Adam Honig on Creating Success with Manufacturing CRM

Ed Marsh | Sep 3, 2024

CRM Should Support Sales, Not Dictate It - Adam Honig on Why Manufacturing CRM Often Disappoints

manufacturing-crm-for-industrial-marnufacturing-companies

Adam Honig says he hates CRM.

That's strong language....

But he should know!

He's spent a career in CRM, first building a company that helped others implement CRM. This experience included a bet-the-company decision on switching from on-prem Siebel to cloud-based Salesforce.

Later, he decided to build a better solution and founded Spiro.ai.

Adam has had several successful exits, including Spiro where he remains CEO after a recent sale.

Adam has seen many, many implementations and has good insights into why they succeed or fail, and the system attributes that are important to success in industrial sales environments.

Connect with Adam for more on Spiro.ai and his irreverent view on industrial CRM.

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Is a Good Manufacturing CRM an Application? Or Just an Environment? - Adam Honig on Industrial Growth Insitute Episode 25

 

Show Transcript

Episode Recap

Summary

adam-honig-spiro-ai-industrial-manufacturing-crm-optimization

In this podcast episode, Ed Marsh and Adam Honig discuss the challenges and misconceptions surrounding CRM in the industrial manufacturing space. They explore the reasons why many sales reps dislike using CRM and the common pitfalls of CRM implementation. They also delve into:

  • the importance of having a clear goal and strategy for CRM usage
  • the need for CRM to be user-friendly and focused on helping salespeople sell more efficiently.

The conversation touches on topics such as:

  • the integration of ERP data into CRM
  • role of IT and sales ops in CRM management
  • potential for community-building in the industrial space.

CRM software should adapt to the needs of users, rather than users having to adapt to the software. The goal is to support users in doing their jobs, rather than creating additional tasks for them.  @SpiroHQ  aims to provide a CRM solution that is built for manufacturers and distributors, with a data model that accommodates their specific needs. The software uses AI to automatically collect and analyze data, providing visibility into customer interactions and order variations.

Takeaways

  • Many sales reps in the industrial manufacturing space dislike using CRM due to the perception that it is primarily used for monitoring and tracking rather than helping them sell more efficiently.
  • A clear goal and strategy for CRM usage is essential for success. Companies should define what they want to achieve with CRM, such as increasing cross-selling, expanding the footprint within existing accounts, or improving communication between inside and outside sales teams.
  • CRM should be user-friendly and designed to support salespeople in their daily activities. It should automate tasks, provide relevant insights, and integrate with other systems, such as ERP, to streamline processes and provide a comprehensive view of customers.
  • The management of CRM should involve both sales ops and IT. Sales ops should focus on the why and the goals, while IT can provide technical support and ensure data security.
  • There is potential for community-building in the industrial space, but the platform used should align with the preferences and habits of the target audience, such as LinkedIn groups or industry-specific platforms.
  • CRM should serve as a single work location for sales reps, integrating insights from marketing automation and providing a holistic view of customer interactions. CRM software should adapt to the needs of users, rather than users having to adapt to the software.
  • Spiro.ai provides a CRM solution built for manufacturers and distributors, with a data model that accommodates their specific needs.
  • The software uses AI to automatically collect and analyze data, providing visibility into customer interactions and order variations.
  • The focus is on activity and high-quality conversations, rather than just forecasting.
  • Spiro.ai offers full-service setup to ensure successful implementation.

Takeaway Quotes from Adam Honig

  • "I really do hate CRM. It's like a passion for me."
  • "CRM in so many organizations is really just something that's put on the sales team so that management can know who to fire and not fire."
  • "If you're requiring the team to put data in, you're just going to get garbage out of it."
  • "CRM software should just support users in doing their jobs."

Outline

00:00 Introduction and Complexity Surrounding CRM in Industrial Sales
08:29 The Negative Perception and Challenges of CRM Implementation
14:31 Improving Communication and Driving Order Volume with CRM
20:38 Integrating ERP Data into CRM for Better Customer Knowledge
33:30 The Role of Sales Ops and IT in CRM Management
35:56 Key Functions and Features of CRM
36:44 Adapting CRM Software to User Needs
40:05 Spiro.ai: A CRM Solution for Manufacturers and Distributors
46:17 Automating Data Collection and Analysis with AI
48:02 Full-Service Setup for Successful Implementation

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