Blog Post
Top tips for CRM
- by Sharon White
- •
- 14 May, 2019
- •
Some observations from my 8 years in CRM management and development
1. Future proofing
When choosing a CRM system, research the level of development and flexibility you can get for your money. Most systems on the market at the moment have differing licence levels to make basic CRM affordable to every size of business. Unfortunately, in terms of functionality, you do usually get what you pay for. I'm not saying you need to get the top, shiny, unlimited level of licence but check about how much development is possible before you commit. You want to be able to build a few custom objects or modules within the system and be able to add fields to the modules that already exist. The ever-changing landscape of business means that you just don't know what requirements you will have of your CRM in a year or two down the line. Particularly important if you're committing to a multi-year licence for example.
2. Data out!
Read the small print. Look into how you can leave the CRM service if you need to. Find out how your data can be extracted, in what format and what, if anything, is not exportable. I have recently come across examples of clients having to pay for data exports and learning at this late stage that emails within the CRM system are not exportable at all! Email history is fundamental to the customer relationship so it's important to be able to take all that content with you when you leave! Most exports are csv. files. It tends to be one file per module (so, a Contacts export, an Opportunities one etc) and will need a bit of SQL reformatting to manually load into a new CRM system. These days, a lot of the market leaders have data import tools to magic your data from your legacy CRM to your new one, and that's great as it does all the hard work for you!
3. Engage users in development
When choosing a CRM system, research the level of development and flexibility you can get for your money. Most systems on the market at the moment have differing licence levels to make basic CRM affordable to every size of business. Unfortunately, in terms of functionality, you do usually get what you pay for. I'm not saying you need to get the top, shiny, unlimited level of licence but check about how much development is possible before you commit. You want to be able to build a few custom objects or modules within the system and be able to add fields to the modules that already exist. The ever-changing landscape of business means that you just don't know what requirements you will have of your CRM in a year or two down the line. Particularly important if you're committing to a multi-year licence for example.
2. Data out!
Read the small print. Look into how you can leave the CRM service if you need to. Find out how your data can be extracted, in what format and what, if anything, is not exportable. I have recently come across examples of clients having to pay for data exports and learning at this late stage that emails within the CRM system are not exportable at all! Email history is fundamental to the customer relationship so it's important to be able to take all that content with you when you leave! Most exports are csv. files. It tends to be one file per module (so, a Contacts export, an Opportunities one etc) and will need a bit of SQL reformatting to manually load into a new CRM system. These days, a lot of the market leaders have data import tools to magic your data from your legacy CRM to your new one, and that's great as it does all the hard work for you!
3. Engage users in development
Engage users in development and they will “own” the
system, feel invested in it and want to use it! It sounds obvious but it’s been
the downfall of many a CRM implementation. Change is hard. CRM can be easily
misunderstood as a management tool. Get staff on board in the beginning, allow
them to consult and contribute their needs and ideas and they will be more inclined to help you make a success of CRM. You might not use all of their suggestions, but as the user group and the people "on the ground" they are better placed than most to tell you what your CRM should aim to do. Some staff won't input a thing, but at least they will have had the chance and will better understand what the CRM is likely to do.
4. Create USER benefits
It's often easy to see what the benefits could be to management of a CRM system. What is not always so easy to demonstrate, is benefit to the user of putting in all this work and making the system a success. "We'll make them use it" is something I've heard too many times! I'd prefer "We'll make them want to use it". Take a moment to consider what would encourage your staff to use the system properly and as a business tool that is integrated into their processes and their every day functions. Saving time, transparency, team work, cover while you're out of the office, customer behaviour insights and learning, understanding where relationships are going wrong and being able evidence successes too. Think about these things when you're building a system that you ultimately need your staff to use. So make it intuitive, easy and efficient, make data visible and accessible etc.
5. Create a CRM culture
After all the engagement has happened and user benefits have been defined, create a culture within your business and your teams that gives value and kudos to the system and what it can do. Explain, educate, make it understood what the CRM is really for. Break down the barrier of CRM being just a "big brother" tool that the boss uses to spy on their staff and monitor performance. Honestly, for some managers, it is that, but if that is the case, it should only be a small part of what the CRM is for. Emphasise the increased efficiency, the customer-centric focus, the simplified processes, the automation.
6. Good training materials
Training is essential. With the exact same layout, 2 different businesses could still use a system 2 different ways so it's important to define what this term means to your business, why this action is important, where this step fits into the business process, what this part of automation is doing for you and why. I have found that a baby step training guide with screen shots and instructions is a good option for staff to have in their desk drawer for when there is no one to ask or for when they're too embarrassed to ask again! People learn differently so do a mix of group sessions and one-to-one if needed. Let people have their laptops and use the system at the same time as your demonstrating a step.
