CRM is a phenomenal tool that can help you level up your sales, wow your customers, and reduce wasteful spending. But just having a CRM system isn’t enough to see these perks work. You need to make sure your team is using your CRM system properly and making it a part of their daily grind. This is where CRM adoption techniques come in.
CRM adoption is how much your team uses the CRM system the way it’s meant to be used. Think of it as an efficiency metric. According to a report by Salesforce about Salesforce adoption, only 64% of CRM users actually use their CRM system. This means a lot of businesses are asleep at the wheel in terms of their CRM investment.
So, how can you make your team appreciate CRM and actually use it? Here are 3 top practices you can use to start seeing better results:
You can’t expect a student to learn without a teacher. One of the main reasons your CRM adoption rates may be low is because your team doesn’t have the skills and knowledge to use it properly. To them, the CRM system may seem too complicated, confusing, or irrelevant to their tasks. And there is some truth to that. CRM is confusing. They should be trained properly.
Training shouldn't be a one-time thing, but an ongoing process that covers both the basics and the advanced features of the CRM system. You should also customize the training to the specific needs and roles of your team members, so that they can see how the CRM system can help them crush their goals. This will help motivate your team to make the most out of their spiffy new tool.
Your team should never struggle with the CRM system. You should have their back 24/7 and you make it easy for them to reach you. You also want to hear their ideas on how to make the CRM system even better and more user-friendly.
Another reason CRM adoption is low is because your team doesn’t see the value of CRM in relation to their work. You need to start by defining the goals you want to achieve with your CRM system - what are the pros and cons? How does a digital transformation serve your business? What are the metrics you’d like to meet?
Your team may think CRM is an extra hassle or a distraction. To fix this, you need to align the CRM system with your business goals and processes. You can customize the CRM system to suit your needs and goals. You can add your own fields, reports, dashboards, and automation rules. This way, you can make the CRM system work for you and your team.
A final reason your CRM adoption is low is simply because your team doesn’t have enough incentive to use it. At least not regularly or consistently enough. They may not be getting the instant gratification many of us need in order to keep up good habits. To fix this, you need to reward and recognize their CRM usage.
Start by telling your team how awesome the CRM system is for them and the company. Show them how other CRM users have crushed it with the CRM system. Then, create a culture that makes your team feel valued and appreciated for using the CRM system well and regularly. Give them feedback, props, perks, prizes, or gamification elements that recognize and reward their CRM skills and results. This way, you can make your team love the CRM system and use it more and better.
CRM adoption is the game-changer that makes your CRM system pay off big time. If you want to make your CRM adoption level up your team’s efficiency and customer relations, you need to follow these top 3 practices ASAP. And if you haven’t yet integrated a CRM system into your business, what are you waiting for?
Reach out now and get a free consultation on CRM for your business.