An important component of making critical decisions is the ability to accurately predict future performance. This is essential for the sales function of a business, as so many factors hinge on the sales forecast. Accordingly, quantitative data should build projections based on sound data analysis. This study identifies how sales professionals (both sales managers and salespeople) are achieving this, given modern-day tools that are available, as well as the resulting impacts. In addition to some demographics, the study examines the perceptions concerning several forecasting sales force automation components, specifically enterprise resource planning (ERP), and customer relationship management (CRM) software. These perceptions have tremendous impacts on the ability to integrate new state-of-the-art predictive analytic tools to help in the allocation of such resources as time, money, and talent. Perceptions indicate a need to better understand how to integrate the power of CRM, ERP, and other technologies to take advantage of the opportunities provided by such tools. Sales professionals, both salespeople and sales managers, need to harness the capabilities of these new analytical tools to improve corporate metrics and outcomes.

中文翻译：

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销售预测探索：销售经理和销售员观点

做出关键决策的重要组成部分是准确预测未来绩效的能力。这对于企业的销售职能至关重要，因为许多因素取决于销售预测。因此，定量数据应基于声音数据分析来建立预测。这项研究确定了销售专业人员（销售经理和销售人员）如何实现这一目标，同时考虑到可用的现代工具以及由此产生的影响。除某些人口统计信息外，该研究还考察了有关几个预测销售人员自动化组件的看法，特别是企业资源计划（ERP）和客户关系管理（CRM）软件。这些看法对集成新的最先进的预测分析工具以帮助分配时间，金钱和才华等资源的能力产生巨大影响。感知表明需要更好地了解如何集成CRM，ERP和其他技术的功能，以利用此类工具提供的机会。销售人员（销售人员和销售经理）都需要利用这些新的分析工具的功能来改善公司指标和结果。