Salesforce document automation for sales teams: Why and how to use it strategically?

Although every new technology is met with some hesitation and skepticism, digitalization has become indispensable, especially within the sales department where every minute spent on non-revenue-generating sales activities counts.  

By automating manual document-related tasks such as generating proposals, creating contracts, and crafting sales reports, document automation empowers sales professionals to simplify their processes, reduce administrative burden, and devote more time to what really matters: selling. 

In this article, we will delve into the fundamental role of Salesforce for sales professionals and the common challenges associated with manually entering data into company systems. In addition, we will explain how document automation serves as a powerful solution to overcome these obstacles, as well as link to a relevant customer story afterward. 

From leads to closures: The role of Salesforce CRM for sales teams

Organizations rely on concrete numbers to justify a decision, guide a strategy, or develop more accurate forecasts. Intuition is no longer in the driver’s seat. 

Modern, agile companies centralize all their customer information and records using Salesforce. This single source of truth gets even greater importance as a company’s workforce grows and sales revenue increases.  

Image 1. If used to its full capacity, the CRM allows salespeople to spend more time with prospects and customers, which leads to more closed deals and a stronger customer base.

Remember, keeping your CRM up to date isn’t just a choice—it’s a must if you want to unleash its full potential. That’s why we’ve put together 5 best practices to help you effortlessly manage your Salesforce CRM daily, turning it into a team habit: 

1. Enter new customer data regularly: Regularly inputting new customer data is crucial for maintaining accurate records and fostering effective customer relationships. However, in busy sales departments, data entry can sometimes be overlooked. By implementing a document automation solution, sales reps are prompted to input necessary customer data before proceeding with document creation. This ensures that all required information is captured and validated in real-time against the data stored in Salesforce CRM, helping maintain data accuracy and consistency. 
2. Train employees in data management: Prioritizing training is key to developing a data-driven culture.   
3. Schedule data cleansing routines: Take the time to periodically review and update existing customer records, correcting any inaccuracies or outdated information. 
4. Use automation tools: Implement automation tools to simplify data entry processes and minimize manual effort to keep the CRM up to date. 
5. Regularly evaluate CRM policies and workflows: Make the necessary adjustments to improve efficiency and compliance with data governance standards and policies. 

Why do sales reps spend so little time selling? 

Sales teams are, undoubtedly, the backbones of any enterprise. Despite how great your product or service is ultimately what really matters are the numbers. From navigating complex customer relationships to meeting ambitious goals and keeping up with ever-changing market dynamics, sales professionals feel under pressure to deliver more and more results – to “thrive under pressure.“ 
 
Where every moment counts and every conversation holds potential, they face the opposite reality: the time spent on actually selling; a mere 28%. It’s likely that administrative tasks, such as manual data entry and updating your CRM system, take up a significant part of their day.    
 
Although manual data entry remains prevalent in the Digital Age, it presents companies with several costly challenges. This brings us to the next chapter: 

Common problems with manual data entry

Data accuracy: 

Manual inputting is revealed to have the most significant detrimental effect on data quality. When a company relies on an employee to transfer data from one source to another, errors inevitably arise. According to a recent study, the error rate is approximately 1%. Although they may seem insignificant, they can quickly turn into major errors, with costly long-term ramifications for the company. 

Time consuming:

Whether you’re a seasoned Sales rep or just starting, Benjamin Frankly’s famous words have and will continuously accompany your career: “Time is money”. Since 1748, this has been a trending topic that couldn’t be truer, because when an employee wastes time, they are costing the company money.   

Each piece of information must be meticulously inputted, verified and cross-checked by multiple employees, which easily results in lost productivity and efficiency losses and missed opportunities to generate revenue.

Employee motivation and satisfaction:

Motivated and satisfied employees will be more committed to achieving organizational goals. No surprises here. Once faced with the repetitive nature of repetitive and daunting tasks, over time employees will inevitably feel demotivated and unhappy, leading to a decrease in productivity and team morale. 

In some cases, it can be mentally exhausting and physically draining, contributing to feelings of burnout and mental fatigue among workers.   

Business scalability:  

In sales, there’s nothing like the thrill of saying “We’ve closed the deal”. It’s the culmination of months spent looking for potential clients, building relationships, holding countless meetings and presenting meaningful solutions.  

Amid the excitement, manually entering the data from each interaction into the system opens doors to delays and errors, which represents a loss of 20 to 30% of annual revenue, as stated in reports by market research company IDC. As companies expand, manual processes become inefficient and slow down operations, making it difficult to scale up to meet growing demands. 

Compliance:  

Indispensable for all companies and often feared by many, compliance goes beyond mere adherence to regulations – it is a company-wide responsibility. By managing it effectively, companies can avoid penalties, fines and other legal complications.  

With sales departments handling an extremely large amount of paperwork, data needs to be entered into the company’s system. However, doing so manually can compromise data integrity and confidentiality, leaving entire companies vulnerable to cyberattacks and heavy penalties.   

The solution: document automation to sell smarter

Sales professionals spend a considerable amount of time drafting various documents for their interactions with customers. Whether it’s a proposal, a contract or a personalized quote, they often have to navigate through various data sources to find the right information, always entering it manually into each document. This labor-intensive process creates significant friction in the sales cycle, with sales reps spending a fraction of their time on revenue-generating activities – about a third of it interacting with customers. 

Strategic technology investments, combined with a people-centric approach to digital transformation, allow sales teams to drive short-term improvements while fostering a solid long-term strategy. Document automation has emerged as an essential solution for companies aiming to expedite deal closures, streamline workflows, and deliver exceptional customer experiences. In fact, inefficient processes cause organizations to lose 20 to 30% of revenue every year, according to M-files. Moreover, a remarkable 69% of employees attest that automation minimizes wasted time, with 59% estimating they could gain more than 6 hours per week. 

Documill Dynamo, an advanced document generation and automation solution designed for Salesforce users, empowers sales reps to effortlessly create all kinds of documents directly in their CRM. Automation not only saves sales reps valuable time but also helps reduce operating costs and increase overall profitability.  

Ultimately, enterprises can enhance the customer experience, positively impacting the bottom line. Quicker response times, accurate information, and personalized documents reinforce the brand’s identity and professionalism. In addition, Documill automatically sends documents to recipients for signature and completion requests, ensuring a seamless experience from start to finish. 

Centroplan, a leading specialist in solar panel roofing for commercial buildings, was looking to speed up its sales cycle and increase productivity. Facing challenges such as time-consuming manual work and complex document editing processes, Centroplan turned to Documill for a customized solution. By adding Documill to their Salesforce CRM, Centroplan optimized its sales process, reduced manual work, ensured compliance with ISO standards and improved the customer experience. 

Would you like to see the full success story? Check it out here. 

Try Documill Dynamo to automate your sales processes  

If you‘re interested in experiencing the benefits of document automation firsthand and discovering how it can elevate your sales process, we invite you to schedule a personalized demo with us today. See for yourself how Documill Dynamo’s capabilities can elevate your business and propel you toward success.