CRM Implementation Tip #10 | Use a Project Manager
If you’ve found this article, there’s a good chance you know a few basics about getting your new CRM system deployed and running as it should. However, even if everything goes as planned, there’s one other thing you can do that will really cement everything together. It’s also very likely to improve morale for everyone involved. Not quite a magic bullet, but, it’s darn close.
Be Successful the First Time With a Project Manager.
It’s understandable if you can’t be the one to take this bull by the horns and ensure that all implementation steps are completed in a timely way – after all, you’ve got a business to run.
Hiring a project manager, or selecting a capable champion within your company to take charge can work wonders for generating enthusiasm among employees. This resource can help with more than answering their questions. They can also act as a liaison between you (or your teams) and your IT department (or your deployment consultants).
If you haven’t already, don’t miss all 10 of the CRM Implementation Quick Tips.
When selecting a Project Manager from among the ranks of your company, do be sure to pick someone with a sense of authority (read: management skills) and a good amount of charisma. They will need both in order to motivate both your employees and the people behind the implementation itself!
It helps if they also have some experience with your business processes.
The reasons for picking someone with those personality traits are clear: someone with management skills will know how to deliver tasks to your deployment team in a way the team can understand. They also provide it with structure so the team adheres to a schedule. As well, if that person is charismatic, they will be able to paint the chosen CRM migration in a positive light. They will motivate fellow employees to do their part to ensure the implementation goes smoothly.
CRM Implementation Tip #9 | Have an Open Door Policy
You can apply this tip to more than just CRM deployment. Upon deploying a new system of any sort, you’ll be greeted with both positive and negative responses. How do you deal with the pushback you might receive for doing something new?
Have a CRM Project Open Door Policy.
Keep your door open, as well as your training sessions and email threads. When making big changes to your business and employees’ work days with a new CRM, consider giving them all the information they need or want to make the transition smoother.
When you do encounter some blowback from your traditionalist employees, be sure to heed their criticisms. Then, explain calmly and succinctly what the new system does to either improve life or alleviate their concerns. Show them how everyone will benefit from the new changes. Keeping your ear open lets employees know you’re willing to consider their feelings. Having an open door policy will ultimately make them happier in the long run, even if they aren’t satisfied at first with the new system. Trite but true, a rising tide lifts all ships, and the same is true with upgrades in technology like Zoho CRM.
Include extra training opportunities
If employees’ problems lie in the fact that they don’t feel they’ve been trained enough on the new system, host another training session, or several of them. As well, keep everyone in the loop by maintaining a single group email thread, or message channel for company-wide CRM developments and questions. We also recommend these smaller group or department-specific channels for more specific developments and questions.
CRM Implementation Tip #8 | When in doubt, keep things simple
By now you likely know that CRM deployment isn’t quite as simple as you may have first thought. Your research may have shed a bit of light on problems you weren’t aware of, or made you remember more clearly some implementation problems you’d thought of before.
For a process that’s invariably complex, there’s one thing that always holds true:
When in doubt, keep things simple.
The time you implement a new CRM is a great time to re-think your data entry and information-sharing procedures. Ask yourself, “How much information do I need entered in the new system to achieve the desired outcome?”
Perhaps you’ve used a legacy system for years that has data fields in it that have become obsolete. Have you been faced with the task of including only some of your current CRM’s information in your new system?
These situations are good because they force you to think in ways you may not have thought before.
Which of the fields in your CRM will you actually need to use?
Can you consolidate any information at play?
What data could you archive elsewhere?
If certain information simply isn’t needed, it’s best to hide it behind the scenes.
In cases where absolutely sure no one will need it, do away with it entirely.
As well, if it turns out someone in your company needs to see more information, it’s easy to give certain users access to that information once again. With exceptional planning, and pairing down unnecessary data, you may reap the rewards of greater efficiency with your new system.
Is your current system is too complicated or does it have room for improvement? Take the CRM Adoption Survey and find out where you stand.
CRM Implementation Tip #7 | Don’t Rush CRM Deployment
We’re all imperfect and even the most meticulously planned project doesn’t go live without at least a little need for adjustment. We share this so it’s not a surprise when your system doesn’t work exactly how it should the very first day you go live.
