Implementing and using a CRM

Organizational communication and management of expectations are crucial to the successful implementation of a CRM. 

 

Making the transition from no CRM or another CRM to a new CRM is fraught with challenges.

Here’s how we recommend tackling those challenges:

• Take a long-range approach and communicate early and often. Open up communication channels and identify power users and or support people.
• Set expectations and support them.
• Break implementing a CRM up into small bites that can be managed and accomplished. A simple expectation of mandating the use of a CRM to capture all sales information can be very problematic for many salespeople, particularly seasoned salespeople who have relied on other methods to record and track their sales efforts. Patience and persistence will be rewarded.

Information in VS. Information out

The old adage: Crap in = Crap out is very much at play. Your talented salespeople have been turned into data entry and data management people. Sometimes it’s new data or it’s cleaning up old information and there could be a lot of it. Quality of data is critical to reports and the value that comes from them.

You may need a data person to clean up old data. You will likely want to set some standards to make sure that the language of your sales team is well understood – for example, when a word such as lead is used there should be a common understanding/definition of what that means.

The reports you count on from your CRM will be so much more valuable to your salespeople, management, and other departments when the foundations, structure and process elements are in place.

 

Read more about implementing a CRM on our website!

Are you ready to begin your sales management journey?

Are you ready to build a sales-focused organization with a high performing sales team and an effective sales management solution?

Whether you’re satisfied with the effort, focus, and results of your sales team, many people we speak with have been hesitant to act – simply because they don’t know where to begin. If you’re open to a brief call, let us know and we can take the first step together.

Call us at 248-468-7400 or fill out our contact form to receive a sample sales candidate assessment report! Together, we can assess how your company is doing, what potential it has, how to realize this potential, how long it will take along with expected gains. We are here to help you determine the best way to achieve your goals.

The Importance of a CRM for Sales Management

Most companies use spreadsheets to keep track of their customers, correct? Some companies still use them, and many more have been employing CRM’s – Customer Relationship Management software. 

CRMs are often robust platforms that perform a multitude of tasks. Sometimes they are found in fully integrated ERP’s (Enterprise Resource Planning software) and in many cases CRM’s range from very basic to more complex systems. 

There are free versions and ones that are very costly. So, how do you confidently select and implement a CRM or change from a current one to a new one?

What is a CRM?

In its most basic form, a CRM supports and houses information. We can actually call it a database – one where data is captured, entered, and organized to help a sales organization carry out its strategies, sales function, and sales management.

Once information is recorded into the system, we can call up reports and information that can provide valuable feedback. This feedback can range from results to the health of a sales pipeline (discussed in our November post) and whether sales activities are at desired levels.

If you do an internet search for CRM’s, you will quickly become overwhelmed with the number of choices in the marketplace. Because choosing a CRM can be a daunting and time-consuming exercise, we encourage you to build in enough time to learn, evaluate, and make an informed decision. 

What CRM is best for our organization?

Depending on your business model there may be many or a small number of options for a CRM that meets your needs.  We encourage our clients to build a criteria list for what they think will best work with their business model. The other major factor is that any business that selects a CRM should expect to make changes and adjustments.

Read more about CRM choices on our website.

Are you ready to begin your sales management journey?

Are you ready to build a sales-focused organization with a high performing sales team and an effective sales management solution?

Call us at 248-468-7400 or fill out our contact form to receive a sample sales candidate assessment report! Together, we can assess how your company is doing, what potential it has, how to realize this potential, how long it will take along with expected gains. We are here to help you determine the best way to achieve your goals.