Sunday, December 27, 2009

Don't Sabatoge Your CRM Software in 2010

In the holiday rush, I overlooked CRM Buyer's feature article, "5 Painfully Common Ways Managers Sabotage CRM." Christopher Bucholtz highlights some of the top ways that teams can inadvertently cause CRM software implementation to fail, such as:

  • Focusing CRM software on managers instead of rolling it out as a benefit to the entire team.
  • Using CRM software solely to call out team members on poor performance, instead of leveraging it as a coaching tool.
  • Forcing team members to use every feature within a CRM software suite, even if that results in "premature optimization" of processes.

Those aren't the only ways that managers sabotage CRM software, however. Baseline Consulting Group's Jill Dyche notes that some teams place emphasis on having a "CRM strategy," even though they lack an overall corporate strategy for customer relationship management. Having a relationship with software is a lot different than developing real relationships with clients. Remember, CRM software is only a means to the end goal of leveraging solid partnerships with customers and among team members.

Of course, some members of your team may actually want to sabotage your CRM software. If you're a manager, it's up to you to develop training and development programs that help your team understand how CRM software enhances their role. Many teams fear the change that a new software platform brings, hoping that new tools don't cast doubt on their previous performance. Instead, you can focus on ways to help your team use CRM tools to shine even brighter. Positioning customer relationship management as an opportunity for personal growth and rewards can demystify the process, eliminating the fear that automation is just another step toward downsizing.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is precisely why, as a CRM counselor, I earn such enormous fees for my work. I find clients who haven't realized the full potential of their CRM package, show them how much more they could be making and outline a simple plan. I ask for a percentage of the increase, which is 50 to 75 percent of current sales, in some cases.

Anonymous said...

The need for training can not be understated. Despite the cost, bringing in an outside instructor to teach the CRM software capabilities to the team may prove invaluable.

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nirback said...

Business Software,Business Application, CRM software,online CRM
I don't know how widespread this practice really is, but given the current employment environment, it is good to be armed with knowledge about what to do. Be careful: if you are already employed and your company has as a social media "rules of engagement" policy.

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