Long before recessionary pressures gripped the U.S. economy, businesses were struggling with the challenges of an increasingly competitive sales environment. As more companies vie for the attention of demanding and information-empowered customers, the ability of sales, marketing and service organizations to improve the efficiency of their customer-facing teams becomes a competitive essential.

Difficult times often prompt businesses to pull in their guns. They become inwardly focused, risk-averse and protective of their existing accounts. Faced with a business downturn, they shift their attention to conserving capital and minimizing risk. This refl exive reaction nearly always backfi res. When the economy recovers, these companies fi nd they have fallen behind their competitors and are in a poor position to catch up.

This report lists seven tips for leveraging customer relationship management (CRM) processes to turbocharge your sales operation during lean economic times.