Getting the most from your CRM system
Part 2: Insisting on adoption

Step 1: Dispense with previous systems

Don’t leave previous systems in place – remove card indexes and uninstall old applications, or make them read only. Confidence in the content of your new CRM system will be quickly undermined if staff cannot find what they want because previous systems have remained in use. For example, how useful will your sales forecast be with one of your sales person’s figures missing or completely out of date?

Step 2: Set a good example

You’ve invested in your CRM – now you need to ensure everyone makes use of it. Encourage senior management to demonstrate they’re fully involved and if key people missed the original training, arrange another session and make sure they attend.

Don’t be casual about take-up, or accept instances of your sales people achieving their targets without using the new CRM. You need them to be champions of the system, not a bad leadership example to others who’ll think they can get away with not using it, too.

You should take a long term view and ensure everyone appreciates the value of an accurate and adequate client history. The message should be that customer interaction represents a job only half done unless such events are properly recorded.

Highlight the good practice you expect as standard by recognising where effective use of CRM saved the business money, or contributed to excellent customer service.

Step 3: Have a change control process

Do monitor the systems general usage in relation to your business’s KPIs and review activity reports. This way, you’ll soon find that you can actually feel the pulse of your system and your business. Initiate a control process that allows you to review and consider all changes proposed after implementation.

This is an important way to manage costs and maintain control of your system’s design. Keep the process going once your system is live.

Coming up in the final part of Getting the most from your CRM system: Achieving results.

Missed part 1? Read it here