When the growth period returns, it’s not going to be a case of business as usual. Companies will have to work smarter and harder for every bit of revenue they generate. The biggest mistake organisations can make is failing to adapt their business to address the new reality of the market and customers’ amended needs. Faced with exceptionally volatile business conditions, previous years’ plans should be consigned to the shredder as the business environment has changed drastically. Scenario planning layered into sales forecasting should become 'the new normal' to accurately capture a large enough spread of possible outcomes to cover future uncertainties. Companies will need accurate & detailed insight on the performance of the business and employees each & every day so they can take advantage of any increase in demand and/or workload that trading conditions present.

Reporting and dashboards within Sage CRM provide instant insight into business and employee performance, facilitating informed business decision-making during the downturn and as we enter the post-recession period. By providing management with real-time analysis of the current situation, this enables them to monitor and take action on changing performance indicators. 

Sage CRM reports deliver at-a-glance sales information to enable effective monitoring & planning as trading conditions change. Sage CRM assists companies in accurately preparing sales forecasts; every day, tracking exactly what deals are coming in from where, and identifying emerging trends in different regions and market segments. This is critical in the new trading environment as it assists managers in identifying new and innovative revenue streams as the recovery gets underway. 

Sage CRM provides extensive central control over operations and budgets, helping control these areas more effectively in a cost conscious and risk mitigation world. Roles-based dashboards enable management to monitor staff performance and take corrective action if needed or address any increase in demand and work- or case-load. 

Integration with underpinning systems (accounts & others) can bring a view "beyond accounts" to the whole business - offering full visibility of business performance, providing management with meaningful intelligence which can then be acted on to develop and maintain profitable relationships with customers.