CHAPTER 5: WORKING WITH OPPORTUNITIES
This section helps you:
- Understand the Tour de Force Opportunity window
- Understand how to access the Tour de Force Opportunity window
- Learn how to set up new Opportunity records
- Understand the Opportunity Manager
- Understand how to access the Opportunity Manager
- Learn how to view Opportunity records
- Learn how to delete Opportunity records
Windows covered in this section:
- Tour de Force Opportunity window
- Opportunity Manager
Overview
In many organizations, a sales process or methodology for selling products or services has been developed over time that has proven to be successful. This sales process typically consists of crucial steps, or sales stages, that need to be completed in order to be more effective at closing sales. These sales stages typically represent the “sales funnel” or sales pipeline within the organization.
The Sales Stage and the Sales Stage Date fields on the Tour de Force Opportunity form, as well the Sales Process window gives companies the ability to streamline and formalize the sales process in order to manage their “Sales Funnel” more efficiently, and to make sure everyone in the organization understands and uses the critical steps in the sales cycle.
Tour de Force also gives sales teams the ability to visually see how many leads are associated with each step, if there are any “bottlenecks”, and if there are an insufficient number of leads at any stage. Sales Managers can use this information to instruct the sale force to focus more attention on a specific stage in order to maintain an appropriate level of sales.
Sales Managers can also use the “Sales Funnel” to work closely with marketing departments to ensure a sufficient number of leads are being generated to reach sales goals, whether the leads are of high enough quality, and what needs to be performed to reach sales goals.
Tour de Force gives organizations that ability to effectively manage the tasks and actions that need to be performed to move Opportunity records through the funnel. The Next Action Step and the Next Action Date fields on the Tour de Force Opportunity form is based on the next Task item that is due that is associated with the Opportunity record. When a Task item is completed, these two fields are updated automatically based on the next Task item that is due.
In short, Tour de Force can be used to clearly show what adjustments need to be performed within the sales process in order to hit sales goals.
Managing Opportunity Records
An Opportunity record in Tour de Force represents any potential revenue-producing event for a company. An Opportunity record can also be used to track and maintain activities such as service or support requests, tasks, expenses, and notes related to a project.
In regards to the sales cycle, each Opportunity record represents a potential sale to a prospect or customer, and all of the activities related to the sale or Opportunity record such as appointments, meetings, tasks, and email can be tracked in Tour de Force.
Opportunity records in Tour de Force give organizations a great way to track and forecast sales, as well as allow Sales Managers to manage the Sales Funnel of the organization.
Opportunity records can only be linked to Account records, and an Opportunity record can only be linked to one Account record since each record or item in Tour de Force can only have one Parent Item. However, multiple Contact records can be linked to an Opportunity item, even Contacts link to a different Account.
In fact, if a company has multiple Account Roots and Account Packages, and users have permission access to these folders, then Contact records across the system can be linked to an Opportunity record.
For example, a software company has setup an Account Package for Prospects, Customers, Vendors, and Partners. This company offers software and equipment leasing option to their prospects and customers through another company. The software company creates an Opportunity record for each potential sale in order to maintain all of the sales activities associated with each Opportunity record. Several Contacts or employees within the organization of the prospects and customers are linked to each Opportunity item. The software company also links a Contact from the leasing company to an Opportunity record when appropriate.
In addition, more than one Opportunity record can be linked to an Account record if customers continually purchase products from a company.
Once an Opportunity record is created, Quotes and other items such as appointments, meetings, tasks, and email can be created and linked to the Opportunity record.
Other information that can be associated with an Opportunity record includes:
- Contact Information
- Account Manager or Salesperson
- Opportunity Record Amount
- Close Probability
- Projected Closure Dates
- Competitor Information
As historical Opportunity records develop, salespeople can compare the tactics used in prior Opportunity records as a learning tool to close current and future Opportunities.
Tour de Force Opportunity Window
The Tour de Force Opportunity window provides one central form where all Opportunity records associated with customers, prospects, and other business relationships can be entered into Tour de Force efficiently. This form is used to create new Opportunity records, as well as to display and edit information associated with Opportunity records that have been entered into Tour de Force.
Since the Summary and Specification sections on the Tour de Force Opportunity form are 100% configurable, fields have been added to these sections as examples for discussion and training purposes. These fields may not exist in your implementation. The labels and fields that are maintained in these sections are typically defined during the set up phase of the initial implementation.
If multiple Account Packages exist in Tour de Force, the Tour de Force Opportunity window is the same window utilized throughout the system.
The Tour de Force Opportunity window is divided into four sections.
The first section of this window is used to display the Header Control information such as the Item Key, Owner, Created Date, Last Modified Date, Age in Days and Active fields that are associated with an Opportunity record.
Item Key – This field is used to uniquely identify each Opportunity record in Tour de Force. This field is automatically assigned by the system and cannot be changed.
