CRM Adoption…. Two words that epitomize frustration for many
businesses...
At KMB, I manage our own CRM and we adopt many of our
clients CRM systems for the marketing campaigns we produce, from modifying and
updating data directly in their system to creating opportunities that can be
tracked through the sales process.
I’m sure most people would agree - CRM is brilliant – you
can track and forecast sales as well as easily analysing in detail your lead
sources with the endless reporting available, as well as lots of other
invaluable functionality – the list goes on and on!
When CRM isn’t brilliant, this is normally due to the lack
of adoption of your system from your team. Typical scenarios I come across are
when opportunities are created but they're not updated quickly - or not at all! In many cases sales
are lost or on hold but no reasons are given, and nurturing future follow up tasks
are not being created to name just a few examples.
Do any of these examples sound familiar? I am asked many times; How can we change this?
Do any of these examples sound familiar? I am asked many times; How can we change this?
Here are my top 3 adoption tips –
1. User-friendly interface and applications - Choose a system that is easy to use and doesn’t have lots of pages and steps to
create / modify things, your employees will want a more productive way to work
and will be hesitant to use a system that they believe will slow them down.
2. Training - Your CRM provider may give your employees
training on how to input a task and create an opportunity, but do your employees
know when they should be creating a task in their sales process? Do they know
what they should do in the CRM when they win or lose an opportunity? Do they
have a guide at hand to tell them what they need to do? Create dummy process
guides for every department to make it as easy as possible for your employees
to do their job – the clearer you are in how you want your employees to use the
system, the more likely your employees are to use it.3. Monitoring and leading by example - It’s day 11,423 in the big brother house……..No-one likes to be big brother, but unless you are consistently monitoring your employees input in the CRM, as well as reminding your team what the process is and why you have that process to begin with, you will find that some employees won’t bother using the CRM - simply because they can get away with not using it. Why would your employees change the way they have always done things when they are not being reprimanded, particularly if you are not following the processes yourself?
I have come across many clients where they have invested huge amounts of money in an all singing and dancing CRM system that they cannot use properly as their employees do not use it, so before your head goes through the table from banging it or throwing out CRM completely, remember there are lots of other businesses in the same situation and by putting yourself in your employees shoes, and making things as easy as possible for them, you will soon see they will follow your lead.
Contact us to find out how we can help you with your CRM call us 01527 518373 or email info@kmb.org.uk