The Significance of CRM Deployment
Evolving customer expectations have catalyzed the transformation of how businesses function. A robust CRM system that acts as the linchpin for effective customer interactions is central to this transformation. By methodically collecting, categorizing, and harnessing customer data, organizations can glean actionable insights that power personalized marketing, streamlined sales processes, and unparalleled customer service. However, the success of such endeavors pivots on the meticulous execution of a comprehensive CRM deployment strategy.
Our best advice is: Don’t rush deployment; make sure everything works as it should.
There will be a few hiccups. Some common first-day needs and troubles with a new CRM implementation can include:
Understanding the CRM use processes themselves
Answering errant questions missed in training
Retraining team members on some aspects of the CRM
Finding the data you were sure you migrated correctly
Don’t worry! These sorts of speed bumps are normal during the first few days of a CRM deployment or the implementation of any new program.
Meticulous Planning: Before launching into the tumultuous waters of CRM deployment, detailed planning guides your path. Rushing headlong without a well-laid roadmap often culminates in chaos and discontent. To prevent this, commence with clearly delineated objectives – whether it pertains to amplifying sales, augmenting customer service, or refining marketing campaigns. A profound understanding of your organization’s distinct requirements must be the bedrock for aligning the CRM system.
User Involvement: Averting the peril of neglecting end-users necessitates active user involvement. Ignoring the insights and preferences of those interacting with the CRM daily is an unequivocal blunder. Engaging employees in workshops and soliciting feedback is not merely prudent but indispensable. This collaborative approach engenders a sense of ownership and significantly boosts user adoption rates.
Selecting the Right CRM System: Amidst a labyrinth of CRM options, the specter of choosing an incompatible system looms. Avert the impending disaster by prudently evaluating potential solutions, analyzing their scalability, integration potential, and user-friendliness. Seeking counsel from CRM experts or drawing inspiration from businesses with analogous needs can be an invaluable compass.
Data Management Vigilance: Disciplined data management is the bedrock of successful CRM deployment. Lax data management practices pave the way for duplications, obsolescence, and impaired insights. Thwart this debacle by instituting data cleansing before migration and implementing data entry and upkeep protocols. Routine audits and data purges sustain the integrity and dependability of the database.
Harmonious Integration: Acknowledging that a CRM system doesn’t function in isolation is the first step to preventing data fragmentation. Failing to prioritize integration can erect insurmountable data barriers and inefficiencies. Consecrate resources to CRM solutions endowed with robust integration capabilities or invest in middleware to weave disparate systems into a coherent tapestry. This symbiosis guarantees an all-encompassing panorama of customer interactions and business processes.
Change Management: Underestimating the seismic impact of change during CRM introduction is a dangerous misstep. A seamless transition necessitates a comprehensive change management strategy with training, communication, and steadfast support. Enabling employees to grasp the manifold benefits CRM ushers in and providing ongoing assistance are critical cornerstones of this transformative journey.
Upholding Data Security: Handling customer data with circumspection is paramount during CRM deployment. Neglecting data security can instigate a cataclysm of legal and reputational consequences. Thwart this catastrophe by ensuring your chosen CRM system adheres to industry regulations and employs stringent security measures. Vigilant updating of security protocols coupled with diligent employee education fortifies data protection.
Tailored Customization: Standard CRM solutions might need to fit your organizational contours. The danger of disregarding customization can precipitate inefficiencies and user discontent. Exploit the customization options within your chosen CRM to sculpt workflows, reports, and dashboards following your unique requirements. An intricately customized CRM embellishes user experience and propels efficiency.
Persistent Improvement: Celebrating CRM deployment as the terminus of your journey is misguided. Successful CRM deployment is an enduring voyage characterized by continuous enhancement. Ignoring this tenet risks stagnation and missed prospects. Cast KPIs to gauge CRM efficacy and embark on periodic evaluations buttressed by user input. This perennial cycle of refinement sustains momentum and rejuvenates CRM vitality.
Cutting down on new implementation ‘hiccups’
To help minimize the effects of speed bumps, it’s a great idea to ease into implementation. Have a plan at the start to address this. Spread it out as much as you possibly can while keeping your budget in consideration.
