If there is an excuse to not use a customer relationship management (CRM) system, more than likely a manager has heard it or something similar. “It takes too long,” “The data isn’t right,” “My boss doesn’t use it, so why should I?” “I never got proper training,” and the list goes on. However, driving CRM adoption is an important task. Below are 10 recommended best practices to help improve CRM user adoption at your organization.
10 Tips to Help Improve CRM User Adoption
1. Communication
Communicate a clear vision to your team for why adopting CRM is critical, not only for the organization’s benefit but also for each user. Make the process as simple as possible to use CRM (or to get back on track). Prioritize high-value tasks and start using CRM for those first. Give your team ownership in adoption by asking for their notes on the layout and process to complete tasks.
A clear vision and user feedback can help you calibrate the CRM system to meet your organization’s needs.
2. Customization
Be sure your CRM system mimics your business processes instead of trying to change your business processes to match out-of-the-box CRM default settings. It’s important that your users feel comfortable using CRM. Work with your CRM consulting partner or administrator to specify CRM implementation requirements.
3. Training
Develop a training plan that’s focused on supporting your CRM users. Start by thinking about your sales team’s typical day and tasks. Improved CRM adoption rates can only be achieved if users know how to complete their everyday tasks. Train users on basic elements first and then on more advanced functions. Explain how each step taken in CRM helps to streamline and automate various processes.
4. Practice
Adhere to the motto: “If it’s not in CRM, it doesn’t exist!” To reinforce that message, have your CRM administrator or sales manager choose four to five CRM tasks users should master. Then have the administrator or manager check in with every user to review how completing each task in CRM is going. This helps users focus on what is important. It also provides a simple, measurable way to see who is improving and who may need more assistance in each area. Typically, after four to six weeks of completing tasks regularly, users feel more comfortable using CRM.
5. Refresher Sessions
Schedule follow-up training. Remember, training is not a “one and done” thing. A few months after initial training, have a refresher session to review various CRM tasks and determine if there are common questions or challenges.
Also, don’t forget new hires. When an organization launches a new or updated CRM system, the team in place at that time typically receives in-depth training. Then new hires sometimes get an abbreviated version. Ongoing training can benefit your experienced users and new team members as well.
6. Goal Setting
Set attainable, measurable goals for your CRM users. Use those metrics to hold users accountable for meeting their goals. For example, you could look at how many outbound sales calls a person has registered in the system, how many leads the person has converted into a sale, and how accurate their data entry is. Then the CRM administrator or sales manager can acknowledge a job well done or offer assistance.
7. Check-Ins
Check in regularly with CRM users. Schedule short meetings biweekly or monthly to discuss CRM. Address any issues or concerns and provide tips on how to use the system more efficiently. Another tactic to get users more involved is to have one person provide a tip each week.
8. Scalability
Make CRM the one-stop shop for your business development team. By integrating and centralizing all customer and sales information, all stakeholders will know where to find customer information. This can help streamline the training process and scale up the sales process.
9. Encouragement
If your business model will allow it, “gamify” the CRM system. Applying gamification to improve CRM use requires listing what you’d like team members to do more of, then designing related incentives. Rewards for high-adoption users could be small gift cards or companywide recognition for being a CRM leader.
10. Continuous Learning
Encourage CRM users to attend external training sessions to sharpen their skills. There are many complimentary resources available. For instance, FORsights™, Microsoft Dynamics 365, and Salesforce offer helpful resources.
Driving CRM adoption can help your organization create improved business development processes. If you’d like to discuss strategies or more best practices for driving CRM adoption, please send a message using the Contact Us form below. The Business Technology Solutions Team at FORVIS provides analysis, design, implementation, upgrades, training, and support services for CRM systems.