Businesses need to start rethinking their CRM strategy because it’s only successful when their end-users readily embrace it.
Why is it that many people spend so much time finding ways to work around their CRM, as opposed to actually using it to build better relationships with their prospects and close more business?
Employees are continuing to manage their relationships via email, spreadsheets, and in scattered social media platforms because they’re deterred by the thought of spending time on the tedious data entry required by most CRMs.
According to Sales Hacker, the average employee spends four hours per week entering data into their CRM, equating to an astounding 25 days per year.
A CRM that requires its users to manually log all conversations and contact information is faulty at its core. The end goal of any social CRM should be to free up your time, allowing you to prospect smarter, build better relationships, and close more business.
Get the most out of your social CRM and simplify internal procedures by avoiding these four most common mistakes in the onboarding process:
1. Not paying attention to user needs and benefits
Clearly demonstrate how the right CRM can improve your employee and company relations with your customers. Once your team has a grasp on the “what’s in it for me” factor, they’re less likely to become disillusioned or abandon the project.
If you’ve already picked a traditional CRM that’s lacking engagement tools, look into sales enablement add-ins that deliver intrinsic value to the end user such as:
- Sales intelligence tools like DiscoverOrg or InsideView for people and company information, which save time otherwise spent Googling prospects and entering their contact data in the CRM.
- Email tracking tools like Yesware provide the ability to see opens and clicks helps end users identify optimal engagement points and improve communications with prospective customers.
- Delivering a single system of record for all your SaaS apps. Sync contacts and payment status from invoicing and payment systems such as Quickbooks or Due.com to ensure contact data is current in the billing system, and payment status is communicated among sales and business development team members.
2. Failing to define company-specific CRM usage protocols
Don’t enter into a new CRM with the mindset that you can give employees a CRM application, and the rest (increased sales, productivity, and effectiveness) will just happen naturally. That’s like giving people a toolbox and expecting them to build a building without a blueprint. Define specifically what features are to be used, when, how, and why to optimize your team’s time and efforts.
3. Asking employees to become data entry jockeys
On average, a salesperson spends nearly two-thirds (64.5%) of their time on non-revenue generating activities. That translates to time wasted on tedious tasks like researching contact information and updating your CRM.
With the right technologies (such as Nimble’s new Prospector tool for sourcing verified contact data, and our newly optimized Today Page to give you a jump start on your day) and the right processes, you can easily cut time spent on busy work in half.
4. Trying to implement too much functionality too quickly
Don’t expect people to learn and effectively use every facet of your social CRM at once — it’s far from realistic. Start by setting basic usage regimens in place before layering more advanced ones on top.
Focus first on simpler features, followed by those that require a higher level of comfort with the CRM application and new processes. Ongoing change is best achieved when done over time, with lots of positive reinforcement.
