CRM adoption is a common issue for companies trying to initially use a CRM software. Most people are aware of this fact, but as to the reason behind it? The answers are quite vague, but they do have one thing in common: misinformation. The second biggest reason for CRM adoption failure, next to the natural human tendency to resist change, is the lack of proper knowledge. Fortunately, both reasons can be worked upon, with the implementation of CRM adoption strategies, accompanied by proper training.
To tackle the issue of CRM misinformation, here are some of the most prominent CRM myths that hinder your company’s adoption:
Many employees feel that CRM is merely extra work, contrary to its initial purpose which is to increase efficiency in the workplace. People don’t like the idea of changing and adjusting to new ways of doing things, especially if they’re content with how their set ways have been serving them. Plus, CRM requires training and constant use, before it becomes a natural part of an employee’s workflow, which makes the beginning stages of adoption difficult.
In reality, CRM is necessary to improve your company overall. A statistic by Salesforce shows that with the use of CRM, sales increased by 29%, productivity by up to 34%, and sales forecasts improved by 40%. As with “extra work”, CRM, if used the right way, can reduce the number of manual admin tasks. It has features that can automate email marketing, track customer data, contact information, etc.
The only problem is that perhaps your users are not aware of these benefits and how to harness them….yet. That’s why they think of it as a nuisance. Before anything else, inform your users of the gaps in your current state, and how CRM can help with those gaps. Show them the benefits of using CRM for the long-term, to help them understand why the shift is ultimately a good thing.
Technically, CRM is a kind of digital software, so it can be easy to believe that it is something that only techy people can use, or even understand. This myth can even be used as an excuse for non-IT people to not use CRM. They may be intimidated by the technology aspect of it, especially since it’s not a very familiar thing to them. However, with proper training, anyone can use a CRM.
Think about it, many of the apps that we use today are programs made with code, such as Facebook, Google, and even Spotify. IT people aren’t the only ones using them, everyone is. Programs and apps just need a little bit of exploring, and some time to get used to. CRM is the same.
Besides, CRM stands for “Customer Relationship Management”, and we all know that the IT department’s direct job is to maintain the company’s computer systems, not to manage customer relations. CRM is mainly a database that serves to improve sales and marketing. This leads us to the next myth:
According to a research report by Capterra, the sales department is said to be the biggest user of CRM software across industries. However, it also states that next to the sales department, marketing, customer service, IT, finance, and HR, also use CRM.
Salespeople just happen to use CRM more due to the nature of their work, which is to interact with customers, but that doesn’t mean that CRM is exclusive to them only. It is a shared database. It can be used to craft better marketing campaigns, to track sales and ROI, billing, notes, contacts, and even employee performance. Therefore, CRM can be used and accessed across all departments.
This might’ve been true in the early days of CRM. Back then, CRM was typically managed on-site and was hosted using company servers. This meant that it was hard to access or use, away from the company/office. Mobile solutions weren’t available because they can be very expensive to set up, and users are forced to pump data manually into the CRM through typing,during working hours. Instead of having more time to do productive work, users become stuck having to input huge amounts of data.
Some of these methods are still in use today, however, manual data entry is undeniably inefficient and over the years, there have been many innovations in CRM to reduce this burden.
Many CRM systems are now cloud-based, which means they can be accessed via the internet. Mobile CRMs have also been popular over the years. It increases accessibility and allows users to input data anytime, anywhere. Additionally, manual data entry is becoming less of a problem due to crm data entry software solutions, and automation. Many new CRM systems have found ways to capture information and automatically enter the necessary data, without users having to manually input anything.
One prominent innovation that lets you do this is Voice to CRM. The user only needs to speak, and that’s it. Data is perfectly collated and entered into the right fields, making data entry more efficient.
Lastly, users may be hesitant to use CRM for fear that the important data entered into it may be breached and stolen by hackers. Unfortunately, this is a real risk with CRM. Just like any other database, data breaches can happen. However, the chances of such security threats are quite minimal, given that the company follows best security practices.
Many, if not all, cloud-based CRM providers consider these risks. Precautionary measures such as restrictions in the IP address range, firewalls, login security, and data encryptions are typically set in place to secure your data.
Security can also be doubly strengthened on the company’s end, by doing regular updates, following security protocol, managing access levels, and training your users on how to keep CRM data secure. Doing these can help users feel safe and less fearful in using CRM, leading to better adoption. Moreover, with security threats out of the way, the CRM benefits will outweigh the risk of a possible data breach.
