Getting the most out of your CRM system is similar to developing a musical talent. Both take a little know how, a desire to learn, and of course practice, practice, practice! Here are five ways to . Here’s hoping this is “music to your ears”…
- Introduce changes slowly. With CRM software, a good starting point is to have the team start entering their sales contacts. Once they have fully incorporated this process, start tracking sales with the new system. Next, have them use the software to generate reports. Continue adding new elements on a regular basis until they are using every function of the new solution in their daily routine.
- Be consistent with data. To get the most out of your CRM system, you need to have agreed upon protocols for how names and addresses will be handled for consistency of data entry.
- Remember that your CRM system is only as good as the data it houses. Given that email today is the most cost-efficient channel for communicating with one's customers, it's critical for companies to validate and correct email addresses prior to entering them into one's marketing/CRM database. You should also perform regular upkeep processes to ensure these email addresses are kept as up-to-date as possible.
- . Simply pass your web form lead information directly into your CRM system. Set up a campaign for each web form or lead source so you can get real-time counts of how many leads your campaigns are getting and how many are turning into sales.
- Teach your sales team well. Train, train, train! If people don't feel comfortable using a CRM system, they will find another way to do it, like paper or a spreadsheet. So make sure they understand how to use the CRM system, and why it's important.
Specializing in the implementation of , Sikich is a Chicago-based Microsoft Gold Certified Partner. We work with over 4000 customers in 4 states: Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Kansas, in a variety of industries with a focus on manufacturing and distribution, professional services, education and not-for-profit.
By Jim Drumm with Sikich,
