Boosting Sales Productivity with CRM Automation

Your team should be selling. Instead, they’re drowning in admin work. Sales reps just want to sell. But when we sit down with them, it’s always the same story. They’re buried in 20 screens, clicking through fields that don’t help them close deals. And if it takes that much effort? They’ll stop using the CRM altogether. Not because they’re lazy. But because the system wasn’t built for them. Here’s what we see over and over—and how to fix it: 1) Too Much Manual Data Entry No rep wants to spend their time: • Logging calls • Typing out notes • Moving data between tools They’re here to sell—not push buttons. Fix it by automating everything you can. Use tools like Gong & QuickBooks to log calls automatically and sync invoices. The less manual data entry they do, the more time they have to close deals. 2) Clunky CRM Layouts If it takes 20 clicks to close a deal, they’re not going to use the system. Most CRM setups are bloated with fields that reps don’t care about. Half of them aren’t even for sales. The answer: fewer clicks, better layouts. • Two clicks, max • Only show fields relevant to their role 3) Tools Aren’t Integrated Reps live in: • Outreach • Gong • Slack If none of these tools talk to Salesforce, they’re forced to double their work. That kills adoption. Integrate the tools they already use. If it doesn’t make their job easier, it doesn’t belong in the stack. 4) The CRM Feels Like a Surveillance Tool Managers care about dials. Reps care about closing deals and hitting quota. If the CRM only tracks activity, it’s just another micromanagement tool. Fix it by making the CRM valuable for the rep. • AI-driven next steps • Deal insights • Sales shortcuts that actually help them win It has to feel like a competitive advantage—not a chore. 5) Training That Doesn’t Address Real Gaps Most training is based on gut feelings: “Reps need to know this.” But it doesn’t actually address the biggest problems. Fix it by making training metric-driven. If reps aren’t filling out critical fields, start there. Focus on what actually moves deals forward. Make the CRM work for reps, and they’ll actually use it. Make it a burden, and they’ll find ways around it. Enjoyed this post? Follow Jordan Nelson for more insights on making CRMs actually work for sales teams.

AI in Sales—Augment, Don’t Replace! 🚀 AI won’t replace salespeople. But salespeople who use AI strategically will outperform those who don’t. I’ve been in sales since Girl Scout cookies were 50 cents a box, and I’ve seen the game change. But nothing has been more transformative than AI. According to LinkedIn for Sales Connect monthly newsletter, AI can reclaim 29% of a rep’s time by automating admin tasks, data collection, and customer insights. The key? Using AI to amplify human strengths, not replace them. Yet, there’s a challenge: 60% of sales teams report being overwhelmed by the sheer volume of administrative work.AI can help offload up to 10 hours of non-selling tasks per week, effectively doubling selling time from 10 to 20 hours. That’s the kind of efficiency shift that drives real revenue. Here’s how to strategically automate without losing the personal touch: ✅ AI-Powered CRM: Let AI handle lead scoring, email follow-ups, and data entry so reps can focus on relationship-building. ✅ Smart Workflows: Use AI tools to automate routine tasks, freeing up time for strategic selling. ✅ AI as a Guide: Train your team to use AI-generated insights as a tool, not a crutch. Judgment and creativity still win deals! 📌 Actionable Step: Identify 3 repetitive tasks in your sales process (CRM updates, lead research, follow-ups) and integrate AI-powered automation. Measure the time saved and reallocate it to higher-value selling activities. AI isn’t the future of sales—it’s happening NOW. How is your team leveraging it? Let’s talk in the comments! #AIinSales #SalesLeadership   #WomenInSales #EnterpriseSales #1MillionWomenby2030 

Sometimes our own processes are the hidden blockers to our team's success. When everything feels stuck, it's rarely just about the team... It's about the systems we've built around them. I recently had an idea: a 'process audit' day. Imagine a day dedicated to identifying what slows your team down, and then: - Map repetitive tasks that steal creative time - Define clear automation candidates - anything done 3+ times deserves automation - Prioritize AI workflow integration for the highest-impact processes I won't get into how many hours one of my reps once told me they spent on updating multiple systems with deal data... So what are we doing about it? We're implementing an AI-driven workflow automation that automatically updates our CRM when deal-related emails and calls happen (in real-time, no less!). The result? We're about to reclaim a TON of selling time on behalf of our top reps! Teams blame performance issues on people when the real culprit is often outdated processes. Strategic process evaluation + targeted automation unlocks trapped potential. More time for meaningful work, faster execution, and a more engaged team focused on impact rather than administration. What's one process eating your team's productivity right now? #sales #ai #chatgpt #efficiency #productivity 🎥: IG lovetrends.ai

The shift has finally happened: We no longer expect sales reps to update their CRM. Now, don’t get me wrong—most leaders still want their reps to log data and keep records clean. But after countless conversations with RevOps leaders, one consistent theme stands out: “I know they won’t do it, so I need to find a way to have it done automatically (ideally using AI).” For years, there was this fallacy: “If we just push harder, the reps will do it” Withhold commissions Run spiffs for compliance Tell them it’s part of the job The problem? You can’t force people to do something they shouldn’t have to do in the first place. Yes, I said it. If you’ve got great reps (or even solid ones), you don’t want them updating the CRM. You want them selling. You want them out there: Prospecting Doing deep discovery Building business cases Navigating buying committees Closing deals You don’t want them wasting time logging data points about a lead’s city, job title, or call notes. Why? According to Salesforce, salespeople only spend 28% of their time actually selling. A significant portion of the remaining time is spent on administrative tasks, data entry, and CRM updates. This isn’t just a “nice to have” anymore—it’s a productivity issue. Here’s the good news: There are plenty of solutions that don’t rely on reps manually entering data into the CRM: ✅ AI-powered tools - Automatically log calls, emails, and meetings. They will send summaries of the calls and even draft optimal email follow-ups. ✅ Automated workflows - Capture and update data through integrations and data manipulation commands. ✅ Non-sales teams - Let BDRs, VAs, or outsourced employees handle some of the CRM upkeep. This doesn't mean sales reps will never touch the CRM. On the contrary, they should still use it—but they shouldn’t be spending hours cleaning up data. That’s not the best use of their time. Ultimately, we need to empower salespeople to focus on the high-impact, high-leverage work that drives revenue. Sales teams will always need good data, but that data doesn’t have to come at the expense of your reps’ time.