5 Ways Your CRM Is Missing the Mark
A recent CRM Magazine article noted that 91% of companies with 10 or more employees use a CRM system – but less than a third feel that their system is being used to the fullest extent. Most companies with a CRM still feel they have inadequate information to efficiently run their business.
So what goes wrong? Any number of things, but we think these are the top 5
- Technology: The CRM itself does not meet your company’s needs. This could be because your requirements were not fully understood when you chose it, or that your requirements have changed. You also may not have other pertinent systems, such as your financial software or customer support, integrated with your CRM. Answer this question: What do you need from your CRM that you aren’t getting?
- Information: GIGO – garbage in, garbage out. If the information used to create and update your CRM is inadequate or incorrect, it won’t be very helpful! How often do you pull information out of your CRM that is incorrect or missing important information? Can management rely on the reports being pulled from your CRM?
- Adoption: You have what could be the world’s best CRM – but no one in the office is using it! Everyone needs to be on the same page. Make sure the benefits of your CRM are not only known but understood and tangible. Answer truthfully – are all your employees updating customer records in the CRM as they interact? Or have they resorted to using self-created “off-line” systems of Google docs, Excel spreadsheets, or even post-it notes?
- Training – Accessing Data: Often the information you need is there – but employees just don’t understand how to find it or how to better incorporate your CRM into their day. Again, this is a crucial training issue. Do your employees know how to find the information they need?
- SOPs – Standard Operating Procedures: Without clear SOPs for your CRM, your ability to manage your data is diminished. Are system updates done as soon as they are available? How often does your CRM manager check for duplicates? How are incoming duplicates managed?
If this sounds overwhelming, don’t worry! Each of these issues can be managed and improved – and you CAN have a CRM that not only meets your needs but drives your business forward with better customer service and higher sales.
At AspenTech Consulting Group, we meet these challenges head-on. We address every issue you might have with your CRM – whether it involves technology, training, or process – and create a manageable plan. We then work with you to implement that plan so you can use your CRM to its fullest potential, giving you a 360° view of your customers – and your business. Call 866-880-4228 to start a conversation with one of our CRM experts.
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