Note that creating a new Opportunity record, when viewing Contacts in the Quick Events menu, automatically links the Contact record to the Opportunity.
For an Opportunity item associated with a Contact, this field displays the name of the Company and the Account ID associated with the Account of the Contact.
The second section of the Tour de Force Opportunity window is used to associate Summary information such as a Description, an Opportunity Amount, a Close Probability, and a Projected Close date with each Opportunity record.
The third section allows users to associate Specifications information such as Event Source, Vendor, Lead Source, and Competition with Opportunity records.
The fourth section of the Tour de Force Opportunity window is a grid where items such as Contacts, Tasks, Appointment, and Email linked to Opportunity records can be displayed by selecting the appropriate value in the Link Item Type field.
Creating a New Opportunity Record for an Account
- Click the Tour de Force Search button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
- Type the name or partial name of the Account in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key. Or, use the alternate search functionality to locate the Account record.
- Locate the Account record in the grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and right-click to display the Quick Events menu.
- Select Actions and then New Opportunity on the Quick Events menu.
- Type a brief description to associate with the Opportunity record in the Description field.
- Type the total expected sales amount to associate with the Opportunity record in the Opportunity field.
- Specify a probability, typically a percentage, of the closing the sale or Opportunity in the Close Probability field.
- Specify the date the sale or Opportunity is expected to close in the Projected Close field.
Click the down arrow to the right of the Projected Close field to access the Calendar window.
Click the Today button in the Calendar window to populate the Projected Close field with the current date.
Click the None button in the Calendar window to populate the Projected Close field with None.
- The Next Action Step and Next Action Date fields are related to the Task items associated with the Opportunity record.
The Next Action Step displays the description of the next Task item that is due for the Opportunity record.
The Next Action Date displays the date of the next Task item that is due for the Opportunity record.
The Next Action Step and Next Action Date fields are automatically updated by the system. When a Task item is completed, the values in these fields are updated according to the next Task item that is due for an Opportunity record.
- Click the Sales Stage button to review information such as the SalesStageDate and Days in Stage related to each of the sales stages associated with an Opportunity record.
- Use the Sales Stage field to select the appropriate step in the sales process to associate with each Opportunity record.
The Sales Stage field is used to track or monitor the progress of Opportunity records through the sales process.
Tour de Force maintains a historical log of each step in the sales process when the Sales Stage field is changed.
- The Sales State Date displays the date associated with the current sales stage related to each Opportunity record.
Tour de Force automatically updates this field with the Sales Stage field is changed.
- The Total Expenses field displays the total amount of all Expense items linked to the Opportunity record.
- The Total Sales Time field displays the total amount of time specified on all sales Activity items linked to the Opportunity record.
- Specify the main product or service associated with the Opportunity record in the Lead Product field.
- Click the down arrow to the right of the Lead Source field to display a list of possible values that can be associated with the new Opportunity record.
The list of values associated with the Lead Source field is typically customized to match the products and services companies offer to customers.
- Specify the main resource or contact of the company associated with the Opportunity record in the Lead Source field.
This field can be used to link an Account Manager or Primary Salesperson to the Opportunity record.
- Specify the technical support resource associated with the Opportunity record in the Technical Lead field.
- Select all of the products, services, or companies that have been identified as competition for the Opportunity record in the Competition field.
- Click the Save button on the Tour de Force toolbar to save the new Opportunity record.
- Click the Close button on the Tour de Force toolbar to close the TOUR DE FORCE Opportunity window.
Viewing Opportunity Records
The MRH Technology Group recommends using the Tour de Force Search utility in Tour de Force to view Opportunity records associated with an Account or Contact record.
When Contact records are linked to an Opportunity, the Tour de Force Search utility can be used to view these Opportunities based on the Contact records.
To view Opportunity records associated with an Account record:
- Click the Tour de Force Search button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
- Type the name or partial name of the Account record in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key. Or, use the alternate search functionality to locate the Account or Contact.
- Locate the Account in grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and then right-click the mouse to display the Quick Events menu.
- From the Quick Events menu, select Views.
- From the Views menu, select Opportunities to open the Tour de Force Quick View for Account window.
- Click the Open button to view the Opportunity record in the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
To view Opportunity records linked to a Contact record:
- Click the Tour de Force Search button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
- Type the name or partial name of the Contact in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key. Or, use the alternate search functionality to locate the Account or Contact.
- Locate the Contact in grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and then right-click the mouse to display the Quick Events menu.
- From the Quick Events menu, select Views.
- From the Views menu, select Opportunities to open the Tour de Force Quick View for Contact window.
- Click the Open button to view the Opportunity record in the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
The Quick View for Contact window displays all Opportunity records associated with a Contact record. Only the Opportunity records that have the Contact record linked are displayed in the Quick View for Contact window.
