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YEKLABS / CRM

How we structured a sales workflow in a CRM

YekLabs ·

Illustration of customer records moving through connected sales stages.

The custom CRM application developed by YekLabs supports managing customer statuses and communication channels in one application. An illustrative record, from first contact to the next conversation, shows how this approach works.

Illustrative CRM screen showing customer statuses, communication channels and follow-up actions.
YekLabs project example. This illustrative interface uses fictional data and is not a screenshot of the delivered application.

Record the first contact

Imagine a company requests a quote through the website. The team member creating the record enters the company name, communication channel and a summary of the first contact. Requests received by phone and through the website can then be tracked in the same list. The channel tells you where the customer came from, while the stage shows where the sale stands today.

Give each stage a shared meaning

One team may use “contacted” to mean that someone answered the phone. Another may use it to mean that the customer's requirements have been confirmed. A short transition rule beside each stage name reduces this ambiguity. For example, select “quote sent” once the quote has reached the customer.

In the example workflow, the customer asks for a quote after the first conversation. The conversation summary is linked to the customer. Once the quote is sent, the current stage is selected and a follow-up is planned for Friday. When the record is handed over, the new owner can see both the latest contact and the pending action.

Design the manager’s view around sales discussions

If “Which quotes are awaiting a response?” comes up in every weekly meeting, design the list around that question. The stage, owner and next follow-up date are usually enough to start. Separating overdue follow-ups from those expected this week can help the team prioritise the meeting.

Before adding a field, decide who will update it and which decision it will support. Fields that nobody uses in meetings slow down record creation. A few clearly defined fields help the same process continue when team members change.

Checklist

  • Are the first contact and the sales stage recorded separately?
  • Does everyone know which event triggers each stage transition?
  • Can a new owner understand the next action when a record is handed over?

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