5 Tips for Adopting New CRM Software Successfully

Did you know that 2 out of 3 CRM projects fail due to slow user adoption? In the same study, 38% of organizations reported a lack of IT support for CRM initiatives.  Other barriers to successful CRM adoption include inadequate change management, a lack of executive support, and general misalignment.

Conversely, 82% of top salespeople cite their CRM as a critical tool for closing deals. Companies see an average of $8.71 back on every dollar spent on CRM. Using a CRM can increase sales by 30%.

Enough with the motivating metrics—let’s discuss some actionable steps for your organization's successful CRM adoption.

With thoughtful planning, careful attention, and support from the right solutions partner, your CRM implementation and adoption can beat these odds. Do these 5 things to help your organization roll out a new CRM successfully.

Get clear on your goals and outcomes.

Define and prioritize your company goals, then align your CRM initiatives to achieve them. Communicate your goals across the organization to help employees understand how the new CRM will help achieve them.  Doing so will answer the critical question of ‘why?’ and incentivize users to embrace the new system.

People and processes first!

Build your CRM with your users and company processes in mind. The more convenient the software is for the people using it, the more likely they will be to use it consistently. Think of your CRM users as your own internal customers. What can you do within your CRM to enhance their experience? Small details can make a big difference! Logically group related fields together. Customize property names to match your business language. Set up time-saving templates and snippets. As your business routines evolve, make sure your CRM processes are adjusted to fit.

Establish a CRM adoption team.

Team buy-in is BIG when it comes to rolling out any new system. Executive and management teams are responsible for selecting the CRM and outlining the strategy, but other key stakeholders should not be overlooked. Create a core team of varied users to support management during the adoption process. Include daily users who are experts within their departments. Designate admins who have a deep understanding of the software’s configuration and capabilities. Task your experts and admins to work together to develop solutions within your CRM, test CRM features, demonstrate workflows, and support other team members during the training process.

Don’t skimp on training.

Do take full advantage of the CRM training tools that your CRM software provides. No need to reinvent the wheel here - especially if you choose a CRM like HubSpot that offers a comprehensive library of lessons and how-tos. Develop a training plan that includes independent learning and group training sessions. Be sure to consider the various experience levels within your teams and provide additional resources as needed. Some team members will become proficient before others, and that’s okay! Be patient, encourage users to ask questions, and be open to modifying your original training plan to match your team’s evolving needs.

Be consistent and accountable.

Regular action is required from your core team to push your CRM adoption forward. Don’t let day-to-day demands sideline your CRM investment. Establish regular check-ins. Set up a cadence of bi-weekly or monthly review sessions to share feedback, assess performance, and evaluate user adoption. Get specific! Dive into individual use cases where the CRM wasn’t utilized to the fullest, and demonstrate better and best practices for future instances. Spotlight the winning moments when users demonstrate mastery of the software! And be sure to celebrate when teams reach their goals using CRM tools. 

The key takeaways for a successful CRM adoption

• Start by selecting the right CRM tool for your business’s needs.
• Define your goals and align your CRM initiatives to meet them.
• Make sure department managers have the bandwidth to support their teams during implementation, adoption, and beyond. If that bandwidth isn’t there, empower employees to demonstrate leadership skills by providing peer training and support as CRM ambassadors.
• Communicate frequently with your users about friction and collaborate to find fixes.
  
  If you need help finding the right CRM for your business, get in touch with our team. Growth Marketing Firm specializes in marketing solutions and sales enablement for scaling businesses. As a HubSpot Diamond Solutions Partner, you can trust that we have the knowledge and experience to help your team grow better.