Are you frustrated that your company has implemented a great CRM system but no one on your sales team is using it? We talk to company after company who is facing this problem. While some companies simply settle for being less efficient, the fact that you’re actively pursuing a solution to your problem shows you’re not going to settle for your company not living up to its full potential.
The good news is because you care about this problem, there are steps you can take to solve it. From all of our conversations with companies who are struggling with this issue, we’ve found that there are a core group of problems almost all of them face:
Your CRM is Too Difficult to Use
Before you pursue any other solutions, you need to ensure your CRM is as easy to use as you currently think. If you’re basing that belief off what a salesperson told you or the feedback you’ve gotten from a technical member of your team, you need to start by trying out the system for yourself.
While first impressions aren’t always correct, this is one situation where they’re invaluable. If you log into your company’s CRM solution and immediately feel lost or overwhelmed, you can be confident that your sales team members have experienced the same feelings.
Although complicated interfaces may have been something you had to settle for a decade ago, that’s no longer the case. Your CRM should be easy enough for anyone to use.
Your CRM should also automate repetitive tasks, give your whole team access to all the information they need (regardless of where they’re physically located) and allow you to easily customize the system to fit your company’s specific needs.
Your Team Hasn’t Been Trained
If you confirm that your CRM is easy to use, the reason your team may not be using it is because they haven’t been shown how well it actually works.
Because they’ve probably had bad experiences with software that caused endless headaches, they may be resistant to trying anything new. In order for them to see that your latest solution is different, you need to make sure that they receive training which shows them how this system will make their lives easier and gives them time to get comfortable using it.
You Haven’t Defined How CRM Will Help Your Company
Many businesses make the mistake of implementing new software simply because they think they need to have it. Before you can expect your sales team to use a CRM solution, you need to clarify how it’s going to help your company.
By taking the initiative to show your team in concrete terms exactly how using the CRM will benefit them and your company, you’ll discover that they willingly embrace this solution.
If you’ve dealt with a sales team that was resistant to a CRM solution but you were able to win them over with it, what additional advice can you give to someone who’s now in this position?