You want a CRM. You have seen the wonderful ones that other people have and now you see just how much it could help your organisation. But getting the system is only the first step – you have to make sure that your staff are confident and happy to use it.
Having delivered over 400 CRM Implementations, here are our Top Tips on how to Ace your CRM Adoption.
Include your team from the very start
Using a CRM could represent a massive change for your staff. Perhaps they are used to the systems they have, nervous about using new technology, or simply so overwhelmed by their current workload they feel like they don’t have the capacity to take on anything new. You can address these issues by including them in the process.
- Let your team know you’re considering a CRM
- Listen to their concerns, make sure you understand them.
- Talk about the parts of their work it will help. Perhaps it’s as simple as being able to book a meeting room on the system. Get them to help identify these – they may have some great ideas that you have not even thought of!
- Share your vision for what your new CRM could do but be realistic – let them know what the CRM will not do – it’s not a magical cure for everything.
Be clear on the benefits
Let’s face it, entering data can be boring. It can be easy to lose motivation to enter it promptly and fully. Being clear on why it’s important and demonstrating the positive impact it can have for your staff is essential.
Show staff how entering the data helps them in their work – producing the reports at the end of the month becomes easy and the report is reliable. Entering all appointments and activities in their calendars lets them see how much time different projects are taking.
Have some dashboards up that everyone can see – how many new clients has your organisation helped this month? How many cases have been closed? They will see the relevance of their work and how they are contributing to your objectives both as individuals and as teams.
Appoint a Management Champion
Appoint someone as management champion at the highest level who is passionate about the system. Get them to share this enthusiasm at staff meetings / in company newsletters and elsewhere.
Be clear on expectations
To help staff prepare for using the system, we recommend you discuss and agree the following at a team level in advance:
- Targets for use (daily or per shift AND longer term)
- What time staff will be allocated to learn and practice using the system?
- How often will system usage be reviewed, where and by whom?
Let staff know in advance that you will be keeping an eye on the login report to support their usage. If someone is not using the system, perhaps they need encouragement and more training, or time freed up to enable them to. It’s better to do this from the start or people may get more and more nervous of the system and never want to use it.
It is also important to note and celebrate wins (e.g. meeting targets). You can prepare some fun rewards, especially over the first few months. Here are a few ideas.:
Friday afternoon off for the staff member who used the system most over a month
Cake or a fruit basket for the office when everyone has logged in every day for a week
Celebrate usage of the system and think about what support could be provided where there isn’t usage.
Training, training and more training
Make sure your team are supported in learning how to use the new CRM and informed of any changes made to it. Don’t forget training comes in many forms:
- Formal training sessions delivered on-site or online, by your team or an external expert.
- Buddy systems where inexperienced users are paired with more experienced ones that they can turn to for help. Ideal for when new team members join.
- Mini videos/quick guides to answer common “How do I?” questions.
If you have staff who are enthusiastic, suggest they do some of the Trailhead training provided by Salesforce. They may even want to do some of the Salesforce exams. This is a great addition to their qualifications.
Keep an eye on data silos (aka spreadsheets)
We can all be reluctant when it comes to change, and your team are likely used to doing things in a certain way. Encourage everyone to put all relevant information on the system. If someone is using a spreadsheet for their work, ask why!
Ask for help if you need it
Whether you’re struggling with a new or existing CRM, the Enclude Membership Services team are here to help. Get in touch to see how we can support you. Find out more here.
