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Customer relationship management (CRM) systems help companies centralize consumer data, track leads, trigger marketing communication, monitor sales, and more.
But even the best CRM solutions can fall short of these goals if not implemented properly. Getting the most out of a CRM platform relies on careful planning, clean data migrations, and user buy-in. Implementation leaders must understand current business processes and how they expect to transform them with the CRM software.
Here, discover the key challenges organizations face when adopting a new CRM system and how to maximize this tool's potential with a well-planned, successful implementation.
The CRM implementation process explained
CRM implementation is the process of planning, configuring, deploying, and adopting a customer relationship management platform across an organization. More than a simple technical installation, CRM implementations require strategic goals, clear metrics, and detailed workflow mapping. Thoughtful configuration planning (including for new process automations), testing, and user training are also central to a successful implementation.
CRM implementations involve the input of multiple stakeholders, like business leaders and the heads of sales, marketing, and customer support, as well as everyday users from these departments.
CRM implementation challenges
Due to their complexity and need for widespread stakeholder involvement, CRM implementations tend to be challenging. Here are a few of the difficulties teams frequently face in this process.
- Changes to daily workflows, reporting, and accountability: Adopting CRM software means shifting current processes to ones that maximize efficiency within the new tool. The workflows that team members are accustomed to following may change, as might their reporting structures and responsibilities. And some organizations hit resistance when trying to get users to buy into and adopt these shifting roles and ways of working.
- Poor data quality: The data migrated to a CRM system must be organized and clean for this tool to be able to correctly "read" and use it while executing processes. When bad data gets entered into a CRM, errors like inaccurate reports, lost leads, or compliance oversights follow.
- Inconsistent usage due to low adoption: If end users don't receive adequate training or can't see the value of the CRM, they may not fully adopt the tool, returning to old workflows instead of the more streamlined, accurate ones the new platform provides. Not only does this waste time and undermine the potential of the CRM solution, but it can also generate errors. For example, if some team members store or process consumer data outside the CRM (i.e., in a spreadsheet), then the information in the CRM is never complete and can't be reliably used for reporting, visibility, or decision-making.
- Lack of workflow clarity pre-implementation: Leaders must first map workflows currently in place to create optimized workflows in a CRM implementation. Scribe Capture automatically documents workflows in easy-to-follow guides that teams can use during a CRM implementation to document existing processes and demonstrate how a new CRM platform could streamline the process.
7 key CRM implementation steps
Maximize the potential of your CRM software with the following seven steps for a successful implementation.
- Define CRM goals and metrics: Pinpoint how the use of this tool supports your overall business needs and strategy. Perhaps you want to boost customer satisfaction with faster response times or increase sales with better lead tracking and forecasting. These goals are the backbone of your implementation plan, determining what workflows and data the CRM solution will manage. Also, determine the KPIs you can use to monitor the success of CRM initiatives, like sales numbers or lead conversion rates.
- Map and standardize current processes: Map current workflows to understand how team members truly perform work. This research often uncovers hidden redundancies and inefficiencies, which you can transform into areas of opportunity by using the CRM system to standardize workflows. Scribe Capture quickly and accurately maps existing flows in step-by-step guides, complete with screenshots, giving you the visibility you need to make data-driven decisions on modeling better workflows during the CRM adoption.
- Configure the CRM: Configure the CRM platform to your business needs, building workflows, customizing fields, setting up automations, and linking integrations. You'll also want to create user-friendly dashboards that are intuitive for your team members and help them feel comfortable using the tool. Getting input from real end users during this step can guide you to set up practical interfaces.
- Prepare, clean, and migrate data: Before performing data migration, assess the health of source information through a data audit, considering existing spreadsheets and tools that currently house data. Then, clean up the information needed, unifying formats, correcting errors, deleting redundant data, and checking for accuracy. Once information is clean, you can move it using the CRM's built-in data migration features or using external tools.
- Test workflows with real end users: After configuration and data migration, your CRM system is ready to use. Before a widespread roll-out, test the tool with select end users to get their feedback on efficiency, ease of use, and the success of workflows. Processes should feel intuitive and streamline tasks, instead of creating extra steps or introducing new risks for error.
