Did you know that a third of all CRM implementations fail? That’s the conclusion of research cited by the Harvard Business Review. The same study found that one of the main reasons CRM implementations fail is that they’re too complex and don’t have a clear focus.
This is hardly surprising. Many CRM applications are highly complex. Migrating data to a new CRM, and getting everyone to use that CRM, is an involved task at the best of times. And the way many CRMs are built, and the way they require users to interact with them, means that implementation really isn’t the best of times.
The Problem With Piecemeal
Many CRMs consist of different applications that have been bolted together through a process of mergers and acquisitions. This makes the initial implementation complicated. Technical and line-of-business staff are forced to interact with different elements of the system in different ways, which makes the learning curve steeper.
It can also lead to duplication of effort, and asking people to repeat time-consuming tasks is sure to cause frustration and put them off using the system. A CRM implementation relies on engaging with and convincing users, from the C-suite right down to the people on data entry.
The more difficult that process is, the less users are likely to complete it. And even if they do complete the initial data migration and set-up, if your users find the CRM complex, disjointed, and time consuming, they won’t keep it up to date. This is possibly the main reason why CRM implementations fail: users simply refuse to use the new platform. As a result, the data it contains soon becomes outdated and incomplete.
So, what’s the best way to avoid this and ensure your investment in a new CRM pays off?
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For a start, the CRM you choose should consist of applications and functions which have been designed from the ground up to work together. Migrating data should be easy, and wherever possible, users should only have to do it once to get their data populated to all relevant apps with the right permissions.
Companies should also look for signs that the relationship will be based on trust, right from the start. For instance, if the CRM vendor wants to charge a lot of money to help you overcome the complexity of the integration process, that’s potentially a sign that they view their customers as an ATM.
Users should find the CRM easy to get to grips with. Entering data should be an intuitive process that fits organically into each workflow. It should also be quick to do. Only this way will it become second nature to your colleagues, so that the data in the CRM is kept constantly up to date, making it relevant and actionable.
Image Credit: Zoho
Designed for Success
To make these benefits a reality, it usually works best if a CRM has been developed as an integrated and seamless whole. At Zoho, all the features and functions in our CRM suite have been built, not bought, by our own development teams. And they are all designed from the concept stage onwards to work seamlessly together.
This level of integration results in a smoother implementation process. We calculate that the average implementation of Zoho CRM takes 50% less time than it would to implement our closest competitors. Over the last two years alone, we have helped users implement our CRM 30,000 times.
With the right technology, the right approach and the right partner, your CRM implementation won’t just succeed. It will give you the agility your company needs to respond faster to changing customer trends and preferences, in a market that evolves more rapidly with every passing day.
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