Tech and Trends:- Everyone that buys a CRM usually ends up making at least a few mistakes before they get used to the new system. But, some companies make more mistakes than others. Here’s how to get up and running with your new software without making the same mistakes everyone else is making.
Not Thinking About The End User
Don’t forget about who will be using your CRM. Most companies don’t think enough about the impact on employees, but it’s important. Your company needs to explain to the people who will be using the CRM what they will be using, how it benefits them, and how it benefits the company. Focus on how the new software improves revenue, reduces costs, and makes employees’ lives easier and simpler.
Not Choosing A Solution That Is Sales Rep Friendly
Sales reps are your communication hub in a CRM solution. The software needs to be sales rep friendly. If sales reps are struggling to figure out how to find clients and prospects, enter information, notes, and make callbacks, guess what? They won’t use the system.
Not Choosing a Scalable Solution
Your solution should scale as you grow. Blitz for mortgage lenders is a good example of how to make a CRM scalable.
No Integration With Your Website Or Social Media
A CRM needs to be tightly integrated with your company’s social media campaigns as well as your website. Leads that are generated via mobile need to be considered as well. You don’t want to buy a shiny new CRM only to be cut off from the inherent lead capture automation advantage these things have.
No Integration With Other Systems and Apps
When CRMs are “islands unto themselves,” that’s a red flag. Your CRM should play well with other apps, allow you to export and import data, and should integrate with your existing infrastructure.
Lack of A Defined Process
When employees look at your new CRM as a fancy address book, there’s a problem. Yes, CRMs contain address books, but they are much more than that. They are a way to integrate multiple streams of data into usable information that improves workflow processes and sales.
Going For Too Much Integration
While integration is good, too much can be overwhelming. To say that big data companies, like SAP and Oracle, are fans of integration is an understatement. But, when they want you to have deep integration with everything possible, it can actually waste valuable resources. Large retailers might have a need for such integration, but boutique organizations and small businesses don’t. Stick with basic integration, and you’ll be fine.
Not Providing Training
Many businesses that adopt new CRMs assume that the vendor will be providing the training and that’s all that’s needed. This is a huge mistake. Do not rely on vendor training. They can’t know all of the inner workings of your company and won’t know whether there should be a special emphasis on certain aspects of the CRM that benefit your company the most.
Tiffany Stevens is a part time worker in a small office. In her spare time, she likes to share what she has learned over the years. Look for her informative posts on many of today’s best websites and blogs.
