May 18, 2017
5 Reasons Your Salespeople Hate Your CRM
BY Caitlin Delohery IN CRM Software, Small Business 0 Comment
You’re spending money on CRM software that your sales team won’t use. While you were bright-eyed and optimistic about the possibility to grow your business with it, they resist.
So what gives?
We’ve got a few ideas.
You didn’t ask for their input.
No matter what tool you use for CRM, success depends on your sales team actually using it. And since 60% of CRM implementations fail because businesses choose the wrong software for their needs, it makes sense to involve your sales team at every step of the way.
Your sales team will use your CRM daily, so find out what features they need to do their job effectively. Then, bring the team together to demo a few options that meet those needs.
When you involve your sales team from the beginning, they’ll be more invested in making the project a success.
They don’t see the value.
You know the benefits of CRM for you: it lowers your costs while increasing revenue and helps you identify top-notch leads. Both worthwhile and valuable things!
But does your sales team understand how it will help them in their day-to-day?
Your team will be much more interested in using new software when they know how it benefits them. For instance, it optimizes their workflow and keeps customer info in one place.
If you show your salespeople how CRM makes their job easier, you’ll see more sales action and you’ll hear fewer complaints.
It’s too complicated.
Adding a CRM to your sales team’s workflow can seriously throw them off — especially when it’s full of bells and whistles that they don’t necessarily need. When that’s the case, it can be a major roadblock.
Your salespeople need software that makes it easier to reach their goals — not something that trips them up every time they open it.
Use a simple and intuitive CRM that doesn’t scare your sales team away. It makes a big difference between a team that wants to use their CRM and one that doesn’t.
They never received training.
You’d never expect your kid to learn how to ride a bike on the first try. You’d give him time to practice with training wheels. Then, eventually, you’d take them off.
Your sales team is the same. Don’t expect them to hop into CRM and know how to navigate the software immediately. Instead, prep them so they’re warmed up and ready to go.
Even if you adopt an intuitive CRM, it’s always helpful to go over the basics.
Here’s a solid training plan:
- A high-level intro to the program. This is where you show how it’ll make their lives easier and more productive!
- Beginner’s training sessions to introduce your team to basic features
- Team-wide trainings on advanced features
- Periodic training on new features
Ask your CRM provider for documentation, help articles, and video trainings to support your sales team’s new endeavor.
You aren’t committed.
If you don’t do any of the above, it shows your sales team that you aren’t committed. Even if your CRM is super simple, your sales team won’t benefit from it if they don’t use it. That would be a shame!
Asking for input, defining your CRM’s value, finding a tool that fits your team well, and implementing proper training makes the difference between a sales team that hates your CRM — and one that embraces it.
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There you have it — some insight into why your sales team isn’t using your CRM and how to fix it. Have more ideas? We’d love to hear about them in the comments!
