CRM User Adoption: Don’t get derailed
If you’re engaged in CRM evaluation you’ve probably encountered the statistics about CRM success rates. User adoption (or, more accurately, the lack thereof) is a common reason for CRM projects to fail.
Your CRM project doesn’t have to go off the tracks! Follow these 6 steps to ensure that your users willingly support the solution – and keep your project on track to a profitable ROI.
- Engage: A project team that represents the diversity of the stakeholders is essential to help shape the solution. This not only improves the system, it also imparts respect, enables a sense of ownership, and helps promote buy-in.
- Intent: Is this project just “big brother watching” or can the CRM tool actually help people do their jobs more effectively? Sure, management needs metrics, but users need to benefit from the system as well. Then, keep promoting the benefits as the project rolls out as part of change management.
- Process: Some CRM software demands excessive effort from its users. If a sales rep has to scroll or click through multiple views to work, productivity is adversely affected. People and process are more important than the framework. Make sure that CRM software works as if a sales rep had designed it. It should be intuitive, simple, and fast.
- Training: Users are held accountable for results so help them master the skills to achieve them. Telling isn’t training; there is no substitute for hands-on training. The most valuable training incorporates business processes and change management and isn’t limited to software features.
- Management bandwidth: Management needs to be involved in all aspects of the project and may not hand off the responsibility to a summer intern or IT to implement it. Period.
- Parity: Nothing hurts morale and credibility more than giving prima donnas, whiners, and top performers special dispensation to go their own way. Aside from being unfair and a morale buster, analytics will suffer from inconsistent and incomplete data. The policy must be clear and consistent – and apply to all.
Follow CRM best practices (and the advice of your CRM solution provider) to get everyone onboard for a successful CRM project.