- Train users by role: Great CRM user adoption is the result of comprehensive training. Have department leaders train their direct reports on using the tool, showing them how to execute role-specific workflows and encouraging buy-in by reiterating the platform's value. Leaders should remain open to feedback during this step, as end-user insights can help make processes even more efficient. Use Scribe Capture to support these training sessions. This tool automatically maps new processes in the CRM in user-friendly guides that demonstrate how to use the platform and serve as excellent references when employees have questions.
- Launch, monitor usage, and reinforce adoption: After testing the CRM system with select users, perform a wide-scale launch. Adoption can be positive at first, only to drop off as team members revert to the previous processes they were comfortable with. Some may even create workarounds that avoid interaction with the tool. So, it's important to monitor usage and gather insights on why people aren't using the CRM software if you notice a decline in interactions with it.
CRM implementation best practices
Ensure a smooth CRM implementation with the following practical best practices for every step of the lifecycle.
- Document processes before configuring the CRM system: Start with clear documentation of current workflows so that you can pinpoint inefficiencies and redundancies to eradicate in the configuration of the CRM platform.
- Involve end users early during design and testing: Organizations that don't involve end users in the workflow design and testing processes run the risk of configuring processes that don't really support daily tasks and that team members may resist adopting.
- Keep configurations simple and aligned to real workflows: CRM software configurations should respond to core business functions and don't need to include extensive features or fields that no one realistically needs and will become distracting.
- Communicate how the CRM supports daily work: Drive buy-in by reiterating the value of the CRM system in making daily work more efficient and accurate. If users can see how the tool will improve their everyday lives, they're more likely to use it.
- Train users using realistic scenarios: Instead of simply showing users how to navigate functions, run simulated real-life scenarios in the CRM, like entering a new consumer lead.
- Provide ongoing support after rollout: Have team leads routinely check in with their direct reports on CRM software usage, fielding questions and taking feedback on how to improve the tool.
- Treat CRM implementation as an evolving project: CRM implementations are iterative, not static, and business leaders should welcome proposed modifications from team members. Organizations should also constantly map workflows, pinpointing areas of improvement wherever there are bottlenecks.
How Scribe supports CRM implementation
CRM implementations are only successful when implementation teams know how work currently gets done and how they can transform existing workflows for the better. Scribe Capture supports CRM adoption and process consistency by:
- Capturing existing and new workflows as teams actually perform them
- Turning captured processes into step-by-step, visually-driven operational manuals that make it easy to train teams on the new system
- Keeping CRM documentation current as processes change
Use Scribe to prepare teams for CRM implementations
Many CRM implementation issues start before configuration begins, due to a misunderstanding of current workflows that can be streamlined with the new tool.
Scribe supports pre-implementation readiness by:
- Documenting existing sales, marketing, and support workflows before selecting or configuring a CRM
- Identifying inconsistencies, gaps, and manual work that can be improved during implementation
- Creating a shared source of truth for how processes should work across teams
- Reducing rework by aligning stakeholders on workflows before they are built into the CRM
- Supporting smoother data model and field design by clarifying how information is captured and used
FAQs
How long does a CRM implementation take?
Implementation times vary by the size of the company and the complexity of process capture, configuration, testing, and training. Small and medium businesses can generally complete implementation in a few months, while larger enterprises may need up to a year (or longer in extreme cases).
What are the biggest mistakes teams make when implementing a CRM?
Not involving end users, not adequately documenting current processes, training poorly, and configuring confusing features are some of the top CRM implementation missteps.
Do I need a consultant to help with a CRM implementation?
Working with a consultant is a good idea for organizations of any size that want dedicated support and training guidance. This external help is even more necessary at large enterprises with many users and complex, custom configurations.
Why is user training important for successful CRM implementation?
User training ensures that team members maximize the potential of the CRM system in daily work. This prevents errors in new processes and helps employees feel comfortable using the tool (which drives adoption).
Should I migrate all my old data to a new CRM solution?
No, only migrate clean data that is essential to the workflows you'll execute on the CRM tool. Migrating all data can introduce inaccuracies into the system or litter it with useless information.
