By
Simon Hazeldine
What Are CRM Dashboards?
What Information Should CRM Dashboards Contain?
How Should Salespeople and Sales Managers Use CRM Dashboards to Improve Sales Performance?
In today’s hyper-competitive sales environment, data is no longer just an advantage—it’s a necessity. But raw data alone won’t help sales teams drive performance. This is where CRM dashboards come in. A CRM (Customer Relationship Management) dashboard is a powerful tool designed to take the chaos out of data and turn it into actionable insights that both salespeople and sales managers can use to improve results.
So, what exactly is a CRM dashboard? What key information should it display? And, most importantly, how can you use it to turbocharge your sales performance? Let’s explore.
What Is a CRM Dashboard?
A CRM dashboard is a visual interface within a CRM system that consolidates key metrics, reports, and data into easily digestible formats. It acts as the control centre for sales teams, providing real-time insights into activities, pipeline status, customer interactions, and performance metrics.
Think of it as the cockpit of an airplane—everything you need to fly (or in this case, sell) is right in front of you. Instead of being overwhelmed by spreadsheets or raw data, a CRM dashboard visualizes the most critical metrics in charts, graphs, and lists, making it simple to identify trends, spot opportunities, and address challenges.
Why Are CRM Dashboards Essential?
Sales is both an art and a science. While the art lies in building relationships and navigating conversations, the science is rooted in data-driven decision-making. CRM dashboards bring the science of sales to the forefront by:
- Providing Real-Time Insights: Dashboards update instantly, giving sales professionals an accurate picture of their performance and progress without waiting for monthly or quarterly reports.
- Improving Forecasting Accuracy: With pipeline visibility, sales managers can better anticipate revenue and adjust strategies as needed.
- Enhancing Focus and Prioritization: By surfacing the most critical data, dashboards help sales teams focus their efforts on high-priority activities and leads.
- Driving Accountability: Metrics on a dashboard serve as a transparent record of performance, fostering a culture of accountability.
What Information Should a CRM Dashboard Contain?
For Salespeople:
- Pipeline Overview
- Visualize your active deals at every stage of the sales process. Include metrics like deal size, deal age, and probability of closing.
Why it matters: A clear pipeline view helps salespeople prioritize high-value deals and identify bottlenecks.
- Daily and Weekly Tasks
- A list of scheduled calls, follow-ups, and meetings. Notifications for overdue tasks or upcoming deadlines.
Why it matters: Keeps reps organized and ensures they never miss a follow-up.
- Activity Metrics
- Track calls made, emails sent, and meetings held. Compare activity levels to individual or team benchmarks.
Why it matters: Activity drives results. By monitoring daily efforts, reps can identify whether they’re putting in the work required to meet their targets.
- Personal Performance Metrics
- Include KPIs like quota attainment, win rate, and average deal size. Break metrics down by period (e.g., month-to-date, quarter-to-date).
Why it matters: Salespeople need to know how they’re performing against their goals to make course corrections in real-time.
- Lead Insights
- Show key lead information, such as recent interactions, interests, and demographic data. Highlight “hot leads” based on engagement scores or recent activity.
Why it matters: Understanding your leads’ behaviour enables better, more personalized conversations.
For Sales Managers:
- Team Performance Metrics
- Aggregate data on team-wide quota attainment, win rates, and sales cycle length. Compare performance by individual reps, regions, or product lines.
Why it matters: Managers need a high-level view of how the team is performing to identify top performers and those who need coaching.
- Pipeline Health
- Monitor the distribution of deals across pipeline stages. Identify stalled deals or deals that have been in the pipeline too long.
Why it matters: A healthy pipeline is a predictor of future success. Managers can use this view to guide coaching conversations.
- Forecasting Data
- Project revenue based on pipeline activity and deal probabilities. Include weighted pipeline values for accuracy.
Why it matters: Reliable forecasts help managers allocate resources effectively and set realistic expectations for leadership.
- Activity Metrics (Team-Level)
- Track the volume and quality of calls, emails, and meetings across the team. Compare current activity levels to historical averages.
Why it matters: Ensures that the team is staying active and helps managers spot trends that could impact results.
- Customer Insights and Trends
- Highlight customer satisfaction scores, churn rates, and feedback.
- Identify trends in buyer behaviour.
Why it matters: Managers can use customer insights to refine the sales strategy and ensure the team is addressing customer pain points effectively.
How to Use CRM Dashboards to Improve Sales Performance
Simply having a dashboard isn’t enough. To unlock its full potential, you need to use it effectively. Here’s how:
1. Make Dashboards a Daily Habit
Encourage salespeople to start their day by reviewing their CRM dashboard. This creates a sense of focus and ensures they’re prioritizing the right tasks.
Pro Tip: Time-block 15 minutes each morning to review your pipeline, performance metrics, and tasks for the day.
2. Use Data to Drive Coaching
Sales managers should use dashboard insights during 1:1 meetings with their team. For example, if a rep’s win rate is lower than average, review their pipeline and discuss strategies for improving conversions.
