A multi-part series on why adopting a CRM and other cloud based technology is not a personal indictment on how you do your job but an absolute must for businesses that want to compete in the future!

By Chase Shiels

Awhile ago we posted this picture to our Instagram about Amazon’s home services offerings. Just recently there was an industry publication which covered it, which was awesome to see. In the article, there seemed to be distress over “saving the installers” — which isn’t even anywhere close to why Amazon wins against specialty retail; they win on customer experience which comes from convenience. It also said something to the effect of, “If Amazon gets serious about this…” At this point in time, it should be very clear that Amazon is very serious about moving into the home improvement space. And…

On the heels of many in the retail flooring industry now learning about Amazon’s installation services push (see here and here) I thought it would be a good time to revisit this subject. There are a few key areas where we have seen specialty retailers come up short which is what makes this such an existential threat.

The number one theme: retailers think about themselves first, and their customers second. Interestingly, I read an industry article on this which proved out that theory in a way. Ironically, that article appears to have now been removed. The entire focus of the…

One of the biggest mistakes companies make when buying and implementing software is not approaching it as change first. Any software you are implementing into your company is likely a major change to the day to day routine of your employees, use a change management methodology and of course the golden rule to increase the likelihood of success!

I recently learned about a company called ENJOY. Enjoy has no stores. They are a 100% online reseller of consumer electronic products like Apple TV, GoPro, etc. I know what you are thinking, Amazon, right? The thing is, ENJOY takes it to the next level! When you buy a product from ENJOY, they deliver it in person, set it up for you if necessary, and teach you how to use it, all for the same price as buying the product on Amazon or Best Buy. They are currently only in very specific markets, New York and San Francisco and soon…

Can’t believe it! I’m a 60-Plus who still visits retail stores. Like to see what I’m going to buy.

I had time on a Saturday morning to check out some things my wife and I talked about possibly getting. A new mattress, new bathroom cabinets and counter tops, and some tile or another type flooring for the bathrooms we may remodel.

We’re frequently asked about the sales process, sometimes referred to as the “pipeline” or “funnel” since it involves customers working through a series of stages. To help illustrate it, we put together this infographic. We hope it helps!

This post originally appeared on In the Lead.

Chase is a co founder and CEO of The Lead Tool, a Cincinnati based CRM start up. You can connect with him directly on LinkedIn, or follow @theleadtool Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | SoundCloud | iTunes

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