Any business will tell you that the very hard working heart of any successful business venture is the sales team. These, after all, are the frontliners who sortie out into the world to convert interested parties into buying parties. That being said, it’s also one of the most challenging teams anyone can ever be on. Is it any wonder why they have the highest attrition rates of any team in any business?
Key to keeping your sales team happy is to ensure that they have the right tools to get the job done. In order to figure out exactly what they need, you need to understand the challenges that they face. Here are the biggest challenges faced by any sales team—and how you should work to solve them.
One of the key tasks undertaken by any sales team is lead generation. While social media and email have made this relatively easy to do online, many still swear by the traditional way of doing things: going out there and talking to people. The key to success in any such foray is the ability to accurately capture the details of the person you’re talking to. While simple note taking is often enough for one on one contacts, it can get tedious when there are many potential leads and not enough time.
Many have turned to simple voice recording to get the detail captured easily, you still have to transcribe things later on. This isn’t ideal if you want your sales team to be agile and on their feet. A better solution that’s also quite modern is voice to CRM. This kind of solution takes transcription to a whole new level and allows for integration into a database that is readily managed. This leaves your sales team free to focus on generating quality leads.
Another aspect of sales that many consider to be very tedious is the management of inventory. The problems are of the same level of intensity whether or not the sales are done online or in person. After all, sales can be a fast and fluid affair at the hands of a skilled salesperson. But this doesn’t excuse the need to be able to accurately manage stock and inventory levels. This is a lot tougher than most people imagine even with a fully equipped sales team. Errors can arise from exhaustion or human factors.
Voice to CRM is again an ideal solution here given that advances in technology have allowed for clearer identification of what’s being said at any given time. Of course, in this application, there’s a need to integrate with those responsible for managing your high value data. The solution then is to go for a provider who can deliver both accuracy and effective integration. This way, the software can capture and record information regarding each sale as it happens.
A final challenge that actually seems at first like a mere inconvenience is the handling of administrative tasks. These include the aforementioned entry of data gathered whether they are from leads or actual sales. They can also include, however, the creation of relevant reports and even management of scheduling. The difficulty here is usually compounded by the need to navigate through a CRM.
Again, if you aren’t leveraging newer voice to CRM technology, you’re potentially losing out on over 60% of productivity that can otherwise go to sales. With an effective solutions provider, you can allow your sales team to essentially do all these things as they talk the talk and walk the walk—with less chance for accuracy and recall errors down the line.
Be Proactive!
The best time to start your messaging is before you roll out your chosen technology. Develop best practices and routine guides and setup a support team to ensure your team is equipped to face this new challenge. Clearly communicate these best practices. If you have already established your CRM solution, and you have not implemented these tools, there is no time like the present. Find a group of Super Users to help you set up a support team and develop a routine guide. Start today!
With these important foundational tools in place, schedule regular CRM check-ins with your team. Pick a recurring time to have a quick informal one-on-one meetings with sales reps to ask about their CRM activity. Share tips, and help to show them the value of the data they entered by highlighting features and reporting that make this data more useable. Make a priority of these meetings to highlight the rep’s gripes and perceived weaknesses in the technology or process. Take these comments back to your support team and sincerely consider them. Followup on these at your next check-in with the rep.
Be Consistent!
Don’t let these meetings slide. Checking in regularly and consistently allows you to catch problem habits so they don’t have time to build. Stay on top of your CRM by tweaking your solution, and your routine guide as you receive feedback and learn more about the technology. Stay on top of your team. Don’t let sales reps off the hook for refusal to adopt even if they are making sales (*link). A good support team will help you maintain your CRM vision for the long term (*link).
Be Positive!
When you discover a Super User, make sure to praise and highlight their skills. Team leaders will be less likely to be perceived as ‘naggy’ if they make an effort to keep their messaging positive by focusing on rewards rather than responsibilities. Try incorporating gaming and intelligent rewards (*link). Use reporting to spotlight sales achievements and communicate to your team how you used CRM analytics to uncover the achievement.
Be Realistic!
Make sure that you fairly and honestly consider the administrative burden that you are placing on your sales team with the implementation of a CRM solution. Be reasonable in your requirements, and if there is a serious administrative burden, one that outweighs the payoff, it is wise to consider services and CRM add-ons that can alleviate this burden. There are AI and Voice to CRM services available to support your team.
Be Supportive!
Proactive, consistent, positive, and realistic are the qualities you need to be a supportive leader. In short, with a well chosen CRM and a supportive Team Lead your sales team will be CRM Super Users before too long!
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