Common CRM Mistakes to Avoid

Customer relationship management, or CRM, can play a huge role in the success of your business.  As you may already know, along with a world class web-based ERP system and ecommerce capabilities NetSuite offers a powerful CRM solution as well. As with all important business decisions, there are many things to take into consideration before making a commitment to a CRM software or service provider.    A few weeks ago, Jennifer Lonoff Schiff published an article on CIO.com in which she discussed 10 CRM Mistakes and How You Can Avoid Making Them.  Today, we would like share a few of the very useful tips discussed in Ms. Schiff’s article.

Not Thinking of End Users

When choosing a CRM solution, your organization should involve end users in the research and discovery process.  End users can provide valuable input and offer suggestions that those that may not be directly involved with the CRM system on a daily basis may not have otherwise thought of.  Involving end users at the beginning of the process also provides an excellent opportunity to discuss the benefits and opportunities a new CRM system would provide and promote acceptance of a new system.

Not Supporting Sales Rep Mobility

Sales professionals are rarely found sitting at a desk. Therefore, the CRM system they are using should support the mobile nature of their activities.  Sales reps should be able to access real time information no matter where they are or what they are doing.  If you want your sales reps to use the CRM solution you choose, you have to choose one that has mobile accessibility.

Not Defining Business Processes

To ensure that the CRM solution you choose does not turn into a glorified address book, you should clearly define the business processes that the CRM system will encompass.  Learn about all of the functions of your CRM system and include them in a standard workflow.  To get the most value out of your CRM solution, you should integrate the functionality of your CRM system into your business processes and train end users on the standard procedures. 

Not Being Realistic

While you are setting up your CRM workflow to incorporate the functionality you find beneficial, make sure you are not being overly ambitious.  You do not have to implement every last feature that your new CRM system has to offer.  Too much too soon could intimidate and overwhelm end users.  Choose the features that you think will provide the most value with the least amount of sacrifice.  Additional functions could be accessed later once a comfort level with the CRM system is established.

Not Setting Goals

As with any new business process, a way to ascertain the success of the project should be established from the onset.  When you choose a new CRM system, don’t forget to set goals track outcomes.  The data you gather will help you evaluate processes and make adjustments for improvement.

If you would like to read Jennifer Lonoff Schiff’s list of CRM mistakes in it’s entiretly, you can view her article at http://www.cio.com/article/722340/10_CRM_Mistakes_and_How_You_Can_Avoid_Making_Them.