Pro Tip: Combine data from the dashboard with recorded sales calls or meeting notes for a holistic coaching approach.
3. Improve Forecasting Accuracy
Dashboards provide a real-time view of pipeline activity, allowing managers to create more accurate forecasts. Regularly reviewing this data helps avoid last-minute surprises.
Pro Tip: Use weighted pipelines to account for deal probability, providing a more realistic revenue projection.
4. Track Progress Toward Goals
Both salespeople and managers should regularly review progress toward goals. Dashboards make it easy to see if you’re on track—or if you need to adjust your strategy.
Pro Tip: Set weekly or monthly benchmarks and track them using dashboard KPIs.
5. Spot and Address Bottlenecks
Pipeline visibility allows salespeople and managers to identify stalled deals and other bottlenecks. By addressing these early, you can keep deals moving forward.
Pro Tip: Use filters to isolate deals that have been stuck in the same stage for longer than average.
6. Encourage Healthy Competition
Many CRMs allow you to display team-wide leaderboards on the dashboard. This creates transparency and fosters friendly competition.
Pro Tip: Pair leaderboards with rewards for top performers to keep morale high.
CRM Dashboards: Best Practices
To get the most out of your CRM dashboard, follow these best practices:
- Keep It Simple: Avoid clutter by focusing on the most critical metrics. Too much information can be overwhelming.
- Customize for Roles: Tailor dashboards for different users. Sales reps need different data than managers.
- Automate Updates: Use your CRM’s automation features to ensure dashboards update in real-time.
- Train Your Team: Provide training to ensure everyone understands how to interpret the data and take action.
- Review Regularly: Dashboards should be dynamic. Adjust them as your sales process or goals evolve.
Closing Thoughts
CRM dashboards are more than just a fancy visualization tool—they’re the key to unlocking your sales team’s full potential. By providing real-time insights, fostering accountability, and guiding strategic decisions, they empower both salespeople and sales managers to work smarter, not harder.
When designed thoughtfully and used consistently, CRM dashboards can be the difference between hitting your sales targets and exceeding them.
Ready to level up your sales performance? Dive into your CRM dashboard and start making data-driven decisions today!
Good luck and good selling folks!
Simon Hazeldine
PS Bonus content: What CRM tools offer the best dashboards? See below.
Subscribe to Simon Hazeldine’s
“More Sales, More Often, More Margin” newsletter.
Simon’s regular newsletter contains powerful and practical sales and negotiation
strategies, tactics, and tips to help you to grow your revenue and bottom-line profits.
Here are some additional resources for you:
13 Sales Dashboard Examples That’ll Help You Set Up Your Own
CRM Trends That Matter In 2024
7 Sales Dashboards Every Team Needs (With Examples)
About the author
Simon Hazeldine works internationally as a revenue growth and sales performance speaker, consultant, and coach. He empowers his clients to get more sales, more often with more margin.
He has spoken in over thirty countries and his client list includes some of the world’s largest and most successful companies.
Simon has a master’s degree in psychology, is the bestselling author of ten books that have been endorsed by a host of business leaders including multi-billionaire business legend Michael Dell and is co-founder of leading sales podcast “The Sales Chat Show”.
He is the creator of the neuroscience based “Brain Friendly Selling”® methodology.
Simon Hazeldine’s books:
- Neuro-Sell: How Neuroscience Can Power Your Sales Success
- Bare Knuckle Selling
- Bare Knuckle Negotiating
- Bare Knuckle Customer Service
- The Inner Winner
- How To Lead Your Sales Team – Virtually and in Person
- Virtual Selling Success
- How To Manage Your People’s Performance
- How To Create Effective Employee Development Plans
- Virtual Negotiation Success
What CRM tools offer the best dashboards?
When it comes to CRM tools with powerful and intuitive dashboards, several platforms stand out as leaders in the market. These tools offer customizable, user-friendly dashboards that help sales teams and managers monitor performance, track pipeline activity, and drive actionable insights. Here’s a breakdown of some of the best CRM tools that offer top-notch dashboards:
1. Salesforce
Why it’s great:
Salesforce is the gold standard in CRM systems and offers highly customizable dashboards through its Salesforce Lightning platform. Users can build real-time, data-driven dashboards that include everything from pipeline status and team activity to revenue forecasts.
Key Features:
- Highly customizable dashboards tailored to different roles (e.g., sales reps, managers, executives).
- Real-time updates with visual charts and graphs.
- Drag-and-drop dashboard builder for ease of use.
- AI-driven insights via Einstein Analytics to predict opportunities and identify trends.
- Mobile-friendly access for on-the-go updates.
Best For: Large enterprises and organizations needing robust, detailed CRM dashboards.
2. HubSpot CRM
Why it’s great:
HubSpot CRM is known for its user-friendly interface and out-of-the-box dashboards. It offers a free CRM with solid dashboard capabilities, making it ideal for SMBs and growing teams. Users can quickly view pipeline health, sales activities, and team performance.
Key Features:
- Pre-built dashboard templates for sales, marketing, and service teams.
