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Ten CRM Questions to Ask Before You Get Started
This is the second installment of our excerpt series from our White Paper, “The Beginner’s Guide to CRM: An Honest Look at the Pros and Cons.” Go here to download the paper.
If you are exploring CRM, you probably have lots of questions. Questions about feasibility, questions about cost, questions about implementation, the questions may seem to never end.
Instead of suffering from analysis paralysis, just focus on these ten main CRM questions, and all the other issues should begin to resolve themselves.
While you may get the impression that CRM platforms are inevitable for your business, now may or may not be the right time to make the leap.
If you answer “yes” to many of these CRM questions, than a CRM system might be a good fit.
- Can you afford to fix your system “if the plumbing breaks” and something goes wrong with your data?
- Would you rather have more clients-per-agent or to simply hire more agents?
- Do you have someone you can call if you get in over your head?
- Would it harm your company if your competition were building proficiency with CRM while you are not?
- Do you have people who can champion this initiative that are knowledgeable about technology, data systems, and your business processes?
- Will your CRM team be able to take the time to learn about this platform?
- Will your CRM expert be able to teach the rest of your organization how to use the system?
- Do you suspect there may be inefficiencies in your sales processes?
- Will you be able to encourage adoption within your organization so that your team actually uses the system?
- Do you have the time and patience to read and understand CRM best practices?
It’s normal to answer “no” to a few of these questions, but more than five negative responses is a pretty strong sign. If you are unhappy with the results of the quiz, try speaking to a consultant who can help you prepare a strong foundation for your CRM.
Still have questions? We’re here to help. Contact us for a risk-free CRM consultation.
The Seven Deadly Sins of CRM
This is the second installment of our excerpt series from our White Paper, “The Beginner’s Guide to CRM: An Honest Look at the Pros and Cons.” Go here to download the paper.
CRM systems are powerful tools, but there are some CRM mistakes to avoid.
The following are seven most common CRM mistakes that can send users to “CRM hell:”
CRM Mistake # 1: Failing to commit to learning. High-end CRMs have substantial learning curves, even for technology and data professionals. Further, the curve differs not only from solution to solution, but also from organization to organization.
CRM Mistake # 2: Not doing comprehensive business planning. For many CRMs, implementation is 80 percent business planning, 20 percent technical work. The business planning should take place before the technical work, not during.
CRM Mistake # 3: Improvising the implementation. Most businesses that fail with CRM do so in implementation. Before beginning the process, seek out implementation guides and study them carefully.
CRM Mistake # 4: Over-relying on intuition. Do not assume that you are using your CRM correctly; read the best practices, train the users, and ensure everyone is following the rules.
CRM Mistake # 5: Having under-qualified people in charge. Often, CRM implementation and administration falls on the lap of someone who cannot support it, usually a sales or data-entry person. If an expert is not available, ensure that the project manager is thoroughly well-versed on the CRM best practices.
CRM Mistake # 6: Over-extending the platform. It is important to know the limitations of the platform and not go beyond those. For example, many CRMs are not suitable for project management. Trying to use or modify CRMs can create data and usability problems.
CRM # 7: Being too lax on data-entry processes. Record creation processes must be strictly followed at all times. At first, many teams see the CRM as a laborious data-entry exercise. But if they don’t respect the data entry rules and processes, the whole system can fail.
Still have questions? We’re here to help. Contact us for a risk-free CRM consultation.
Don’t Get Started With CRM Until You’ve Read This
CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE WHITE PAPER
GeauxPoint is pleased to release its newest white paper, The Beginner’s Guide to CRM: An Honest Look at the Pros and Cons. The CRM guide will help businesses get the most out of their investment, avoid CRM pitfalls, and learn CRM optimization strategies.
This blog post is the first installment of the series on the white paper. The series will go into depth about the topics presented in the document.
Introduction
Customer relationship management (CRM) systems can be either the best or the worst thing to happen to your business. While many sources say that CRMs are quickly becoming must-have business tools, not everyone will experience an easy adoption.
This guide will help sales managers and business owners to fully understand, evaluate, and get started with CRM. It will explain what CRM does, evaluate CRM platforms, and provide a series of tools to help the reader decide if CRM is a good fit for them. Ultimately, the reader will gain a healthy understanding of CRM pros and cons, and will be able to make an informed decision of how to proceed.
So, should you set up a CRM right now? Although you may get the impression that CRM adoption is inevitable, it’s better to wait until you can commit the time and resources to a successful implementation.
However, once you are ready, a successful CRM launch can lead to breakthrough results for your business. This, of course, depends on your ability to implement and administer the system in accordance with best practices.
Have a question about CRM? We’re friendly — get in touch with us today!