Although an Opportunity record can initially be created using a Contact record, the Parent Item for the Opportunity record is the Account record associated with the Contact record.
Viewing Linked Items Associated With Opportunity Records
When Contact records are linked to an Opportunity, the Tour de Force Search utility can be used to view these Opportunities based on the Contact records.
To view Contact records linked to an Opportunity record:
- Click the Tour de Force Search button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
- Type the name or partial name of the Account in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key. Or, use the alternate search functionality to locate the Account or Contact.
- Locate the Account in grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and then right-click the mouse to display the Quick Events menu.
- From the Quick Events menu, select Views.
- From the Views menu, select Opportunities to open the Tour de Force Quick View for Account window.
- Locate the Opportunity record in grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and then right-click the mouse to display the Quick Events menu.
- From the Quick Events menu, select Views.
- From the Views menu, select the appropriate item to view such as Contacts.
- Selecting Contacts on the Quick Events menu displays all of the Contact records linked to an Opportunity record in the Tour de Force Quick View for Opportunity window.
- To view other information such as the Next Action Step, Sales Stage and Sales Stage Date, click the Open button to view the Opportunity record in the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
- To view items such as Contact records linked to an Opportunity record in the Tour de Force Opportunity window, select Contacts in the Link Item Type field.
Linking Contacts to an Existing Opportunity Record
Perform the following steps to link Contact records to an existing Opportunity record:
- Click the Tour de Force Search button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
- Type the name or partial name of the Account or Contact in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key. Or, use the alternate search functionality to locate the Account or Contact.
- Locate the Account or Contact in the grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and right click to display the Quick Events menu.
- From the Quick Events menu, select Views.
- From the Views menu, select Opportunities to open the Tour de Force Quick View for Account window or the Tour de Force Quick View for Contact window.
- Click the Open button to open the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
- In the Link Item Type field, select Contacts.
- To link other Contact records to an Opportunity record, click the Link Contact button.
- In the Link Contact window, type the name or partial name of the Account or Contact in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key. Or, use the alternate search functionality to locate the Account or Contact.
The Link Contact window has the same functionality as the Tour de Force Search utility.
If the name of the Account record associated with the Contact record is known, click the hyperlink to display a list of Contact records linked to the Account record.
Or, if the name of the Contact record is known, type the name or partial name in the Search For field in the Link Contact window, and click the Search button or press the Enter key.
Click the Paper Clip icon to select the Contact record to link to the Opportunity record.
Once the Paper Clip icon is clicked the Contact record is displayed in the Selected items for linking field. This feature allows multiple Contact records to be linked to an Opportunity record simultaneously.
- Click the Link button to link the Contact records in the Selected items for linking field to the Opportunity record.
Note that Contact records not linked to the Account that is associated with the Opportunity can be linked to the Opportunity. For example, an accountant or consultant that is not an employee of the Account who referred the Prospect.
- Once a Contact record is linked to an Opportunity record, a Contact Role and Contact Status can be associated with the Contact record.
The Contact Role and Contact Status fields are configurable fields that are typically used to define the Sales, Financial, and Technical decision makers and influencers that can affect the outcome of a sale.
The Contact Role field can be used to specify the type of role such as Sales and Marketing Influencer, Sales and Marketing Decision Maker, Technical Influencer, Technical Decision Maker, Financial Influencer, Financial Decision Maker, and Final Decision Maker, each Contact associated with the Opportunity has on the sales process.
The Contact Status field can be used to specify the status such as Promoter, Neutral, or Opponent, each Contact associated with the Opportunity record is during the sales process.
- After reviewing the Opportunity record, click the Close button to close the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
Unlinking Contacts for an Existing Opportunity Record
The unlink contact process is typically used when a Contact record is accidentally linked to an Opportunity record that is not supposed to be linked.
However, if items have an Opportunity Contact link and the Contact record is unlinked, Tour de Force links these items directly to the Contact record.
Perform the following steps to unlink Contact records for an existing Opportunity record:
- Click the Tour de Force Search button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
- Type the name or partial name of the Account record or Contact record in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key.
- Locate the Account or Contact record in the grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and right click to display the Quick Events menu.
- From the Quick Events menu, select Views.
- From the Views menu, select Opportunities to open the Tour de Force Quick View for Account window or the Tour de Force Quick View for Contact window.
- Click the Open button to open the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
- In the Link Item Type field, select Contacts.
- Locate the Contact record that needs to be unlinked, and then click the Unlink button.
- After reviewing the Opportunity record, click the Close button to close the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
Deleting Opportunities Associated with an Account Record
To delete an Opportunity record linked to an Account record:
- Click the Tour de Force Search button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
- Type the name or partial name of the Account in the Search For field, and then press the Enter key. Or, use the alternate search functionality to locate the Account or Contact.