You may spend a little extra on testing and training time. However, the benefit of knowing you’ve made sure your new system works exactly how it should is invaluable and cuts down on something you probably have a lot of business-related stress! This includes additional rework with your implementation partner, re-training staff, lost productivity due to staff being inexperienced with the new system, and lack of user adoption.
Conclusion
As the transformative power of CRM deployment dawns upon the modern business landscape, circumventing the predictable pitfalls becomes imperative for success. By adroitly steering clear of the pitfalls elucidated herein and adorning your strategy with the strategic deployment of transition words, you lay the foundation for a triumphant CRM implementation. Remember that beyond technological prowess, a successful CRM deployment harmonizes people, processes, and technology to craft excellent customer experiences and engineer sustainable growth.
Take the time to deploy your new CRM correctly, making sure everything is working as intended and that your teams are trained, and you’ll certainly reap the benefits later.
If you’ve already addressed this potential pitfall, and you still want to get more from your CRM, take a look at our CRM Adoption Survey and find out your improvement potential!
Regardless of your business focus, implementing a CRM correctly is essential to its adoption and success for your organization, and this is why CRM implementation tips are so important. It can seem tempting to ease your way into a new CRM by simply turning it on. But we know from the experience of our clients that this can become quickly overwhelming and a point of abandon.
Working with a product like Zoho, which advertises itself as DIY, we see this kind of thing happen a lot.
For this reason, we’re offering 10 CRM Implementation Tips for you to consider as you begin planning or implementing any customer relationship management software. Let’s get started!
1) Your CRM Should Support Your Sales Cycle
If you’ve already started your project, or are starting your research here, this CRM Implementation Quick Start Tip to examine your sales cycle to determine what you really need is crucial.
Getting honest about your business needs and goals is a really important consideration.
Your CRM should support your sales cycle.
Out of the box, CRMs usually contain lots of functionality. You’ll have the ability to enter companies and contacts into your system, as well as convert them from leads to active customers, record notes about them, associate emails and sales orders with them…and likely, countless other bells and whistles you might not have known about.
Maybe your business doesn’t require all that functionality. If you run an insurance agency, for example, your needs may be perfectly satisfied with just half of those rudimentary features. Perhaps you may be able to do away with (or hide) several of the default modules inside your CRM entirely! You’re not losing functionality, in fact, these decisions to keep CRM aligned with your business can foster user adoption.
As you’re working through all the considerations for CRM Implementation – and it can be a bit of a process – be sure to give a healthy amount of time to how you’ll migrate existing data to your CRM.
Don’t underestimate data migration time!
Whether you’re already using a different CRM or a spreadsheet to keep track of all your data currently, this is a task that must be completed for a successful implementation.
When planning your project, or reviewing plans from your consultant, be sure to allow extra time for data migration – don’t underestimate it!
As you plan a CRM implementation, it’s important to know exactly how you’ll be using the modules inside your CRM. Who knows your business systems better than the folks who use them every day? Your expertise and their experience is a recipe for success.
Keep your staff in the loop.
This one’s very important. Obviously, you don’t want your staff to come in one day to a system they haven’t a clue how to use.
Big business changes, especially changes in everyday systems like a new CRM implementation, can be turbulent times. This CRM implementation tip describes how to disturb your business the very least during CRM implementation time. This one is really simple.
Transition in phases, not all at once.
It bears repeating – yes, again – that even a successful CRM implementation doesn’t happen all at once. With so many facets of your system designed specifically for your business, you’ll need time to test everything out and make sure it’s working as it should.
Once your CRM is up and running it can be a relatively common impulse to rush back to work using the new CRM tools you just spent so much time planning for and implementing.
However, before you take off running back to business, it’s time to think about training.
Make sure everybody who’ll use the system knows exactly how to do so – train them!
Even if your new CRM makes life easier all around the office, your employees probably won’t be able to sit down on launch day and navigate their way through the system without some prior knowledge.
While you may be in the mood to shake things up by deploying a new CRM, you may not have thought to shake up your very business processes themselves. Well, in the name of efficiency, why not?
Use your CRM Implementation as an opportunity to streamline your procedures!
