Why are companies that continue to use Excel for sales tracking falling behind?
Properly managing sales opportunities, leads, and ongoing negotiations is a critical requirement for any business that wants to grow. Despite this, many companies still track sales using Excel or similar spreadsheets.
Spreadsheets initially appear practical and accessible. However, as business volume increases, teams grow, and customer touchpoints diversify, these methods begin to lead to a loss of control rather than providing it .
In this article:
- The limits of sales and customer tracking with spreadsheets,
- The real impact of transitioning to CRM on businesses,
- What has changed in companies that use CRM?
- And we're discussing the role Entranet CRM plays in this transformation.
The main reason for the increasing use of CRM in businesses
The adoption rate of CRM systems has been increasing rapidly in recent years. This is not just a technological trend; it's due to a changing way of doing business .
Today:
- Prospective customers are coming from multiple channels,
- Sales cycles are getting longer,
- Competition is increasing,
- A quick turnaround is becoming critical.
In this environment, managing customer relationships with spreadsheets poses a significant risk for businesses. CRM systems, on the other hand, centralize customer data, making sales processes visible and manageable.
Key problems that spreadsheet sales tracking brings to businesses.
Excel and similar tools are designed for storing data. However, sales and customer management require more than just data storage; it requires tracking, coordination, automation, and analysis .
Common problems encountered in businesses that use spreadsheets include:
1) Data inconsistency and loss of control
Multiple people working on the same spreadsheet can quickly lead to:
- Different file versions,
- Outdated records,
- Recurring customer data
Why does that happen?
This makes it difficult for sales teams to access “accurate information.”
As a result, discussions with the customer proceed based on incomplete or inaccurate information.
In Entranet CRM, all customer information is kept in a single central location , up-to-date, and accessible to everyone.
2) Manual follow-up processes and missed opportunities
Spreadsheets:
- It does not create a reminder after the meeting.
- It does not automatically initiate follow-up after the offer,
- It does not mark delayed sales opportunities.
Follow-up depends entirely on the sales representative's personal discipline. As sales volume increases, this discipline naturally weakens, and opportunities quietly slip away .
Entranet CRM automates the follow-up process with tasks and reminders, preventing missed sales opportunities.
3) The sales process is not visible.
Sales is not just a customer list.
Sales is a process with stages, one that progresses or gets stuck.
Spreadsheets facilitate this process:
- It cannot be presented visually,
- It cannot clearly show at what stage the loss occurred.
- It cannot identify bottlenecks in an immediate manner.
Entranet CRM allows managers to monitor the sales pipeline in stages, enabling them to track the process in real-time and intervene when necessary.
4) Reporting delays and intuitive decisions
Reporting in spreadsheets mostly involves:
- At the end of the month,
- Through manual processes,
- It is done retrospectively.
However, what is needed in sales management is:
- Current sales status,
- Ongoing opportunities,
- This is representative-based performance data.
With Entranet CRM, reports are real-time. Managers make decisions based on up-to-date data , not intuition.
5) Separation of the sales process from operations and finance.
In businesses that use spreadsheets:
- Sales,
- Order,
- Invoice,
- Collection
It is often executed through different files or systems.
This disconnect:
- To repeated data entry,
- To mistakes,
- Post-sales operational problems
It leads to
Entranet CRM integrates the sales process with order, invoicing, and finance modules on a single platform .
How will transitioning to CRM change businesses?
In businesses that use CRM, sales management not only becomes more organized; it also becomes more measurable, faster, and more reliable .
Businesses typically gain the following benefits by transitioning to CRM:
- Centralized collection of customer data.
- Systematic tracking of sales opportunities
- Reduced time loss thanks to automation.
- Strengthening coordination between teams
- Clearly measuring sales performance.
This transformation enables sales teams not only to meet deadlines but also to manage sales in a more informed way .
How does intranet CRM support this transformation?
Entranet CRM handles not only customer relationships but the entire end-to-end sales process :
- Lead and opportunity management
- Sales pipeline
- Proposal creation
- Order and billing processes
- Financial monitoring and reporting
All these steps proceed within a single system. Once the sale is closed, the process is not fragmented across other files or systems.
Thanks to this structure:
- Sales and finance teams look at the same data.
- The risk of information loss and errors is reduced.
- Operational efficiency increases.
Challenges and realistic expectations when transitioning to CRM.
Transitioning to CRM is not just a software installation; it's a change in business practices .
Businesses typically encounter the following challenges during this process:
- Transferring existing data to the system,
- Employees need to adapt to the new system.
- Standardization of processes.
For a successful transition, CRM needs to:
- Starting with a small scope,
- Involving the sales team in the process step by step,
- Positioning it as "the only reliable source"
It is of critical importance.
Entranet CRM, thanks to its modular structure, makes this transition controlled and manageable.
Conclusion: Sales tracking with Excel is possible, but not sustainable.
Spreadsheets may be practical in the short term. However, as sales volume, team size, and operational complexity increase, this method becomes:
- Loss of visibility,
- Due to lack of follow-up,
- Missed opportunities
Why does that happen?
CRM, on the other hand, connects sales management to the system , not to individuals.
