CRM setup for success – Part 2 – NZ Entrepreneur Magazine

"Lack of CRM adoption is a threat to your competitive advantage." [Image: Unsplash]

Part two of this series explores seven ways to improve CRM adoption and deliver maximum value.

You’ve got a new CRM to support sales success. Why won’t your team use it?

Part one of this series dealt with the practical steps to set up your CRM (customer relationship management system) for success. In Part two, the focus is bringing your whole sales team on the journey to deliver the full return on investment from your CRM implementation.

Unfortunately, it’s a familiar story. Your CRM is set up.

Automations.
Data with updated contact details.
Integrated forms automatically populate new contacts and companies.
Visibility across your entire sales process.

Somehow, your team doesn’t see the CRM as an enabler of excellence – but as another admin task that management wants to pile on them.

The sales team is happy to keep its manual processes, rather than using the CRM.

Lack of CRM adoption is a threat to your competitive advantage. Factor in AI, a tight economy plus longer sales cycles – getting the most from your CRM just became even more important.

Here are seven ways to improve CRM adoption within your team – to increase pipeline visibility, plug revenue leaks, and grow sales for your business:

One – Develop a healthy sales culture

Failure to prioritise a healthy sales culture drives updated sales data underground. You have the official business CRM. Some sales reps may have their own ‘CRM’ in an excel spreadsheet, to keep opportunities safe from prowling team members or uptight management. This prevents visibility and collective insights to unlock even more revenue opportunities.

Hallmarks of a healthy sales culture include:

People collaborate with each other, so that the whole business wins rather than just one person.
Every salesperson knows the whole team has their back, that nobody will try to steal their sale before it’s fully confirmed.
Silos are out, full GTM (go to market) alignment is in – here’s looking at you marketing, sales, customer success, revenue operations people.
Pressure to deliver sales results at all costs is out, replaced by a positive atmosphere where it’s safe to fail and to ask questions.
Sales leaders do what’s best for the customer, rather than what’s best for their quarterly bonus.

Two – Show your team how they’ll be more successful with a CRM

If you’re a high-performing BDM (business development manager) or sales rep, or the only person doing sales, you might not see any need for a CRM. You know your clients, they’re happy, so you could be tempted to maintain the status quo.

Make sure your team understands how the CRM – especially with new AI capabilities – will deliver results you could never have imagined.

Stay on top of opportunities.
Use automations and reminders to do more with less time.
Get data insights and signals that potential clients are ready to buy.
Go on holiday without worrying how someone will manage to cover for you.

Three – Identify your CRM champion

There’s usually one person in every team who is your CRM champion:

They’re excited to have a CRM that boosts their sales results.
They understand the benefits of visibility and updated sales data.

Find your champion and celebrate them in front of the team. Get them to share how the CRM is:

Streamlining their sales efforts.
Removing mindless administration.
Prioritising the best sales opportunities.

When sales results lift due to best practice CRM use, your whole team will take notice.

Four – Make CRM usage part of your sales team’s KPIs

Document your sales process and include CRM usage as part of your KPIs (key performance indicators) to qualify for bonuses.
Create a new rule that confirmed sales only obtain the full bonus if they are fully documented in the CRM e.g. a clear trail of client communications – e-mails, phone calls, social media messages etc to demonstrate sales progress.
If there’s too much pushback from the team, simply create a new bonus for fully documented sales.
Create an award for CRM adoption and usage.

Five – Make it easy to use your CRM

Is your business development on the road or overseas? Get your team familiar with using the CRM on their mobile phones.
Too busy to write notes? Use voice notes to update CRM information.
Repeatable sales process? Create sequences and workflows to stay in touch without having to lift a finger (until the potential customer replies).
Brochures or articles to e-mail? Upload documents into your CRM, using document links (instead of attachments that get e-mails stuck in spam folders).

Six – Update website forms so they feed data to your CRM

When your potential customer completes an enquiry form on your website, most CRMs will have their own forms, or integrate with form-building software. This means your CRM will automatically create new contacts and companies when your customers enter the form.

Create automations and/or documented processes so that:

A specific person on your team is allocated each opportunity.
The new opportunity includes a new deal in your deals pipeline.
All communications (e-mail, phone calls) related to the new deal must be logged and tracked in the CRM – so you see when e-mails are opened, links are clicked.
At your weekly sales meeting, ask how that deal is progressing. Check that progress is fully documented, including tasks for the next time the assigned BDM will contact them.
Full CRM adoption will happen as you place new opportunities into the CRM and maintain expectations of updates within the CRM.

Seven – Maintain CRM discipline with regular sales meetings

Your sales team needs to see you using the CRM to the same level (or higher) that you expect from them.

Connect your own CRM user to your e-mail inbox.
Work directly out of the CRM for all client communications.
Log every client interaction – calls, e-mails, texts, etc.
Always create a follow up task.

Whether your team are reluctant users or simply unnerved by new sales tech, support their CRM adoption with ongoing training and support. Your commitment to the team’s success will help deliver the sales opportunities your business needs.