Businesses spend huge sums of money to acquire CRM software, with the ultimate aim of deriving optimum value from these systems. Unfortunately most of them end up not living up to their dreams just because they make mistakes that should not happen in the first place.
Whether you are keen to get the most out of your current CRM, in the process of looking around for the most suitable one for your business or have already implemented a new one, this post will help you discover some of the most common CRM mistakes and how to make sure they are kept as far away from your business as possible.
Here then are the four most common CRM errors and how to ensure you avoid them entirely or fix them whenever they occur.
1. Putting IT Departments at the Helm
The value of IT departments can never be underestimated. However, let’s pause for a moment and think about who uses a CRM software. It is the people who are involved in the business end of the organization, right? People who interact with customers, handling sales & marketing. Those who use CRM should be the ones to take charge of the system while IT should provide the necessary support. If critical departments like sales end up not utilizing the CRM system to maximum, the company may never benefit from the true potential of that software. The other disadvantage of putting IT at the helm of CRM is that CRM will eventually end up being a product of IT’s desires that may not necessarily reflect the needs of those who actually need the system.
2. Allowing Too Much Customization
Many companies allow too much of customization than they actually should. There is a big difference between configuration and customization when it comes to CRM. Unnecessary customization can lead to implications that would eventually cost the business. The problem with this kind of customization is that it will end up limiting your ability to enjoy vendor updates. Instead of putting so much effort to customization, that effort can be better utilized in understanding the CRM and gradually evolving your business ecosystem so that the software eventually fits the needs of your business.
3. Wrong Training Strategy
While user training is essential, it is critical that organizations try as much as possible to go for CRM systems that are fun and intuitive. When a CRM software is intuitive, the intended users will find it welcoming to use and fun to learn without the need for intensive formal training. This creates room for training to be dedicated to small groups of users who may need extra help and valuable tips relevant to their areas of specialty within the organization.
4. Going for Complicated CRM Solutions, Mistaking it for Excellence
Some company bosses think that the complexity of CRM is equal to excellence in performance. They will, therefore, go around the CRM market searching for the sort of systems that sound big and ‘fancy’. They forget that all that is needed is a system that will bring efficiency to their organizations’ core business. What users need is an easy to use system that will help them to accomplish their duties in as far as customer relationship Management is concerned. Any tool that purports to serve this purposes while coming out as fancy, and complicated will not help anyone. When searching for the best CRM software, start by making a list of the key things that the system should accomplish. Then proceed to find a system that will deliver in the simplest way possible.
Enter Scoro
Scoro’s CRM and Sales platform are probably one of the very best CRM tools we currently have in the market. Users can quickly attain a complete view of needed data for all clients at once. No longer will they have to waste time opening file after file. Users are also able to link events and tasks to literary anything while at the same time tracking any risks, as well as opportunities, on the go. When it comes to managing orders and quotes, you can as well consider the job done thanks to this incredible CRM software. The thing that makes Scoro great is its user interface which is extremely friendly, thus eliminating the typical challenges that are presented by ‘overwhelming’ CRM softwares out there.
Conclusion
Once again, the usefulness of CRM software cannot be overemphasized especially when it comes to organizations with many customers both new and old who need to be managed appropriately. CRM is one of the top proven tools of growth that many companies have used to grow their businesses to unprecedented heights. The success of your current CRM or the one you intend to deploy is dependent on how well you try to avoid the mistakes above. Fortunately, the mistakes, while common, can be easily avoided by making the right decisions early.
Edrick Hypolite is presently building up a creative marketing startup and is learning the importance of various software and technology in his success including CRM. For those interested in learning more about Edrick you can visit on Google+.