Perhaps you just purchased a brand new CRM system for your business, and you can’t wait for everyone to begin entering data into it. You’ll have a centralized database, where everyone can find the information they need at the click of a button.
Only, sometimes it doesn’t turn out to be that simple. Employees often prefer to use what they’re familiar with, and might reject your grand ideas of a new CRM system. One of the biggest reasons CRM implementations fail entirely is because everyone isn’t on board.
Read more: Avoid CRM Disasters with this Ultimate CRM Checklist
So what’s a business owner to do? There are many things you can do to motivate your team to use CRM software, so that it can serve as an effective tool for your business. Here are our top 6 tips:
#1: Involve Key Users in the Selection Process
Before you select a CRM system, go over your possible options with key people who will be using it. What features are they most looking for, and which ones sound cool, but actually won’t be used? By involving them in the selection process, not only does this make them cheerleaders for the cause, but it could also save you money by not getting a CRM that is more expensive and complicated than your business requires.
#2: Highlight the Benefits
The benefits of using a CRM system or just the new one you’ve chosen, might not be apparent to all employees. They might just see it as a new system you’re thrusting upon them when the old way seemed fine. It is your job to demonstrate how the old way was not fine, and how this new way will make their jobs less frustrating and more rewarding.
#3: Provide Adequate Training
A big part of a successful CRM implementation is dedicating an adequate amount of time and resources to training employees on how to use it. A great way to get started is by thoroughly training all managers or supervisors first, and then they can teach others how to use it. Or if you have a small team, you can all just learn together!
Not only will this motivate your staff to get started using the system, but it will also save you time, money, and perhaps your sanity. With proper training, your employees can get right to the benefits of using a CRM system, rather than feeling bogged down by trying to understand how the system works.
#4: Integration
While adopting a new software, you don’t want to have to abandon other ones that have been working well for you. For instance, if your staff all uses Microsoft Outlook, make sure the CRM you choose integrates with it.
Furthermore, integrations save time and promote collaboration, by providing access to every tool and every piece of information from a single platform. With 30+ integrations, 1CRM helps you increase customer satisfaction while reducing support costs! See Integrations »
#5: Deploy in Phases
When rolling out a new CRM system, keep it simple. Just because it has a bunch of features you’ve never seen before, doesn’t mean you have to use them all, and especially not all from the beginning. Start by addressing the most common tasks your employees will perform within the system, and expand from there. Unless necessary, also try to hold off on big customizations. Wait to see how your team is using the system to decide what needs changing.
#6: Gamification
Why not turn your CRM adoption process into a game? Reward those who have achieved an important departmental goal while using the CRM system, or create a monthly competition that involves using the CRM system. Rewards tend to create good vibes around the whole CRM implementation, while punishments for not using the system are less likely to sit well with staff. Highlighting wins made using the CRM will also help to reduce skeptics among the workforce.
What about you?
What steps have you taken to help your employees adapt to new software? What’s worked for you? Tell us in the comments.
Which Package for 1CRM will be good for startups?
1CRM Startup Edition or Startup+, and then can upgrade as the company grows. Cloud would also be the easiest hosting option for those unfamiliar with how to manage a server of their own 🙂
Great job! I think your 2nd point can be very helpful for learning for your employees about crm software. It is important that they know how CRM plays an important role to grow your company and increase product sale, save time and reduce your work stress. I think when they know about a crm software they can easily learn the use of crm software.
Getting your employees to commit to new software or system is always a challenging job so these tips would really help with it. Thank you Suzanne for sharing this. Great post!!