Next in my blog series is a feature that was released last year, but has just got a facelift as part of the Release Wave 2 updates for 2022. The feature in question is Sales Sequences within D365 Sales.
Within your D365 Sales implementation, you will have access to the Sales Sequence designer from within the Sales Insights Settings navigation
From here, Sequences can be found in the Sales accelerator section. Within the configuration, we also have access to a new template selection of sequences to use as a baseline to work from.
For the purposes of today's post, I am going to use a blank sequence and build from scratch.
We give our sequence a name, a description and a starting table, in this case, I have chosen Leads.
The new intuitive UI presents some guidance assistance to first-time users. The designer then allows the following components to be added as part of the sequence.
Steps - a set of actions to select, ranging from emails to tasks or wait times
Conditions - allows the users to build some basic logic into the sequence
Commands - allows us to branch to another sequence or simply make an update to an existing field
LinkedIn - LinkedIn Sales Navigator is enabled this allows us to interact directly with some standard actions with LinkedIn
Now we have an understanding of the various actions we can start building our Sequence. Below I have mapped out a very simple process that initiates as soon as a lead is created. It will initially wait one day, then schedule a task for me to research the company, if I complete that task, a phone is then scheduled and if the phone call is completed, a follow up email with product information is drafted and placed in my activity list.
A new element of the sequencing process is the ability to configure an exit strategy. This is particularly useful in instances where the lead engages actively with the sales manager. You want to be able to "break" the process and engage directly with the lead on the information they have requested.
Once a lead has been created and connected to the sequence. Worth noting, this connection can be done automatically using routing rules or can be completed manually by a user of the system.
The sequence will then kick in and present the scheduled activities and actions in the timeline. Any logic we have built-in will stop activities being created until the trigger action is completed, i.e. closing a phone call record.
To now interact with the sequence we can wait until the timer runs for 1 day or we can choose to skip it and interact with the lead immediately.
As the lead is taken through the process, the status is written back to the Sales Sequence record itself.
End User value
The main value that Sequences brings to the implementation of your sales process is that it helps to ensure successful selling strategies. Sales engagement managers will benefit from the sequence designer's enhanced user experience and features while configuring sequences.
Hope you all enjoyed this post on the Release Wave 2 plans for 2021 for D365 for Sales. I will continue this series with some additional content specifically related to Marketing and Customer Service. Take Care, Speak Soon!
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