6 Steps to Get Your Team to Use CRM Software

So you’ve found a CRM that your happy with and you’re thinking this will be the end of all your worries.

Then you take it back to your team and the joy of finding CRM software for your company is dashed to pieces on the rocks of reality, ending up a few months later with nothing to show for it because your team never used the darn thing.

This is a disastrous scenario, but it’s by no means uncommon. Over 50% of all CRM software adoptions are unsuccessful for one reason or another.

Here are 6 steps to help your CRM software adoption be as successful as possible:

1. Get Simple CRM Software

This is one of those “horse before the carriage” type deals. CRM software adoption will be literally hopeless if you choose software that is beyond your team’s level of ability and interest.

Simple interfaces, easy button layouts, painless customization, and navigable menus are just a few things to look for. You’ll know it when you see it, but always look at CRM software through your team’s eyes. Ask yourself: Will they look at it and scream bloody murder or will they have a giddy smirk of hope?

Go with the latter.

2. Explain Importance/Convert

A good salesperson knows how to do his/her job. Unfortunately, this sometimes doesn’t include the CRM software that you want them to use. Or still, sometimes just simple old habits can get in the way of using any new-fangled software.

Your job is to explain to the members of your team exactly why CRM is necessary going forward and why their participation matters. You need to explain why and how CRM will benefit them, how it will make their jobs faster and easier, and how it can improve their chances of earning more.

To be blunt and perhaps a bit crude, the best user is an addict, and an addict is born from knowing what he or she wants. Make your team members want CRM software and you’ll be on your way to successful adoption.

3. Train

Training will only work properly if the team is already sold on the system, per step #2. Once they’re in the mindset that this is the tool they need, they’ll be engaged in learning how best to use it.

Take advantage of every training opportunity offered by the CRM provider. Provide documentation, tutorials, and support lines so team members can actively seek answers and new ways of getting their work done.

This point also goes hand-in-hand with step #1 because training will be much easier on a simple piece of software. And, once your team understands the software, their daily use will be much easier to accomplish.

4. Set Goals

Just like in the business world, you’ll never get anywhere without a few worthwhile and achievable goals. So, set some with your team. Don’t set the goals for them, but present them with some goal ideas and work with them to decide what is reasonable and will help motivate them to consistently use the CRM software.

5. Lead By Example

The best captains are digging graves with the rest of the crew, suffering with them in their pain and sharing in their celebrations. If you ever hope to get your team to use CRM, you have to be that type of captain and use it yourself.

Taking your own CRM medicine will help you choose the best tool in terms of usability, help you understand the importance and the why, help you train your team on the best ways to use it, and set good goals with them for success.

6. Gamify

“Gamify” is the new buzzword in software. Heralding from the achievements made increasingly popular by gaming platforms like Xbox Live and Apple’s iOS Game Center, gamification is often cited as the great motivator. While it might not be for everybody, almost anyone can be motivated by achievements, acknowledgement, and accolades.

Find some way to create milestones and physical rewards that everyone can see and earn. Create team-wide goals that everyone can work towards achieving, like a dinner out together. A little healthy office competition can help spice things up and motivate each member of the team to do just a bit better.