Perfection in CRM Systems for You Now
Challenges, needs and objectives are already made known during the commercial conversations, and the software partner should already give you an initial advice on how the CRM system can be implemented and what resources are needed for this. Everyone will present the different phases of the implementation in a different way, or bring some phases together. However, you should always find the elements described below. The use of the free crm systems comes essential here.
Thinking First, Then Acting: The Analysis Phase
The first phase within each project is aimed at laying a good foundation. To get a maximum return on your investment in CRM software, it is important that your business processes run efficiently and streamlined. Through a thorough review of your Sales and Marketing organization, your software partner will first try to understand your business as well as possible and map your processes. This will immediately allow you to identify any activities with little added value: labor-intensive processes that directly affect your profitability, inefficient quotation policy and follow-up of customer activities, rigid or incomplete reporting, by measuring the current situation and setting objectives for the future, you already know where to go. The analysis report must also form the basis for the further steps of your implementation. You can make use of the Learning Management System also.
Planning Phase
The project is specifically planned based on the preliminary analysis and the available resources. Your software partner draws up an implementation plan: your active involvement is an absolute requirement. After all, the involvement of a project manager from your company in an early phase of the process guarantees a smooth transition to the effective installation. The intended results, plans, tasks and responsibilities are recorded; this immediately creates solid support for the entire project. Possibly, a kick-off meeting will follow at the end of the planning phase during which the project plan is presented to the entire team and the objectives are explained.
Training & Change Management
One of the most common reasons why CRM projects fail is a lack of adoption by users afterwards. It can lead to the employees making insufficient use of the possibilities of the new system because they do not understand it. It is best to provide training for the core users at an early stage (before the new system is put into use). In this way they learn about the possibilities and limitations of the new CRM software and adjustments are still possible. The success of the CRM project will therefore be considerably increased by offering users the possibility to get used to the new system before it is actually introduced. In case of getting leads to business also this is important.
Involve Future Users In The Project
Rome was not built in one day. Because of the pressure to get results quickly, people sometimes forget to take into account the wishes and expectations of future users. Take your time to build a solid foundation: consult future users and inform them about what awaits them. As part of your project plan, you will need to identify all stakeholders in the future project and pay attention to the human impact of new software: How will the project affect the daily job of users? What possible tensions or conflicts may arise as a result of the project? Which actions can promote the acceptance of the project within the organization? How to guarantee the active involvement of the project even after the kick-off?
