2020.
9.Pipedrive – Pipedrive software is a web-based CRM application that offers enhanced sales pipeline management solutions. The tool offers complete visibility of multiple pipelines for sales professionals around the clock from web browsers as well as mobile devices.
The tool provides advanced functionalities like sales administration automation, streamlined integrations, easy customization, and easy accessibility. With its robust sales force automation mechanism, the tool promises to eliminate common sales struggles.
Pipedrive philosophy focuses exclusively on activity-based selling. It also offers customized sales reporting dashboards and sales forecasting. Explore the tool with its free fourteen-day trial to compare it with other sales force automation platforms for 2020.
10. bpm’online CRM – The final contender for our list of top ten sales force automation tools for 2020 is bpm online CRM, a customer lifecycle management platform that offers robust sales automation functionalities. The bpm’online sales module is a highly advanced tool ideally suited for midsize and large companies.
Key services provided by the tool include field sales management, document flow automation, sales forecasting, and mobile sales. It also offers easy synchronization and integration with third-party systems.
With a mission to help companies accelerate their growth, bpm’online is widely recognized by key industry analysts and has received multiple awards for its modern and innovative capabilities to enhance sales force automation.
Conclusion
While investing in a sales force automation platform, it is important for you to identify the key requirements of your sales team, and then evaluate the best-suited tool available in the market. Also consider other factors such as your industry-type, budget, company size, and target audience to shortlist the most compatible tool for your sales force.
Are there any other tools that you recommend to include in this list of top sales force automation tools for 2020? Let us know TwitterOpens a new window or LinkedInOpens a new window or FacebookOpens a new window , we’re always listening!