Ten Common CRM Mistakesand how you can avoid them

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Ten Common CRM Mistakesand how you can avoid themCustomer Relationship Management (CRM) goes beyond just technical application.

While technology spurs CRM, it should not be at the focal point. CRM is better viewed as a system for utilizing your team’s data and knowledge to maximize client services from the moment they get a lead and beyond the close of a sale. The technology is a facilitator that allows your team to optimize business growth.

It’s not hard to understand why a company would benefit from CRM. However, too many companies that invest in CRM often find that they are not achieving their expected ROI after trying to implement these new processes.

Here is a list of 10 common issues that may be preventing your company from reaping the benefits of CRM:

1. Setting Realistic Expectations

Companies new to the world of CRM often expect that it will quickly and easily improve sales processes once the software is installed. Instead of seeing the system as a facilitator, many businesses view it as a quick fix, not realizing the levels of planning and training involved in implementing company-wide practices that will allow them to take full advantage of CRM.

2. Accurate & Clean Data

Transitioning customer data is often one of the most difficult yet crucial tasks in successfully implementing CRM. While a company may initially believe that their data is good and up-to-date, they often find their data in desperate need of cleaning. Starting over and entering data from the beginning is a daunting task, but it’s better than bringing in questionable information into your new system. This will enable the company to confidently utilize correct customer data in the CRM.

3. Engaging Your CRM Consultants

CRM does not end with the installation of the provider’s software.

CRM does not end with the installation of the provider’s software. Your company’s relationship with your CRM provider is critical.

Your company’s relationship with your CRM provider is critical. It is not a one-time service. Before selecting your CRM provider, we recommend searching for a provider with skills that are both pre and post CRM implementation. This is one reason Infodat has internal and external experts in more than implementation. Do your research and have thorough knowledge of the provider’s CRM services. Fact check the vendor’s promises, and make sure they match your expectations.

4. Unclear leadership

Transitioning to the new CRM process is a company-wide effort. You need your team to be on the same page, and selecting the right employees to lead this initiative is critical. These project leaders should be longtime employees with proven success who also yield respect from their coworkers. This role often best fits a salesperson, but can include additions from other departments, including management as well as technology. Let all of your employees know who they can rely on to help them through this transition, and make sure there is a structured chain of command throughout the implementation process.

5. Biting off more than you can chew

Take it one step at a time. Implementing CRM is a multi-faceted, detailed project, and changing everything all at once will overwhelm and frustrate your employees. Pace yourself by selecting a small number of tasks for your team to focus on and improve. Initiating a company-wide effort to implement CRM means mapping out each change. As you and your team determine each focal point, assess the changes needed and the impact they will have on each department and the company as a whole. Create a list of action items and consider the difficulties you may face along the way.

6. Communicate, Communicate, Communicate

Don’t keep your plans for CRM implementation behind closed doors. To successfully see this project through, transparency and full management presence are necessary. Employees won’t get behind changes if management involvement is nowhere to be seen after the papers are signed for approval. All levels of management need to show their team members that they are committed to the CRM’s successful implementation. Management needs to guide the course of the changes and follow through with their company goals and expectations.

All levels of management need to show their team members that they are committed to the CRM’s successful implementation.

7. Total cost of ownership

The total cost of ownership (TCO) of a new CRM system may begin with the purchase of the software, but it certainly doesn’t end there. Underestimating the TCO is a common mistake companies make. While implementing the new CRM system, keep in mind the desired ROI and understand the costs associated. You’re not simply operat-ing a computer program — you are changing the way your company serves its clients.

8. Assigning implementation to IT

CRM is a business practice — not an IT project. Many companies only consider the software portion of the system and put it on the IT department to implement. Instead, look at the CRM as a company-wide effort in order to move your business forward.

9. Silos of data

Customer-related data exists in several different departments of a company — not just sales. Data gets siloed up across different depart-ments, and not all of it makes sense when you put it together. A wide variety of resources offers a chance to unify data in one system for de-partments to work together and help the company achieve its best ROI using the new CRM system.

10. Team Resistance

Any transition can — and often will — be met with resistance. Company culture can make or break the success of the new CRM. If your team can’t get on board with the new system, CRM implementation will likely fail. Expect a difficult transition. While making changes, employees will likely go back to old data entry habits, such as maintaining cluttered spreadsheets. Some team members may even log the same data into two different systems. Don’t force overwhelming changes if your company is not ready, but don’t be afraid to set the new course in motion if you are positive that these changes can be implemented.

Company culture can make or break the success of the new CRM. If your team can’t get on board with the new system, CRM implementation will likely fail.

About InfodatHistory

Infodat established our Headquarters in Houston, Texas in 1996. We began with systems engineering, automation customization solutions, and support.

From our initial success, we grew into a workforce in 15 states and expanded our services to include CRM, custom application development, data management/analytics, security and managed services solutions across the entire technology consulting spectrum.

Our projects range in size and complexity, but we offer our clients a flexible delivery model to meet your needs. We can architect, design, implement, test and maintain solutions on multiple platforms to meet your company’s data management and analytics requirements.

General

• Headquartered in Houston • Established in 1996 • Steady growth • Consistent and stable leadership • Core competencies - Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - Big Data/Business Intelligence/Analytics - Application development - Security - Engineering and Automation - Managed Services

Contact us

1-888-CRM4BIZinfo@infodatinc.cominfodatinc.com

9990 Richmond AvenueSuite 250 NorthHouston, TX 77042