Excel has ruled the market for a long time and we can’t deny it’s worth till now, but it can not replace a CRM system. Now is the time to prioritize implementing CRM software for your business’s success. Oh, don’t forget to avoid the common mistakes during the implementation process.
Is it possible to implement the customer relationship management system “wrong”? Yes, it is and to reap the most benefits out of your CRM system, you must avoid the mistakes completely. But there are solutions to prevent these mistakes from happening.
Let’s learn about these common mistakes and how you can avoid them while implementing CRM software:
5 Common CRM Mistakes To Escape During Implementation
Even though CRMs are here for a long time, there are a few common CRM mistakes that still exist in the industry. As your main goal is finding the ideal solution for the inside sales process, you may mess it up when you don’t know about the mistakes. But when you know about the mistakes and have a solution at hand, you can bypass them easily.
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Failure To Realize Software Capabilities
Okay, let’s be honest! Most of the time, we either underestimate or overestimate the capabilities of software. But it brings in serious consequences when it’s about mobile access, scalability, integration capacity and customization.
It’s not a surprise that many companies choose software that meets their current need but is not suitable for the future of the business. After all, the company grows and the old system can’t match new needs.
How To Avoid The Mistake:
You need to ensure that you are running a thorough check of what a CRM system can and can’t offer in the long run. If it is possible, you can upload your data to a CRM system with a free-trial option. You will learn a lot about CRM before giving your payment details.
It’s crucial to plan out what the future needs will be for your business. You want to ensure that your new system plays along with your existing system. Not to forget, your sales reps should feel excited to use the system.
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Not Customizing Your CRM To Meet Business Needs
All the paid CRMs come with customization options, but many businesses don’t realize the importance of it. And hence it’s one of the common yet serious mistakes that you can do during CRM implementations.
Assuming that one general system can meet your business needs and account for specific goals, KPIs, metrics, outreach efforts, workflows, and more- is a recipe for disaster.
A CRM operates best when it is customized to suit your business needs. When you fail to customize your chosen CRM accordingly, it creates hiccups among processes. Your reps would not like to use such CRM eagerly.
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How To Avoid The Mistake:
You would want to choose a CRM system that gives you all the freedom to customize the CRM flexibly to meet your business needs. Interact with the sales reps of the CRM solution about the specifics of existing CRM and customizable options.
When you ask the right questions to the right people of software companies, you get details of what to expect from the CRM. You can further discover how much customization they can provide you to meet the requirements.
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Underutilizing CRM Tools & Their Capabilities
When you invest in a good CRM solution, it comes with incredible tools, especially for marketing automation. But if you fail to take advantage of such tools, it means you are wasting the money you invest.
Most high-end CRMs offer tools and capabilities that you can tailor according to your needs. But, if you are not using all the benefits of the CRM applications, then:
- You are not getting back money worth your investment in the CRM service
- You are failing to get leads and prospects without effective nurturing- leading to not closing adequate deals.
How To Avoid The Mistake:
Before you select a CRM system, understand how all of its tools can work for your business. If you are not sure what those tools and capabilities can offer, you can ask the company for setup and onboarding.
Your CRM service providers should give you training and assistance. But if they fail at it, you may want to choose a different CRM solution. Don’t shy away from asking for details about the tools and their functionalities.
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Overcomplicating Customer Data
Importing customer data to a new CRM system is a critical step- it needs to be done carefully. Incorrect labelling, duplicating, losing or mishandling customer information can create huge confusion and lead to profit loss.
When there are unnecessary data, incomplete data sets or empty fields- it hinders the data importing process quickly. Usually, these issues occur due to user error, complicated import instructions or a not-well-designed CRM solution. For your sales team, it becomes tough to handle personal data during their work- especially due to redundancy.
How To Avoid The Mistake:
You want to ensure all the existing and potential customer data gets entered into your CRM in an organized way. After all, the data must make sense to your sales reps as they will be using the information. Create a clean and easy template to prevent data overload. When in doubt, ask the customer service rep of the CRM solution whether the CRM can import or export data with ease.
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Not Anticipating Future Needs
If you fail to determine where your company will reach in 1, 3 or 5 years -you won’t be able to choose a CRM which is future-proof. Not only do you have to say goodbye to your existing CRM but also have to deal with a gigantic export-and-import process. It means losing valuable work time during the transition process.
When your CRM doesn’t support your business for future use as you scale, you will meet with serious problems. So, don’t go for any free solution that comes with limited tools, and features. It won’t take much long to outgrow the solution in a few years.
How To Avoid The Mistake:
As you want to invest in the best CRM that suits all of your business needs, do check whether it has all the tools essential for scaling your business. You want your CRM to be active not only at the moment but when your business reaches new heights and expands.
Ensure CRM Implementation Runs Smooth
While you want a successful implementation process, you need to choose the best CRM for your business- a CRM to help you optimize customer relationships and smooth-out sales and marketing processes. As you choose the right CRM for your business, your sales reps are eager to take complete advantage of the new tool.
