Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a widely practiced method for improving customer service of a company/organization. CRM systems are software integrated systems which help in CRM. The specialized CRM software programs in these systems automate all business processes, from tracking customers to large business undertakings. The basic application of a CRM software program is sales force automation (SFA), which serves as the base for all CRM practices.

Sales force automation, also known as employee automation, includes automation of all employee related proceedings and procedures. This include automation of information sharing, opportunity management, order tracking, order processing, lead reporting and lead routing, contact management, inventory monitoring and control, employee performance evaluation, customer management, sales analytics, quota management, partner tracking, sales forecast analysis, and trouble shooting. The powerful analytical tools integrated in a CRM solution help to tackle difficult tabulation problems easily.

CRM software or sales force automation software improves the productivity and customer satisfaction level of a company/enterprise. All sales force automation techniques help the company to maintain the cutting edge in a business. SFA software programs are primarily CRM software versions, customized for this purpose. The Sales force automation functions are extended in marketing, sales and service providing fields.

The key infrastructure requirements of sales force automation like database management, integrated product configuration and mobile synchronization are satisfied by a CRM system. The point click customization facility of CRM systems imparts flexibility to sales management system. Open source or customizable CRM software programs available today enable company management to add additional tools on demand to the basic program. This feature becomes much more important to many service providing and product marketing companies, who have to redesign their user interface with the introduction of new plans and products.

A well planned sales force automation process can greatly boost all customer relationship management practices. Sales automation provides an effective assistance to all level personals involved in a business. SFA reduces paper works, time expenditure and money expenditure involved in tracking and co-coordinating all business proceedings. The real time information access helps employees to offer better service to the customers. The sophisticated communication possibilities built-in these CRM systems assist the employees to fulfill their target within the allotted time. Better SFA solutions help organizations to improve the ratio between selling time and non selling time.

From an administrational point of view, SFA through CRM systems integrates all administrational efforts. It helps the company managers to effectively control their sales team. The CRM facilities like real time status reporting, lead visibility and order tracking help to encourage their sales team to fulfill their goals. The accurate information online about the business trends helps company officials to answer the critical questions in the business. Advanced sales force automation software programs also help company officials to analyze their competitor trends and to plan better business practices according to that.

In shortly, sales force automation is one of the objectives of a CRM practice. But what make it different from other objective is it provides the base for all other practices. SFA capabilities are useful for formulating and serving matchless product practices to impress the customers. A successful SFA practice enables the companies to experiment more in designing better services with increased customer loyalty. May be this is the reason why all modern day companies, regardless of their status and size, pay more importance to all customer relationship management practices.