There isn’t an exact science behind this, but we’re willing to bet the majority of businesses who elect to set up their own CRMs aren’t so well-versed in how their systems work. There’s a good chance that they’re missing some opportunities to streamline processes inside of their unique CRM systems.
We’re all imperfect and even the most meticulously planned project doesn’t go live without at least a little need for adjustment. We share this so it’s not a surprise when your system doesn’t work exactly how it should the very first day you go live.
Our best advice is: Don’t rush deployment; make sure everything works like it should.
There will be a few hiccups. Some common first-day needs and troubles with a new CRM implementation can include:
Understanding the CRM use processes themselves
Answering errant questions missed in training
Retraining team members on some aspects of the CRM
Finding the data you were sure you migrated correctly
Don’t worry! These sorts of speed bumps are absolutely normal during the first few days of an implementation of any new program.
By now you likely know that CRM deployment isn’t quite as simple as you may have first thought. Your research may have shed a bit of light on problems you weren’t aware of, or made you remember more clearly some implementation problems you’d thought of before.
For a process that’s invariably complex, there’s one thing that always holds true: when in doubt, keep things simple.
The time you implement a new CRM is a great time to re-think your data entry and information-sharing procedures. Ask yourself, “How much information do I need entered in the new system to achieve the desired outcome?”
Perhaps you’ve used a legacy system for years that has data fields in it that have become obsolete. Maybe you’ve been faced with the task of including only some of your current CRM’s information in your new system, for any number of reasons.
You can apply this tip to more than just CRM deployment. Upon deploying a new system of any sort, you’ll be greeted with both positive and negative responses. How do you deal with the pushback you might receive for doing something new?
Have a CRM Project Open Door Policy
Keep your door open, as well as your training sessions and email threads. When making big changes to your business and employees’ work days with a new CRM, consider giving them all the information they need or want to make the transition smoother.
When you do encounter some blowback from your traditionalist employees, be sure to heed their criticisms. Then, explain calmly and succinctly what the new system does to either improve life or alleviate their concerns. Keeping your ear open lets employees know you’re willing to consider their feelings. Having an open door policy will ultimately make them happier in the long run, even if they aren’t satisfied at first with the new system.
If you’ve found this article, there’s a good chance you know a few basics about getting your new CRM system deployed and running as it should. However, even if everything goes as planned, there’s one other thing you can do that will really cement everything together – and, improve morale for everyone involved. Not quite a magic bullet, but, it’s darn close.
Be Successful the First Time With a Project Manager
It’s understandable if you can’t be the one to take this bull by the horns and ensure that all implementation steps are completed in a timely way – after all, you’ve got a business to run.
Hiring a project manager, or selecting a capable champion within your company to take charge can work wonders for generating enthusiasm among employees. This resource can help by answering their questions, and acting as a liaison between you (or your teams) and your IT department (or your deployment consultants).
CRM Quick Start Tip #1: Align CRM with Sales Cycle
If you’ve already started your project, or are starting your research here, this CRM Implementation Quick Start Tip to examine your sales cycle to determine what you really need is crucial.
Getting honest about your business needs and goals is a really important consideration.
Out of the box, CRMs usually contain lots of functionality. At the core you likely require a CRM to support your sales cycle. With most systems, you’ll have the ability to enter companies and contacts. In addition, you will be able to convert them from leads to active customers. You can record notes about them, associate emails and sales orders with them…and likely, countless other bells and whistles you might not have known about.
Maybe your business doesn’t require all that functionality. If you run an insurance agency, for example, your needs may be perfectly satisfied with just half of those rudimentary features. Perhaps you may be able to do away with (or hide) several of the default modules inside your CRM entirely! You’re not losing functionality, in fact, these decisions to keep CRM aligned with your business can foster user adoption.
To determine the modules you need in CRM to support your sales cycle, begin with an outline of your exact sales cycle. Include all steps from prospective company (or lead) to contact. Start by answering each of these questions about your sales cycle:
Do you run a phone-based business, or do you do more email marketing?
Do you have a good deal of repeat business, or do your customers only see you once?
Do you require different sales processes for different products / services you offer?
What channels do you use to communicate with your clients?
If your cycle is known, then have you already defined your entire sales process, but have trouble tracking it?
