Why Pay for Seats? This CRM Charges You for Results
This week on Funnel Frontier: Say “hello” to the CRM that flipped the CRMLand on its head by introducing outcome-based pricing model. And, check out the latest Salesforce AI releases that will do all the hard sales work for you.
This week:
- Say “hello” to the first CRM that offers outcome-based pricing
- New Salesforce AI models do all the hard sales work for you
- It’s not too late to master sales by the end of 2024
- Here’s how to manage your projects like a pro
- Don’t land in spam with these bulk email best practices
Stat of the Week
Almost 2 out of 5 sales professionals worry they will lose their job if they don’t learn how to use generative AI at work. (Salesforce)
Say “hello” to the first CRM that offers outcome-based pricing
Zendesk just flipped the CRM world on its head by introducing a first-of-its-kind outcome-based pricing model. Or so they claim…
Say “hello” to the CRM that flipped the CRM world on its head by introducing outcome-based pricing model.
No more paying for seats, usage, or arbitrary tiers—now, you only pay for what actually matters: results.
Here’s how it works: instead of the typical subscription or user-based pricing, Zendesk charges based on performance metrics like customer satisfaction scores, resolution rates, and speed of service.
The better your team performs, the less you’ll pay. This means businesses providing stellar support and fast resolutions can see their costs drop, aligning pricing with real, measurable outcomes.
What makes this more exciting? Zendesk successfully tested this model in a pilot program, showing significant cost savings for businesses without compromising service quality.
And while this new model is available to all, Zendesk will still offer traditional pricing options for those who prefer the old system.
According to Zendesk’s announcement, this innovative strategy positions them at the forefront of CRM evolution, putting businesses in control of their support budgets.
The Week @ CRM.org
Free CRM. Yes, it exists, with caveats. Like free samples at Costco, these apps are no-commitment, but may just ignite those taste buds.
CRM vs CMS. It's like asking if you need a butler or a librarian—one handles your customer drama, the other sorts your digital mess.
Weekly Bloom
Better User Onboarding 101. Good user onboarding is like a GPS for your product. If your users get lost in the first few minutes, they’ll probably never reach the preferred destination (i.e. your checkout page).
New Salesforce AI Models that Do All the Hard Sales Work for You
Feeling like you could use an AI assistant to do all the heavy lifting? Well, Salesforce just delivered—again. With their latest AI models, xGen-Sales and xLAM, you might even start wondering if you’re still needed in the sales process.
Yep, Salesforce is at it again—dropping yet another AI-powered update to revolutionize the way businesses work.
The xGen-Sales model is built specifically to automate complex sales tasks like generating customer insights, summarizing calls, and even nurturing pipelines. By fine-tuning the model for relevant industry tasks, Salesforce has made it capable of outperforming larger models, all while working faster and more accurately.
But they didn’t stop there. Salesforce also introduced xLAM, a new family of Large Action Models (LAMs).
Unlike your run-of-the-mill Large Language Models (LLMs), these bad boys don’t just chat—they take action, automating processes within your systems so your human agents can focus on bigger things, like closing deals or finally cleaning out their inbox.
Think of it as putting AI on autopilot—handling everything from call summaries to managing sales pipelines.
Want to dig into the details? The open-source version of xLAM-1B is up for grabs on Hugging Face for tech geeks
Stellar Strategies: Tips & Tricks for Sales, Marketing & Service
It’s not too late to master sales by the end of 2024
Feeling like 2024 is flying by and you’re still figuring out how to sharpen your sales approach? Don’t worry, it’s not too late to level up.
These 7 expert-backed tips from HubSpot will help you boost your game and close more deals, without feeling overwhelmed by the process.
Ready to dive in?
Use AI to enhance your sales efforts, but keep the human touch.
Trust-building content is a must for connecting with prospects.
Social selling is your secret weapon—engage where your customers are.
Authentic, thoughtful outreach wins over cold automation.
Lead by providing real value, not flashy gimmicks.
Build relationships that last—don’t chase short-term gains.
A data-driven pipeline is your foundation for success.
Still unsure what we mean? Check out the full guide and you’ll see how these tips come to life here.
Here’s how to manage your projects like a pro
New to project management or just looking to sharpen your skills? We have – brace yourself – 20 tips that will help you streamline projects and boost success.
Start by setting clear, achievable goals from the very beginning, and focus on building a strong, collaborative team. Keep communication consistent and transparent, and don’t shy away from using project management tools to streamline tasks. It’s also important to celebrate milestones and regularly review what went well (and what didn’t) to improve for the future.
And, this is just the tip of the iceberg. Check out the full 20 tips here.
Don’t land in spam with these bulk email best practices
Struggling to get your bulk emails noticed instead of dumped into spam folders? It’s all about mastering the details, from choosing a reliable email provider to carefully monitoring your sender reputation.
Start by authenticating your emails with the right protocols, like SPF and DKIM, to boost deliverability. Personalized content and audience segmentation are also key to engaging your recipients and avoiding the spam trap.
And don’t forget to track your performance—tweaking as needed based on real-time data.
Want to take your bulk emailing to the next level? Check out all 18 best practices here.
Galactic Gourmet
CRM blips from around the web
Salesforce growth slows, but profitability gains momentum. Salesforce’s Q2 results show a slowdown in revenue growth, but profitability is on the rise thanks to operational efficiency efforts.
HubSpot to host Analyst Day at INBOUND. HubSpot will welcome analysts at its INBOUND event on September 18, with deep dives into its latest product innovations and growth strategy.
Microsoft fires back at Benioff’s Copilot criticism. Microsoft didn’t hold back after Salesforce’s Marc Benioff criticized its AI Copilot, defending the tech as a game-changer in CRM innovation.
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