Web Based Home Care CRM Can Boost Your Agency's Referrals

Proper information management is critical to building relationships with customers, and relationship building is critical to home care success. In the past it was hard for home care agencies to keep track of up-to-date activities of their sales representatives, gain insight into their standing with referral sources, track sales data, and analyze territory progress.

Managing the territory for the sales representative is crucial in maintaining a competitive edge in a highly diluted market. Reps must manage a large geographic territory with hundreds if not thousands of call points and decision-makers. A CRM makes it easier to manage data, focus on key accounts and the big decision-makers, and track historical information within these customers, says Tim Conroy, a regional sales manager for Texas Home Health. He oversees 13 sales representatives and one hospital liaison around six clinical offices.

Several months ago, Texas Home Health incorporated a CRM system in an effort to better manage its accounts. Conroy uses the technology to access accounts and territory management quickly and easily, as well as view the progress of his sales reps and analyze effective territory management.

Conroy's sales representatives list their accounts and call points in addition to referrals and admissions, allowing him to track whether current strategy is producing desired results.

From a management perspective, a CRM provides a window into the sales rep's ability to administratively manage their territory, Conroy adds. It supports the manager in tracking key accounts and keeping up-to-date with the amount of territory penetration occurring on the local level.

It is important for agencies to have up-to-date real time information. Users of CRM systems can view referral source history in one place, acquire a deep knowledge of accounts and contacts, link a contact with its parent organization, and build relationships through account tiers. In short, they have more tools to mange more accounts more effectively and efficiently. Since all sales activities are integrated into one database, managers are in a better position to manage the sales and marketing process, ensuring that their reps follow the right steps within a specific Sales Zone to get referrals faster and easier. They can measure each step in the sales cycle, know early on if the opportunity is taking too long or if a step is not completed, and identify areas or skills that need to be developed or improved.

Since the CRM is web-based, users have secured, offsite access anywhere there is Internet connection, including the office, car, home, and even on premise of the referral source.

With the growing sophistication yet easy-to-use functionality of customer relationship management tools, home care executives are realizing increased efficiencies, better time management, improved customer service to referral sources and an easy method of maintaining client information after a sales rep leaves - ultimately leading to stronger and lasting account relationships and more referrals

Adam Bishop, Founder of PlayMaker CRM. At Last! A customer relationship management (CRM) tool that is specific to home care. I'd like to invite you to get your 30 Day Free Trial when you visit: playmakercrm.com/free-trial playmakercrm.com/free-trial