Implementing a CRM is one of the surest ways to transform your organization’s operational efficiency and potentially increase your revenues.
However, as noted by the Merkle Group, up to 63% of all CRM implementation projects experience issues right from the start, and in most cases, fail. That’s not a great statistic. There are certain issues that, if not handled properly, will result in the whole project’s failure.
So, what exactly frustrates teams and cause failure while implementing CRMs? Here are a few that are clear from the start.
This step is particularly important because it sets the ground for continuous upgrading of the CRM software, keeping it much more relevant to your business needs. Implementation is only just the beginning. You’ll need to keep upgrading the features and functionalities as your business needs demand.
If you are not sure how to collect the feedback or building a CRM from scratch, you may want to look to your sales and support teams, conduct surveys, and perform usability testing.
- There’s a lot of manual input in regards to lead details, which is time-consuming.
- Until recently, most CRMs couldn’t support sales teams in analyzing customer behavior to deduce data-driven decisions.
- Most CRMs are designed for sales managers, ignoring the people on the ground (sales team). As a result, reporting and collaboration features either take up too much time or are too basic.
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Determine what your CRM goals are beforehand
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Design and implement an internal marketing process
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Provide ample training
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Gather feedback for future improvement
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Remember that it’s not only the core features that matter, leave room for something extra
- Calendar management and email marketing
- Social media monitoring capabilities
- Mobile access
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Artificial Intelligence is a must
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Remember to add Collaboration Features to transform the sales process
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Keep in mind implementation is not once and done