Lead management implementation: steps, decisions, and risks

In short

• Define lead sources and mandatory fields for each.
• Configure assignment rules and maximum initial response times (SLAs).
• Import the existing database and flag duplicates.
• Activate reporting for sources, agents, and conversion rates.

Implementation steps in sequence

Each step concludes with a decision signed off by a company stakeholder, not the vendor.

• Define lead sources and mandatory fields for each.
• Configure assignment rules and maximum initial response times.
• Import the existing database and flag duplicates.
• Activate reports by source, agent, and conversion rate.

Decisions required before configuration

These decisions determine the project timeline. If postponed, they become bottlenecks by the third week.

• The number of users actively managing leads - define the scope before starting.
• The number of connected sources (web forms, campaigns, imports) - define the scope before starting.
• Data cleansing and deduplication of the existing base - define the scope before starting.

What to verify after go-live

Thirty days after launch, compare the metrics with your previous baseline:

• Time to first contact
• Qualification rate per source
• Leads with no activity in the last 7 days
• Lead-to-opportunity conversion rate

Connecting with your ERP

Leads remain within the CRM until conversion. Once they become customers, fiscal data synchronises with the ERP (such as SAP Business One, Microsoft Dynamics 365, or Sage), which maintains the formal accounting records.

Frequently asked questions