- Customizable dashboards with drag-and-drop modules.
- Integration with email tracking, deal pipelines, and lead scoring tools.
- Real-time sales activity and progress reports.
- Easy setup with no technical expertise required.
Best For: Small to medium-sized businesses looking for an intuitive, cost-effective CRM solution.
3. Zoho CRM
Why it’s great:
Zoho CRM offers highly flexible and customizable dashboards that cater to businesses of all sizes. The tool provides interactive visualizations and a drag-and-drop builder to configure dashboards without coding.
Key Features:
- Custom dashboards for sales, marketing, and service analytics.
- Real-time data visualizations and actionable insights.
- Pre-built templates for quick setup.
- Advanced AI assistant (Zia) for predictive analytics and recommendations.
- Extensive integration options with third-party tools.
Best For: SMBs and mid-sized organizations looking for a feature-rich CRM at a competitive price.
Learn more: Zoho CRM Analytics
4. Pipedrive
Why it’s great:
Pipedrive focuses on simplicity and sales pipeline visibility. Its dashboards are visually clean and designed to give sales reps a clear overview of deal progress, goals, and tasks.
Key Features:
- Customizable dashboards with drag-and-drop functionality.
- Visual pipeline reports to track deal stages and conversions.
- Goal tracking to measure individual and team performance.
- Activity-based metrics for calls, emails, and meetings.
- Easy integration with third-party tools like Slack, Trello, and Google Workspace.
Best For: Sales-focused teams looking for an easy-to-use CRM with clear pipeline views.
Learn more: Pipedrive Sales Dashboards
5. Microsoft Dynamics 365
Why it’s great:
Microsoft Dynamics 365 is a powerful CRM that integrates seamlessly with Microsoft tools like Outlook and Excel. Its dashboards offer deep analytics and AI-driven insights, ideal for complex B2B sales operations.
Key Features:
- Customizable role-based dashboards.
- Powerful integration with Power BI for advanced data visualizations.
- Real-time updates on sales forecasts, pipeline status, and customer interactions.
- AI-driven insights to optimize sales performance.
- Scalable dashboards for enterprise-level organizations.
Best For: Large businesses and organizations already using Microsoft products.
Learn more: Microsoft Dynamics 365
6. Freshsales (by Freshworks)
Why it’s great:
Freshsales offers clean, visual dashboards designed for simplicity and ease of use. It’s an affordable CRM that gives SMBs access to robust features like pipeline tracking and performance monitoring.
Key Features:
- Customizable and pre-built dashboards for sales activities and metrics.
- Visual pipeline management to monitor deal progress.
- AI-driven sales insights through Freddy AI.
- Quick access to activity metrics, such as emails, calls, and follow-ups.
- Seamless integration with tools like Freshdesk and Slack.
Best For: Small to mid-sized businesses looking for an affordable, intuitive CRM.
7. Insightly
Why it’s great:
Insightly combines CRM and project management, making it ideal for businesses that manage both customer relationships and project execution. Its dashboards provide a unified view of sales and post-sale activities.
Key Features:
- Visual pipeline tracking for leads, opportunities, and projects.
- Customizable dashboards with drag-and-drop features.
- Integration with marketing automation tools for lead insights.
- Real-time reporting on sales KPIs and project milestones.
- Mobile-friendly dashboard access.
Best For: Businesses that combine sales CRM with project management workflows.
8. Monday.com CRM
Why it’s great:
Monday.com offers a highly visual and flexible CRM that combines task management with CRM functions. Its dashboards are customizable and user-friendly, making it a great option for teams new to CRM systems.
Key Features:
- Visual dashboards with drag-and-drop widgets.
- Real-time deal tracking and activity management.
- Integration with project management workflows for a unified platform.
- Automation features for task assignments and notifications.
- Custom reporting and performance tracking.
Best For: Teams looking for an all-in-one project and CRM solution.
9. SugarCRM
Why it’s great:
SugarCRM offers robust reporting and dashboard features with AI-driven insights. It’s highly customizable, making it suitable for businesses with specific CRM requirements.
Key Features:
- Customizable dashboards with advanced reporting tools.
- AI-driven insights for forecasting and pipeline management.
- Real-time updates on sales performance.
- Advanced automation workflows for lead management.
- Seamless integrations with marketing automation tools.
Best For: Mid-to-large enterprises needing advanced CRM capabilities.
Learn more: SugarCRM Dashboards
Conclusion: Which CRM Dashboards Should You Choose?
The best CRM dashboards align with your business size, sales process, and goals. For large enterprises needing extensive customization and AI-powered insights, Salesforce and Microsoft Dynamics 365 are standout options. For small-to-midsize businesses focused on ease of use and affordability, HubSpot CRM, Pipedrive, and Freshsales provide excellent dashboards with minimal learning curves.
Ultimately, a great CRM dashboard should:
- Provide real-time data and insights.
- Be user-friendly and visually clear.
- Align with your sales goals and processes.
Start with your specific needs, explore trials, and choose a platform that empowers your sales team to perform at its peak.
Good luck and good selling!
