UK sales leaders eye CRM overhauls amidst tech concerns

Recent insights from monday.com highlight significant concerns among UK sales leaders regarding technological inefficiencies, particularly related to customer relationship management systems and tool overload.

The data reveals that 41% of UK sales leaders cite that their teams spend between 25% to 50% of their time managing tech inefficiencies, such as software downtime and duplicate data management, which detracts from core selling activities. Despite this, 67% express satisfaction with their CRM systems, yet paradoxically, 82% plan to change these systems within a year.

AI has been identified as a positive influence on sales performance, with 84% of UK sales leaders acknowledging its beneficial impact. Notably, 19% of those surveyed reported significant performance improvements due to AI applications.

Many sales teams face challenges with tool sprawl and siloed data, affecting operational efficiency. Nearly all UK sales leaders rely on multiple sales tools, though 30% believe this adversely affects performance. Significant inefficiencies arise from sales engagement platforms, data analytics tools, and contract management and revenue intelligence tools.

Technological silos exacerbate these challenges, with limited access to shared customer data, disjointed communication platforms, and CRM integration issues cited as major causes. These silos have costly repercussions, influencing post-sales cycles, growth, and operational expenses.

Despite reported satisfaction with CRM systems, frustrations over system costs, slow performance, and non-intuitive interfaces are prevalent. Half of sales leaders state that CRM costs outweigh benefits, prompting considerations for system overhauls.

Jeff Rosenthal, Head of CRM GTM, North America, at monday.com, comments: "With sales teams managing increasingly fragmented tech stacks, siloed data, and performance pressures, these findings point to a pivotal moment for sales technology. Rethinking CRM systems is no longer just about adding features – it's about architecting an intelligent ecosystem that eliminates inefficiencies, surfaces real-time insights, and accelerates execution."

He adds, "The future of sales will be defined by smarter automation and AI that augments every stage of the revenue cycle. As UK sales leaders refine their tech strategies, the priority is clear: reduce friction, consolidate workflows and enable teams to focus on what truly drives growth."

There is a clear impetus for UK sales teams to refine their approaches to CRM and embrace better-integrated technological solutions. Amidst evolving technological landscapes, these changes may facilitate streamlined operations and improved sales outcomes across the industry.