Overview
In SmartMoving, lead routing automation rules are a powerful tool that allows businesses to route leads automatically based on various criteria. This guide will walk you through the basics of creating and managing lead assignment rules, as well as some advanced configurations and use cases.
A Note About Lead Routing and Task Follow-Up Automation:
Lead routing can also trigger a task follow-up automation process. While these processes won't inherently conflict, it's important to note that if a sales manager wants both lead assignment and task follow-ups scheduled, they will need to configure both rulesets accordingly.
Setting Up Lead Assignment Rules
When you create a lead assignment rule, the system lets you define multiple conditions to determine how leads are routed and assigned. You can design your lead routing as flexibly as needed, with no hard limit on the number of rules.
Step 1: Access Task Follow-Up Automation
1. Go to the Settings icon in SmartMoving.
2. Navigate to the Sales tab.
3. Select Lead Routing Automation.
Step 2: Create a New Automation Rule
Once task follow-up automation is enabled, you can start creating rules:
1. Click on Add Rule.
2. Name your rule (e.g., "Interstate Lead Routing").
3. By default, new rules are set to "off." Turn it on when ready to activate.
4. Click the arrow to begin configuring the details of the rule.
Step 3: Add Conditions
Conditions narrow down when the automation applies. These can be customized using AND/OR logic:
AND Logic: All selected conditions must be met (e.g., lead is assigned, and opportunity type is interstate).
OR Logic: The automation applies if any of the selected conditions are met (e.g., lead is local or interstate).
Note: You cannot mix AND/OR conditions within the same rule.
Conditions options:
Branch: Select from the branches you have in SmartMoving.
Customer: Begin typing the customer’s name and select from the populated results.
Destination State/Province: Select a U.S. state or Canadian province.
Opportunity Status: Select from list (i.e. new lead, lead in progress, booked, etc.).
Opportunity Type: Select local, interstate, or intrastate.
Origin State/Province: Select a U.S. state or Canadian province.
Referral Source: Select a referral source from the list.
Service Type: Select from the list (i.e. packing, moving and packing, moving, etc.).
Time of day: Set follow-ups to be created during specific business hours.
UTM Key: Select a UTM type and then input the key.
Step 4: Configure Follow-Up Actions
Once conditions are set, you can assign the lead to either a specific salesperson or a sales role:
Assign to Salespeople: You can assign leads to multiple salespeople, up to a limit (typically 10). The leads will be distributed sequentially based on the order of salespeople added to the rule. For example, the first lead goes to the first salesperson, the second lead to the next, and so on, looping back when the list is exhausted.
Assign to Sales Roles: Instead of individual salespeople, you can assign leads to a sales role, such as Sales Manager or Accounting. Leads will be equally distributed among all roles selected.
Sales Roles Configuration: Sales roles can be set up and assigned to employees within the Company Settings under Roles & Permissions. Once a new role is created, it can be assigned to sales employees via Settings > Company Settings > User Management. This is particularly helpful for large sales organizations, especially those managing multiple teams of 10 or more, as it allows for efficient employee categorization.
Step 5: Save and Activate
After configuring the rule, you can save and activate it with a simple toggle. This allows easy control of rules without needing to recreate them.
Typical Use Cases for Lead Assignment Conditions
Branch-Specific Routing: For businesses with multiple branches, you can automate lead routing based on the branch. For example, leads from a Minnesota branch can automatically be assigned to salespeople working for that location.
Repeat Customer Routing: You can configure the system to assign repeat customers to the same salesperson who handled them before. This ensures a personalized experience for returning clients.
Even Lead Distribution: This ensures that leads are equally distributed among sales teams and reduces issues with cherry-picking and poor lead selection practices.
Step 6: Test
Once you've configured the automation, save your rule. We recommend creating a sample lead or opportunity that matches the conditions set in your automation. Doing this will test the automation by triggering it to ensure it works as expected.
SmartMoving records when an automation assigns a lead to a salesperson in the Activity section of the Sales screen within an opportunity. This allows users to verify that the rule is functioning correctly.
Additional Considerations
Rule Execution Order
Lead assignment rules are executed in the order they are created unless reordered. You can prioritize rules using a drag-and-drop interface, ensuring that more critical rules are executed first to prevent conflicts when multiple rules apply.
Handling Conflicts Between Rules
A common scenario might involve multiple lead assignment rules that appear to conflict with one another. For instance, one rule might assign a lead to one salesperson, while another rule assigns it to a different salesperson. SmartMoving handles this by evaluating all relevant rules. If a lead meets the conditions of the first rule, that rule is executed, but the system will continue evaluating other applicable rules.
Duplicating and Deleting Rules
To further simplify the management of your lead assignment rules, SmartMoving allows you to duplicate existing rules. This can be useful if you want to test different settings or apply a similar rule with slight variations. You can also delete rules as needed to keep your lead routing clean and efficient.
Fine-Tuning Lead Routing Logic
While SmartMoving handles most use cases with ease, you may have specific edge cases requiring custom configurations. For instance, if a lead is reassigned due to a new rule, the system ensures the correct sequence is followed. Feedback on these scenarios is welcome, as the platform evolves based on user needs.
Conclusion
Lead assignment rules in SmartMoving offer flexibility and customization. Whether you're routing leads based on location, lead source, or workload, SmartMoving makes it easy to configure and manage rules. Take advantage of the platform’s drag-and-drop reorder function, duplication options, and complex follow-up logic to ensure your team gets the right leads at the right time.