It's often easy to see what the benefits could be to management of a CRM system. What is not always so easy to demonstrate, is benefit to the user of putting in all this work and making the system a success. "We'll make them use it" is something I've heard too many times! I'd prefer "We'll make them want to use it". Take a moment to consider what would encourage your staff to use the system properly and as a business tool that is integrated into their processes and their every day functions. Saving time, transparency, team work, cover while you're out of the office, customer behaviour insights and learning, understanding where relationships are going wrong and being able evidence successes too. Think about these things when you're building a system that you ultimately need your staff to use. So make it intuitive, easy and efficient, make data visible and accessible etc.
5. Create a CRM culture
After all the engagement has happened and user benefits have been defined, create a culture within your business and your teams that gives value and kudos to the system and what it can do. Explain, educate, make it understood what the CRM is really for. Break down the barrier of CRM being just a "big brother" tool that the boss uses to spy on their staff and monitor performance. Honestly, for some managers, it is that, but if that is the case, it should only be a small part of what the CRM is for. Emphasise the increased efficiency, the customer-centric focus, the simplified processes, the automation.
6. Good training materials
Training is essential. With the exact same layout, 2 different businesses could still use a system 2 different ways so it's important to define what this term means to your business, why this action is important, where this step fits into the business process, what this part of automation is doing for you and why. I have found that a baby step training guide with screen shots and instructions is a good option for staff to have in their desk drawer for when there is no one to ask or for when they're too embarrassed to ask again! People learn differently so do a mix of group sessions and one-to-one if needed. Let people have their laptops and use the system at the same time as your demonstrating a step.
7. Identify some "Champions"
Some staff will pick it up quickly and immediately warm to the system. Identify those people and train them to a level where they can help out their team members. This saves you some time and money on more training sessions and gets greater engagement from those users and who can in turn help you build the CRM culture.
8. Development strategy
Have an annual review of your CRM system to ensure its continued fitness for purpose. Review what is working well, what is not, what users are not buying into and what new elements within the business now need to be reflected in CRM. However, if it ain't broke at your annual review, don't fix it! And....
9. Don't over-develop
Development is a double-edged sword sometimes and making changes just because you can is change for change's sake and not for benefit to the business. It is easy to over-complicate something which needs to be streamlined and efficient at it's very core. Focusing on using the system better rather than constantly changing the system itself can sometimes be a more effective use of your time.
10. Avoid email blindness
Avoid every email ever sent being tagged to CRM. If possible, don't use the CRM as your email client, rather have the ability to send specific and relevant emails from within the system (Quotes, proposals etc) and then have the option to associate other emails with your records if they're needed. IF THEY'RE NEEDED. What you don't want is every single email ever sent to a customer attached to their record. If that happens, you will never be able to find the important stuff that you actually need for all the "Great, thanks!" and "Ok" emails that are there unnecessarily. Relevance is key. "Will someone need to see this in the future?" and "Does this evidence a step in our process" are good questions to ask when thinking about whether the email belongs in CRM.
Some staff will pick it up quickly and immediately warm to the system. Identify those people and train them to a level where they can help out their team members. This saves you some time and money on more training sessions and gets greater engagement from those users and who can in turn help you build the CRM culture.
8. Development strategy
Have an annual review of your CRM system to ensure its continued fitness for purpose. Review what is working well, what is not, what users are not buying into and what new elements within the business now need to be reflected in CRM. However, if it ain't broke at your annual review, don't fix it! And....
9. Don't over-develop
Development is a double-edged sword sometimes and making changes just because you can is change for change's sake and not for benefit to the business. It is easy to over-complicate something which needs to be streamlined and efficient at it's very core. Focusing on using the system better rather than constantly changing the system itself can sometimes be a more effective use of your time.
10. Avoid email blindness
Avoid every email ever sent being tagged to CRM. If possible, don't use the CRM as your email client, rather have the ability to send specific and relevant emails from within the system (Quotes, proposals etc) and then have the option to associate other emails with your records if they're needed. IF THEY'RE NEEDED. What you don't want is every single email ever sent to a customer attached to their record. If that happens, you will never be able to find the important stuff that you actually need for all the "Great, thanks!" and "Ok" emails that are there unnecessarily. Relevance is key. "Will someone need to see this in the future?" and "Does this evidence a step in our process" are good questions to ask when thinking about whether the email belongs in CRM.
So, there we are, some of the lessons I have learned - some the hard way! Go forth and CRM worry-free! :)
By all means, send me your top tips for CRM and some of the bloopers you've witnessed over the years!
By all means, send me your top tips for CRM and some of the bloopers you've witnessed over the years!