​Objective:

The goal of this project was to redesign and improve the call report process for our sales team. Historically, the process for logging and submitting call reports was cumbersome, time-consuming, and error-prone, resulting in low adoption and inconsistent data collection. By revamping the call report process, we aimed to make it more efficient, user-friendly, solid from a legal standpoint, and aligned with the sales team’s needs.

 

Problem Statement:

The existing call report process had several pain points that were negatively impacting productivity and data quality:

1. Inefficient Data Entry: Sales representatives were required to fill out lengthy, manually entered forms with repetitive information after every customer call, which often led to incomplete or inaccurate data.

2. Low Completion Rate: Due to the complexity and time-consuming nature of the process, sales reps were submitting call reports incomplete, leading to a lack of reliable data for analysis and reporting.

3. Important Legal Info Missing: Information needed from a legal standpoint was missing from the call reports, subjecting the organization to possible negative situations with the law.

4. Lack of Automation: Much of the call report creation process was manual, with little to no automation to streamline repetitive tasks, resulting in lost time and increased likelihood of human error.

 

Research & Discovery:

To ensure that the new process would meet the needs of the sales team and other stakeholders, we began with an in-depth research phase:

1. Stakeholder Interviews:

We conducted interviews with key stakeholders, including sales representatives, sales managers, customer support, and the data analytics team. Through these discussions, we identified the following insights:

• Sales Representatives: Sales reps were frustrated by the time spent entering repetitive information. They expressed that they needed a quicker, more efficient way to log key call data.

• Sales Managers: Managers struggled with getting consistent, actionable insights from call reports due to data inconsistencies and missing fields.

• Analytics Team: The lack of structured data meant that generating reports for business analysis was time-consuming and prone to errors.

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2. Current Process Mapping:

We created a detailed map of the existing call report workflow, which involved manual entry into a CRM system, attaching notes to individual customer profiles, and multiple follow-ups to ensure data was complete. This process often involved switching between multiple tools, leading to inefficiencies and frustration.

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3. Competitive Research:

We looked at best practices for sales report tools used by other organizations and studied CRM platforms like Salesforce, HubSpot, and Pipedrive to understand how they structured call reporting features. The common trend was the use of more intuitive and automated interfaces, enabling faster input and streamlined reporting.

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Strategy & Approach:

We adopted a user-centered design approach to revamp the call report process. The strategy focused on three key areas:

1. Streamline Data Entry: Simplify the process by reducing the number of fields and using intelligent defaults or pre-filled information.

2. Integrate Automation: Introduce automation wherever possible to reduce manual data entry and ensure consistency.

3. Improve Collaboration and Visibility: Make call reports easily shareable and accessible to the entire team, encouraging better collaboration and real-time feedback.

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Design Process:

1. User Flow Redesign:

We reworked the call report process into a more intuitive and streamlined flow:

• Pre-populated Fields: We integrated the CRM to automatically pull in known data such as the customer’s name, company, contact details, and recent interactions.

• Legal Questions: We included the necessary legal questions to ensure that the information is being included with each call report.

• Call Summary Templates: Rather than requiring sales reps to write long-form notes, we introduced simple dropdowns and checkboxes for key points such as “Call Objective,” “Outcome,” and “Next Steps.” This allowed for faster data entry.

• Smart Suggestions: Based on the context of the call (e.g., type of product or service), the system suggested relevant actions, follow-ups, or notes. This reduced cognitive load and improved data consistency.

 

2. Mobile-First Design:

Given that sales reps are often on the move, we prioritized a mobile-first design for the call report interface. We worked closely with the development team to ensure that the call report tool was fully responsive and optimized for mobile use. This included:

• Voice-to-Text: We incorporated voice-to-text functionality to allow sales reps to dictate their call summaries while on the go.

• Quick Action Buttons: Key actions like “Log Call” or “Set Follow-up” were easily accessible with large buttons to minimize friction.

 

3. Reporting & Analytics Integration:

To ensure that call reports could be used for actionable insights, we integrated reporting features that allowed managers and the analytics team to easily view, filter, and analyze the data. This included:

• Automated Data Sync: Reports automatically synced to the central CRM, eliminating the need for manual entry or follow-up.

• Customizable Dashboards: Sales managers could customize dashboards to track performance metrics like call frequency, outcomes, and follow-up completion rates.

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4. Collaborative Feedback Loops:

We included collaborative features like the ability to tag team members in call reports for follow-up or add comments to discuss next steps. This helped keep everyone aligned and informed in real time.

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Prototyping & Testing:

We created a high-fidelity prototype using Figma that included the redesigned user flow, mobile interface, and reporting features. This was tested with a group of sales representatives and managers to gather feedback on usability and functionality.

• Usability Testing: We conducted several rounds of usability testing, focusing on the ease of data entry, speed of the process, and overall satisfaction with the new interface.

• Iterative Feedback: Sales reps provided feedback on features like the voice-to-text functionality and the pre-populated fields, which we used to refine the product before development.

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Results & Outcomes:

The revamped call report process led to several positive outcomes:

• Reduced Time Spent on Call Reports: Sales reps reported a significant reduction in the time spent logging call reports. The simplified process allowed them to focus more on selling and less on administrative tasks.

• Improved Data Quality: By reducing manual input and offering smart suggestions, we saw an increase in the accuracy and completeness of call reports, making the data more reliable for managers and the analytics team.

• Higher Adoption Rates: The sales team’s adoption rate of the new call report tool increased dramatically. The mobile-optimized design and voice-to-text functionality were particularly popular among sales reps on the move.

• Actionable Insights for Managers: Sales managers were able to generate real-time reports that provided more actionable insights, improving decision-making around follow-ups and sales strategy.

• Better Collaboration: The ability to tag team members and add comments in the call reports enhanced cross-functional collaboration between sales and customer support teams.

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Challenges & Learnings:

1. Balancing Simplicity with Detail: A key challenge was ensuring that the system was both simple for sales reps to use but also robust enough to capture all necessary data for managers. Iterating through multiple feedback cycles helped us find this balance.

2. Sales Rep Resistance to Change: Some reps were initially resistant to using the new system, as they were accustomed to the old process. Providing training, clear communication about the benefits, and early involvement in the design process helped with adoption.

3. Integration with Existing Tools: We encountered some challenges integrating the call report tool with existing CRM systems, which required close collaboration between UX and development teams.

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Conclusion:

Revamping the call report process improved not only the efficiency and accuracy of call logging but also the collaboration across teams. By focusing on reducing friction for sales representatives and ensuring that data was actionable for managers, we were able to deliver a tool that enhanced the overall sales workflow and drove business results. The success of this project highlighted the importance of user-centered design in improving internal processes, and it set a precedent for future design improvements within the sales organization.