What KPI’s SHOULD you track to move the needle, and can your system currently do so?
Different styles of communication and different sales processes require different kinds of fields inside your CRM. So do repeat customers versus one-time clients. At ZBrains, we specialize in Zoho, but we believe this information is compatible with all CRMs because of their very nature.
Are you already thinking a little more like a consultant? Ensure you’re getting the most from your CRM Implementation.
If you’re reading this blog, you already know how powerful a CRM implementation can be to your business. Not only acting as a simple database of contacts, it gives you the power to project future revenue, which can factor into all manner of things related to your business, including whether or not to grow the business – and in which direction. However, as implementing a CRM can be such a comprehensive process, the stories are many where business owners were severely hampered by a CRM that didn’t turn out to be as adaptable as it seemed, or even more held up when a CRM actually decreased productivity because the staff didn’t know how to use the system or didn’t trust it.
Sometimes, the CRM itself is indeed to blame for these problems, but more of the time, these failed implementations rest squarely on the shoulders of the deployment team (or lack thereof) doing the work. The solution to the problem, then, seems to be to make sure proper data is conveyed to that deployment team to make sure that a CRM implementation takes every known business situation into account… But, how can you do that effectively?
Fortunately, at ZBrains, we’ve been down this road and heard this story many a time. Based on our years of experience, this is what we recommend to make sure your system works just the way you expect it to and doesn’t end up hurting your business or going to waste.
Successful Zoho CRM Implementation: Key Factors:
The Right Fit
First off, ensure the solution is the right fit for your business. It’s important to verify that it has the capabilities to fit into and improve your current processes. Whether it be to match and improve your sales flow or to simplify your email marketing, your chosen solution should encompass all of your business needs. If the CRM implementation can adapt to your business, then your employees can more easily adapt to the implementation.
It Integrates With Your Daily Apps
Don’t divide your business up into different applications. Switching back and forth between tabs can be time-consuming. The business solution that you choose should integrate with your daily apps seamlessly. Being able to integrate with your chosen email client, accounting software, or marketing tools helps a good deal to avoid problems like duplicate or bad data. You can read more about the troubles bad data can cause here.
Training your Staff
Make sure that both you and your team understand how the new CRM implementation will work with your business. Without the team’s understanding, they will not be fully on board with the new solution, or won’t use it properly. When partnering with a consultant for your implementation, ensure that they will also take the time to train you and your staff – because you want your staff confident in the solution once the consultant is gone. Here at ZBrains, we take the time to train your team on the CRM or other Zoho apps, and even work with every level of management to prepare your team even better. Learn more about our CRM consulting services here!
Employee Buy-In
You want your team engaged before, during, and after the implementation process. It’s important to get an employee buy-in through proper training, but you can ease the buy-in process (and indeed we do this with upper management) through something like a Business Process Analysis (BPA), to ensure that everyone is onboard. With a BPA, we interview key personnel to get an idea of what a Zoho implementation will be able to fix and how you’d want to scale the system as you grow. Then, we deliver the findings to you in a formal document called an Executive Summary. Positioning Zoho as something that will make life easier always helps with employee buy-in, and the Executive Summary explains and reinforces exactly how that can be done.
When it comes to any new implementations, it is important that your company can adapt to those changes easily. By choosing the right partner and keeping these 4 things in mind, you will be on the road to a successful CRM implementation.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to a member of the ZBrains team today! Give us a call at (888) 207-4111 or click the button below to choose a time that works best for you!
Be Successful the First Time With a Project Manager.
Have a CRM Project Open Door Policy.
When in doubt, keep things simple.
Your CRM should support your sales cycle.
Don’t underestimate data migration time!
As you plan a CRM implementation, it’s important to know exactly how you’ll be using the modules inside your CRM. Who knows your business systems better than the folks who use them every day? Your expertise and their experience is a recipe for success. 
Transition in phases, not all at once.
However, before you take off running back to business, it’s time to think about training.
Use your CRM Implementation as an opportunity to streamline your procedures!
Our best advice is: Don’t rush deployment; make sure everything works like it should.
For a process that’s invariably complex, there’s one thing that always holds true: 
Have a CRM Project Open Door Policy
Be Successful the First Time With a Project Manager
The Right Fit