5 Things Every Organization Needs To Consider

Less than 40% of CRM customers have end-user adoption rates above 90%. What does this mean? It means you or your company are spending thousands of dollars on software that isn’t being used the way it was intended. 

Because of this, between 25% to 60% of CRM projects fail to meet expectations. Why is user adoption so important? It allows the CRM to be used how it was meant to and it increases sales and productivity and gives a company an average ROI of $8.71 for every dollar spent, according to Nucleus Research. 

So why are companies not investing in training and training reinforcement? Companies are buying software but are not getting the full value of what they paid for without an adoption plan. Here are Five Keys to Successful CRM Implementation that will help your user adoption strategy and help you make the most of your CRM.

We’ve presented them in reverse order, as you’ll see, #5 through to #1, leading up to the absolute “must-have”, although, frankly, they’re all critical for successful adoption to take root.

5. Executive Sponsorship

Change starts with the support of executives. They set the visions and direction and allow for corporate sponsorship. Understanding the need for executive sponsorship is extremely important and needs to be realized before a fully successful implementation can be achieved. 

If no one at the top cares for user adoption, you and your team are going to struggle. With strong executive support and sponsorship, it will help lay a foundation for the project to get started, help get past roadblocks during said project and will allow for adoption to be taken seriously.

4. Clearly Defined Goals and Objectives

When talking about goals and objectives, you want to make sure you choose measurable and attainable goals and objectives. Adoption success requires goals that are realistic and can be time bound. 

If for example your business goal is to increase productivity, you have to be able to measure what that means. What productivity is your company showing? What do you want them to be at the end of the project? Having clear concise goals and objectives for user adoption is a key part in having a successful implementation.

3. Alignment of System with Business Process

You know what works best for you and your team. Don’t let your new CRM change that. The CRM is a tool for you to be more efficient and practical, it is not meant to erase your business process. 

If your business process follows a step one, step two, step three, etc., kind of model, make sure your CRM reflects that. Oftentimes, we see various teams working around their CRM systems that align the business process completely wrong, making step 2 into step 4 and so on. 

Consistency and the alignment of the system with your unique business process will help your user adapt quicker and work more efficiently.

2. End User Training

Adoption will not exist if you do not train the users. With any software, including CRMs, change is never easy. Introducing a new software causes hardships and resistance, mostly with the users that use it most; the end users. 

The best technical systems in the world are designed for the users. If the users aren’t using it then you’re not going to get the value intended. Training the ones who are going to use it the most eases the transition and allows for more adoption and less resistance to the new software. Training is even better when it is constantly being reinforced and built upon.

1. Manager Training

While end user training might be the most important key to success for some, we believe that it’s Manager training that takes the title. Managers are the ones who make things happen in your organization. 

They are responsible for making sure things are getting done, resolving issues and problems with the users and helping in any areas that need it. Front line managers are not only management and leadership, they’re also hands on. They are the most influential people in the organization, interacting with the most people. 

Because of this, training the managers becomes the most important aspect in the keys to success. With proper training, managers can influence the users to adopt the new CRM without many issues. 

If end users hear that the managers aren’t buying into the CRM, they’re going to think they don’t have to either. Managers can help implement the new software and allow for every other employee to implement it as well.

User Adoption can be the most important aspect of a company. Using a system the way it was intended to be used can only create positive outcomes. Any software needs reinforcement, correct implementation and positive reinforcement to make sure that you can accomplish the easiest user adoption experience.

So What’s Next?

Want professional training services for your end users and managers? Stony Point offers world-class instructor-led Salesforce training. With classes for beginners all the way to experts, we can help you train your employees to be more efficient and productive.

Did you already purchase training but still see your employees struggling with adoption? Digadop Help by Stony Point is a Digital Adoption platform designed to increase user adoption. With customizable, targeted help, you can create a different help experience for each employee, no coding needed. Digadop reinforces the training you paid for and builds on it.