CRM Managers hear lots of excuses as to why their CRM system isn’t being updated!   

To get around these excuses you need to make the CRM system an integral part of their day. 

If the staff member cannot get through their entire day without having to go to the CRM system to retrieve or add something then you will be on the right track to getting more use out of your CRM.  

Integrating your business knowledge on how to do things and where to get client information exclusive within the CRM will go a long way to getting your users more active in its use.

People are like rivers and if they can find an easier pathway to get a job done then they will use this.  You need to make your CRM the only pathway and preferably the easiest pathway.  CRM software is meant to help and not hinder (Although with many CRM's that is not always the case).

If you can be providing useful information in the CRM system then staff will begin to embrace it as a valuable business tool.

We force our staff to use the CRM by having integrated staff time sheets within the CRM so that staff get use to logging their time against clients and projects and will only get paid if they update their time sheets.  That has been very effective in a service business such as our.

We also embedded a knowledge base that if added to over time becomes the source of knowledge for new staff who will more readily adapt to a new CRM system.  New staff tend to search out answers on how to perform there jobs through the knowledge base in the CRM.

So basically. Our method for getting CRM adoption is below and in that order.

1. Time sheets in the CRM or staff don't get paid

2. Knowledge base in the CRM and no where else.

3. Training and Praise

4. Make the CRM useful and the ability to make life easier

5. A big stick.

6. Dismissal if not used as it is part of their job.

 

Good luck with your CRM choice and we would love you to try GTP Hub which is a CRM and much more.