- Locate the Account in grid section of the Tour de Force Search window, and then right-click the mouse to display the Quick Events menu.
- From the Quick Events menu, select Views.
- From the Views menu, select Opportunities to open the Quick View for Account window.
The Quick View for Contact window displays when viewing Opportunity records associated with a Contact.
- Select or give focus to the appropriate Opportunity record and click the Delete button.
- Click the Yes button to delete the Opportunity record(s). Click the No button to not delete the Opportunity record(s).
Multiple Opportunity records can be deleted simultaneously by highlighting all of the Opportunity records that need to be deleted.
Press and hold the Ctrl key to select multiple Opportunity records that are not in consecutive order.
Opportunity records can also be deleted in the Tour de Force Account and Tour de Force Contact windows by selecting Opportunities in the Link Item Type field, selecting the appropriate Opportunity record in the grid, and then clicking the Delete button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
Opportunity Manager
The Opportunity Manager is designed to help sales teams manage Opportunity records, as well as all of the actions associated with these Opportunity records more efficiently. This comprehensive window streamlines the processing tasks of Account Managers for servicing prospects and customers, as well as allows Sales Managers to effectively supervise these Account Managers.
The Opportunity Manager can be used to view Opportunity records associated with one or more Account Packages. Users can only view information related to Opportunity records that the user has permissions to access.
The Opportunity Manager can be used view all linked items associated with an Opportunity in Tour de Force. The Opportunity Manager can also be used to create new items to link to an Opportunity. Items that can be linked to an Opportunity record include:
- Activity
- Appointment
- Document
- Expense
- Note
- Support
- Task
- Task Group
Contacts can also be linked to an Opportunity item in the Opportunity Manager.
The Opportunity Manager should be used by everyone that is responsible for managing sales in an organization. Account Managers can use the Opportunity Manager to view all of the information associated with their Opportunities, and Sales Managers can use the Opportunity Manager to view all of the Opportunities records of the Account Managers.
Accessing the Opportunity Manager
- Select the contact and click the Opportunity Management button on the Tour de Force toolbar.
If the Managers Console utility has been purchased and licensed, the Opportunity Manager utility is not available.
- Select the Opportunities button from the Manger’s Console menu.
Using the Opportunity Manager
The Opportunity Manager window is divided into three tabs. The first tab is the Summary Tab. The first section of the window is a grid that displays all of the Opportunity records associated with the Account Package(s) selected for viewing.
The second section of the window shows graphical representations of the Accounts displayed in the first section. These graphs can be changed depending upon the situation and what type of graph the user wants to view.
Click the Expand button to display a blown up version of the selected graph.
The second tab is the Group Analysis Tab. This tab is divided in two sections.
The first section shows the items displayed that have been selected using the
Summary Field button.
Click the Summary Field button to display a list of items that can be selected.
Select AcctPkg to display the Account Packages linked to the Opportunity record.
The second section of the Group Summary Tab shows a graphical
representation of the item selected in the first section of the Group Summary Tab.
The third tab is the Grid View Tab. This tab displays information such as Lead
Source, Opportunity Type, Sales Manager, and Account Package in a grid. The
Grid View Tab is divided into two sections, but can be changed to a one section
view by using the Split-grid button. The way the view was set before exiting the
Opportunities Console will be the view that is displayed upon the next use.
If the Split-grid field says OFF, click the Split-grid button to turn the second section on.
With the Split-grid field set to ON the second section of the Grid View tab becomes viewable. This section shows all of the linked items for an item or group that is highlighted in the first section. Click the Stop displaying this message box to bypass the dialogue window.
Click the OK button to return to the Grid View tab and view the linked items in the second section of the Grid View tab.
Click the Open button to the left of an Opportunity record to view information such as Sales Stage and Sales Stage Date associated with an Opportunity record in the Tour de Force Opportunity window.
Use the Link Item Type field to view items associated with each Opportunity item. For example, select Contacts to view all Contact records linked to an Opportunity record.
To view items linked to another Opportunity record, select or give focus to that Opportunity record in the grid.
The Linked Items for Selected Opportunity grid automatically refreshes when different Opportunity records are selected.
The grid data can be saved using the Save current grid settings button.
Items linked to Opportunity records can also be viewed using the Quick Events menu.
The Quick Events menu can also be used to link new items such as an Appointment or Task to an Opportunity record.
A copy of an Opportunity record can be made or new items such as an Appointment or Task can be linked to an Opportunity record by clicking the down arrow to the right of the Available Actions for Selected Row button after giving focus to the Opportunity record in the grid.
Since the Opportunity Manager is designed to help sales teams manage Opportunity records, users have the ability to filter or restrict the Opportunity records that display in the Opportunity Manager. This is usually done during the initial stages of implementation.
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