Five reasons why your CRM implementation is failing
In most cases, implementing a customer relationship management system (CRM) into a business is considered necessary for growth, scalability, efficiency and is a cost effective and time saving strategy; however for some it can be a stressful transition that unfortunately ends in not living up to expectations, or achieving ROI, or adoption could be other outcomes.
Multiple industry studies show that between 47% and 63% of new CRM systems fail, but why is this? The majority of the time, this is down to the users not having the correct training, understanding of objectives, strategic rational for CRM implementation; that’s why it’s important to understand how CRM systems work and how they could potentially fail when implemented.
Here are top five reasons as to why your existing CRM implementation could be failing:
1. Not appreciating the human element of CRM: One of the main factors as to why your CRM system could be failing is by not appreciating the human elements that are required to ensure that the system has been developed correctly and is fit for purpose. Using a CRM platform such as Salesforce, isn’t just based on the technology; although it does play a big role, it’s important to ensure that your team understands what it is that you want the CRM to achieve and to have the internal processes in place to manage this effectively.
2. Not understanding the benefits: When considering implementing a CRM system, a key starting point is to discover what positive results the end user can expect from the system such as increased productivity and sales growth. Working with a CRM or in particular a Salesforce Consultancy can take away an added level of stress to ensure that you and your team can understand the essential benefits from implementing a CRM system and what your business can achieve by following the correct processes.
3. Not managing the change: Implementing a CRM platform, and a successful one for that matter isn’t going to happen overnight. As a Salesforce Consultant, we work with our customers to plan and prepare efficiently ensuring that the customer has involvement at each stage from development, to going live and working through technical snags and the fine tuning that comes after implementation. It’s essential that the team assigned to the project clearly manages the changes being made to maintain a level of understanding that maximises the opportunity and return on investment.
4. Absence of initial and ongoing training and coaching: Without specific training or coaching, the CRM capabilities couldn’t possibly be leveraged to reach its full potential. You wouldn’t expect your team to thrive without personal coaching or training so why should it be any different when it comes to the systems you have in place to keep your business running? Salesforce in particular has a fun learning environment called Trailhead where users can grow their knowledge. Training is a vital part of customer success, yet in our experience training can be a casualty of time or budget constraints which ultimately impacts the success of your CRM platform. That’s why we also offer a range of Salesforce training opportunities to help achieve your goals.
5. Not developing internal knowledge: Where there is no internal knowledge, how do you expect your system to remain viable? With no continuous improvement or high consultancy dependency, your CRM implementation can be at risk of failing even after the hard work that has gone into determining the processes. With so many different features to maintain and best practices to keep up with, we would highly recommend you consider appointing a specialist Salesforce.com consultancy to support your team in learning all of the benefits there are to take advantage of and to continue developing your internal knowledge.
It’s unfortunate that most people (including users) think that having a CRM is just about the features. In reality, it’s not. A successful customer relationship management system is all about people: your people and your customers, and their experiences. Change management and adoption are critical to ensuring that your CRM platform is a successful investment for your people and your customers.
No matter where your business is based and regardless of industry, if you are looking to implement a CRM to improve your processes, a registered partner consultancy will be able to work with you to determine an effective solution. Contact us today to organise a FREE Salesforce consultation.
