In today’s competitive landscaping business, sales professionals can not take the risk of potential customers falling through the cracks. Having a system in place to help time management and performance is imperative. Greg Miller, sales professional with SGK Landscapes in Starkville, Mississippi, shares the importance of Salesforce and how it has enabled him to be successful.

Q: What does LandOpt Salesforce mean to you?

A: It’s a platform or system that allows me to input information to help give me direction in my day-to-day tasks as a sales professional. When you’re dealing with the sales process, so many things need to connect and flow together. That’s a big reason why LandOpt’s sales process and CRM system are the tools that help a sales professional be successful.

Q: What does your typical day look like using the CRM System?

A: Typically, when I get to the office I spend about 30 minutes to an hour inputting anything I haven’t gotten done and reviewing work that may need completed. I may have gotten back pricing or estimates, so I can review that to see if I have any questions. I use it at the end of the day as well to input appointments or agreements that have been signed. And I use it after I’ve met with a customer to submit my notes to our designer or maintenance group.

Q: What would your day look like if you didn’t have the system?

A: Without a database, you’d have to do this all manually, which would be cumbersome. It could be difficult to remember when you did this or where this information is. I would definitely not be in favor of going back (to a time without the system). Technology has definitely made certain aspects of my job a whole lot easier.

Q: How has the CRM system affected your sales or assisted you with the sales process?

A: It makes it easier. I am extremely detailed and organized. You have to have structure to be successful in my mind, and this allows me to have structure in the little things that allow me to be successful in the larger things.

Q: Can you talk about a sale you wouldn’t have closed without it?

A: It’s hard to whittle it down to just one. But some sales take longer – like sometimes a year to a year and a half even – to close and it’s extremely important in those situations to fall back on the information you inputted. Things can change during the sales process. But with the system, you have documentation and can put together solutions.

Q: How does the LandOpt CRM system assist SGK as a team in daily operations?

A: It’s very important to us as a company because it allows us to have one platform that everyone uses. I can go in and see what’s going on with an account rather than sending an email. All our estimating is done through this system. Our office manager uses it to input leads from phone calls or emails that come into the office. We can track on the operations side to make sure we are in line with hours. And we can review it on a monthly, quarterly or yearly basis to see where we are as a company.

Q: How does it help you work with your estimator?

A: I meet with my potential customers, then I come back and input everything: likes, dislikes, what they want to do, what they’ve tried before, budget information, how much they want to spend on this particular endeavor. All that goes to the estimator. Now, I may have a short face-to-face conversation with the estimator as well, but when he gets ready to estimate, he goes back into the system and sees all my notes. It’s good to have everything in one place that everyone can refer back to. The estimator also can go back and look at similar projects, so we can effectively and efficiently estimate with a slick, neat format.

Q: How does it help you manage your sales pipeline?

A: That’s a big part of what this can do for you. I can see proposals that have been made and realize that I need to get back to potential customers. I can see what the estimators are still working on. It allows me to review my sales on a monthly basis, which is a big benefit. It helps me see why we might be slow right now, what did we miss on and what do we have in the pipeline to help us get back up to speed. We see what opportunities are out there, what opportunities we have secured and what have we lost. All of that helps us get a better idea of where we are as a company.

Q: If you didn’t have the CRM system, how would you manage your sales pipeline?

A: There’s no good way to get that information manually. Everything we do has to be in the system so we have accurate information. It allows us to know.

Q: How does LandOpt’s proactive sales process help you sell?

A: By helping you understand the sales process so you’re not just flying by the seat of your pants. I have used similar systems in the past, but this one is very useful. It requires you to have a plan. There are stages, and you have to do things in the correct order to give yourself the best chance to be successful. You want to make sure you’re spending your time and energy on the right things. LandOpt’s sales process is well-defined. If followed, it allows you the best opportunity to be successful.

About SGK Landscapes: Starkville-based SGK Landscapes, Inc. was established in 2002 by owner Michael Everett. A leading landscape service provider in the Golden Triangle (Starkville, Columbus, Tupelo, West Point and Armory), the company is based largely on a foundation of strong customer relationships and consistent quality. Experts in creating outdoor living spaces and working in the high-end residential sector, SGK is a full-service design, construction and maintenance provider serving both residential and commercial customers.