For any profit-oriented organization, implementing a customer relationship management (CRM) system is a tedious challenge. This is simply because it brings numerous changes that happen on all levels and involves all organization employees.
Now comes the tricky part – change is always difficult, and CRM implementation is no exception. This is precisely the reason why as much as 55 to 75 percent of CRM implementation projects initially fail. For this, and many more reasons, you have to trust only an industry expert like Cloud Analogy, the best CRM Implementation Partner for your CRM implementation requirements. The best thing is that the benefits of surviving the entire CRM change process are excellent.
Let us have a close look at some statistics related to CRM that would inspire you to take your customer relationship management project to the next level.
- Today, CRM is the fastest-growing software market. In 2010, the CRM market was a $14 billion industry, and it is expected to reach $80 billion by 2025, which will be a massive 600 percent increase.
- The average return on investment (ROI) for CRM is $2.50 to $5.60 for every dollar spent.
- 48 percent of sales teams utilize their customer relationship management systems to enhance operations.
- 63 percent of organizations prefer cloud-hosted customer relationship management systems over on-premise applications.
Now let us move our focus to the top 5 tips for a successful CRM implementation.
1. Ensure Top Management Buy-In
The entire process of CRM adoption is successful only when people use the system. It is worth noting that the lack of support from senior executives is the biggest reason why a significant majority of CRM projects fail in the first place.
There is no denying the absolute fact that CRM is a project that includes every aspect of an organization. It is the top management’s responsibility to build and inspire credibility, among others. The early and continuing involvement of the top executives sends positive ripple effects throughout the organization. Don’t delay things for too long; get your leaders on board!
2. Lookout For A Best Project Manager
The Project Manager is the most important person during the before, during, and after stages of CRM implementation. This is simply because the project manager is the one who organizes and manages the complete process. Therefore, the Project Manager should not be just good, but best and awesome! The person entrusted with this responsibility must be a smart and experienced “doer” with great commitment, enthusiasm, and an eye for detail, along with an inspiring personality and excellent communication skills.
3. Introducing With A BANG!
Online Marketing is usually underestimated, and you must ensure that your marketing teams are in a full-fledged CRM promotion mood right from the word go! Now comes the most exciting question: How
Create an engaging poster, write a series of blog posts, create and maintain awareness through YouTube videos and Instagram posts, make a unique launch T-shirt, host a launch party for everyone, capture pictures, and circulate the images everywhere.
4. Establish Internal Usage Guidelines
The first and foremost thing for you to always remember is that the CRM is only as good as the data that resides in it. Therefore, it is crucial that there must be some clear-cut usage guidelines. For instance, there must be clear guidelines on registering a sale or including new company data.
Suppose, for instance, if R1, R2, and R3 all register their sales in the customer relationship management system, but R4 doesn’t, then it would be difficult for the sales manager to take out the accurate sales report and guide & manage his sales team.
The point is: it becomes challenging for people to perform different operations if they are not aware of how to enter data into the customer relationship management system: pull reports, track the progress of sales through sales pipelines, provide quick and effective customer service, and send marketing emails to customers. The CRM usage guidelines must be readily available and state when, what, and how things need to be handled in the CRM system.
5. Adopt A CRM Philosophy
Customer relationship management is not just about technology but also about a philosophy and a strategy. You need to define how your work processes will evolve to ensure that you have a successful CRM strategy. Furthermore, you must be aware of all steps taken at each stage of the implementation process, what objectives you have, how you will measure your goals, and how CRM will complement the business development plan.
You need to change, learn, and unlearn many things during your journey of formulating a CRM philosophy. Adopting a CRM system means that you have to decide how to develop and maintain a strong relationship with your existing and potential customers.
Conclusion
CRM Implementation is a comprehensive and ever-evolving process that requires commitment, cooperation, and preparation across the entire organization.
Want to learn more about CRM implementation and how our teams of certified CRM experts can help you effortlessly implement Customer Relationship Management in your organization? Get in touch with the leading CRM implementation partner to help set up, configure, and customize CRM to meet your business needs with a dedicated approach and thorough planning.
Ajay Dubedi
CEO | Founder
Ajay Dubedi, the founder and CEO of Cloud Analogy, is a prominent Salesforce Sales, Service, and Marketing cloud Consultant with a rich expertise in handling challenging business models. Ajay has assisted and implemented solutions in industries comprising Banking, Health Care, Networking, Education, Telecommunication and Manufacturing. Ajay is globally acclaimed for his extensive experience in APEX Programming, VisualForce pages, Triggers, Workflows, Page Layouts, Roles, Profiles, Reports & Dashboards.Hire the best Salesforce Implementation Partner. Choose Cloud Analogy, the world's most preferred Salesforce Implementation Company that provides custom CRM Implementation services.
