Your team is flying blind (and doesn't know it)
Sales reporting is the pulse of your commercial team. Without it, every decision is a gamble. Done poorly, it is even worse: it gives you a false sense of control.
Most sales directors — from the US to Germany, from the UK to Mexico — receive weekly Excel reports that someone spent hours preparing. By the time they review them, the data is already stale. Strong reporting starts with compelling narratives around your numbers -- Copyblogger's guide to persuasive copywriting can help you present data in ways that drive action. 43% of commercial decisions are based on data that is more than a week old.
Automated reporting changes everything. It is not a luxury: it is the difference between teams that react and teams that anticipate. With the right metrics and a proper CRM, your reporting works for you.