The Success of Collaboration Software is Largely Dependent on Intranet Content

How can you make your Intranet into a user experience that will reap all the potential benefits for your company? It is largely dependant on how easy it is to use, and whether or not the information and tools provided make someone's job easier and more productive.

A good example of incorrect use of the Intranet can often been seen in sales. Managers and others who set up the sales Intranet never forget to include calendars, statistics, tracking for number of calls made and other steps in the sales cycle. Nor do they forget leads, prospect lists, and so on. But they don't necessarily ask the sales people exactly what they need, and make sure they get it.

Here's a list to get your sales Intranet off to a good start:

• Product one-sheets
• Full technical specs
• Case studies and testimonials, cross-indexed for industry type and size
• Charts comparing your product's features, functionality and pricing with those of
• competitor products

• ROI charts, including comparatives with competitors
• Interactive spreadsheets that enable quick pricing for different configurations and number of seats
• Any special pricing deals currently available
• Approved discounts
• Up-to-date reference clients who can be contacted by a potential customer - including a schedule of when the reference is available to take calls. Also cross-indexed for industry type and size.
• Charts covering sales objections and their handlings
• FAQs
• Contact information for anyone who can tag on a sale, including IT
• Product demos

There are sales people all over the world who would kill for that kind of data. Use this as a checklist to improve your sales Intranet usability, and survey your sales people personally to find out what else they need. Yes, it will take a little work but there's a big pot of gold at the end of it: A happier, more efficient, more productive sales team that's making more money for themselves and the company - just by using your collaboration software's Intranet.