The recent salesforce.com launch of the Salesforce Sales Performance Accelerator, the packaged delivery of Salesforce Sales Cloud™, Data.com, and Work.com, enables sales teams to ignite peak performance. This announcement marks the maturity of salesforce.com’s core business, Salesforce Sales Cloud, and the increasing role that user adoption and employee engagement play in ROI and profitability. 

As salesforce.com’s first consulting partner, we remember the early days of Salesforce CRM. The offering focused on company-wide inefficiencies and flagging productivity through its robust technological features. Throughout the evolution of the Salesforce platform, we have seen that success in ROI stems from the appropriate investment in adoption and employee engagement, achieving the product’s full benefits. 

Engaged sales teams close 33% more deals. They are more productive, have better relationships with customers, and are willing to put in the extra effort that keeps customers coming back for more. 

The Salesforce Sales Performance Accelerator addresses three key ingredients to achieving successful Salesforce adoption and Sales team engagement:

1. User and Business-Centric CRM (Salesforce CRM)
   
   Sales Cloud is a powerful tool, but turning it on is only half the journey. Sales teams and customer engagement are maximized when technology is configured with a focus on end-user experience and in a way that supports your unique business process.
   
   
   
   The shift towards a ‘mobile-first’ mentality is indicative of this evolution. For salespeople—the desktop is dead. Forward-thinking organizations are customizing Salesforce for mobile devices first (rather than the desktop) to capitalize on adoption and employee engagement.
   
    
2. Accurate and Trustworthy Lead and Contact Data (Data.com)
   
   Bad lead and contact data is an adoption killer. This is a pain point for organizations across the board. After a Salesforce implementation, users are excited for new features and optimized processes, but faulty data can quickly torpedo this enthusiasm. Inaccurate data can erode trust in the new system and cause a reversion to old processes.
   
   
   
   Data.com reduces work for the Sales team. When salespeople know they can rely on their system for the most up-to-date and accurate lead and contact data, they’ll keep logging in and using Salesforce as strategic a selling tool.
   
    
3. Sales Team Motivation (Work.com)
   
   Sales teams thrive on competition, recognition, and reward. Using game-like mechanics like those embedded in work.com’s offerings can encourage reps to follow the correct processes, collaborate with associates, and keep track of goals and milestones both individually and for the department. 
   
   
   
   When executed properly, this form of employee engagement can drive change and foster behaviors within an organization that leads to bottom-line growth.

An engaged sales team with the right tools will have a resounding impact on your organization and your customers. Learn three ways sales teams are transforming in the Customer Engagement Economy by reading Bluewolf’s Changing Role of Sales guide.