How to succeed in your CRM project? This is a very simple yet important question, but it requires a complete and more complex answer. The success of a CRM project depends on several factors. Most of the time, success is already decided in the preliminary phase.

You have to be very careful with your planning to be successful. So we have summarized all the best tips to help you succeed in your CRM project. First, we will discuss the human factor, then the customer orientation and finally the actual Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool.

CRM is the initials of Customer Relationship Management. However, Customer Relationship Management doesn’t clarify much of the whole meaning of CRM. For that reason, this article will explain what CRM as well as what it is for, its benefits and much more.

CRM definition

On the one hand, CRM is the marketing and sales strategy that deals with customer relationships. That is to say, CRM is a business strategy.

On the other hand, CRM is the software that companies use to manage their customers and control the activities of the company around them.

But the truth, when talking about CRM, 99.99% of the time is the computer system. That is CRM is used to refer to a software, program, tool, application, solution or sales system.

How to succeed in your CRM project, what is CRM software?

CRM software is the program in which all the information and conversations you have with clients (emails, calls, meetings, and documentation) are stored in each client’s records.

These files are accessible by everyone in your company with the authorization to read them and have access to them. In addition, this information gives you the ability to mark notes as well as the subject’s activities for you or another partner, so that nothing remains left undone.

This information includes the day-to-day interactions in the relationship with customers. For that reason, CRM means customer relationship management. It is thanks to the computerized CRM software that it is able to carry out commercial management effectively. If you want to group all your contacts and information in one application and forget the Excel sheets, the CRM is your number one ally.

How to succeed in your CRM project? The three key reasons

How to succeed in your CRM project? The human factor: make the CRM project a business project

Is by far the most important factor for a successful CRM project. The studies are unanimous on the subject. Among the human difficulties, we will highlight in particular:

• A cultural obstacle to the adoption of new work methods induced by the CRM (45%)
• Difficulties of adoption by users (44%)
• A non-optimal change accompaniment (42%)
• Inappropriate or inappropriate Leadership (38%)

Making your CRM a business project is the winning condition for obtaining the support of all employees. So, here are several tips to succeed in your multidisciplinary CRM project by capitalizing on the human being. First, you must designate a key member to make the important decisions and represent the company’s management. 

Then build a team that promotes the adoption of the CRM project by everyone. The team will also be careful never to lose sight of the true purpose of the CRM, that is, customer service. And, you can also develop and evolve the CRM according to the reality of the company.

The success of a CRM project also implies that technology is at the service of the company, and not vice versa. One piece of advice: don’t let the IT team carry out the CRM project’s implementation. Why? Because it won’t fit your business needs. Regarding the system’s operation, the business and customer service are always considered, but let’s not forget the marketing teams and the management. Hold meetings with key users to fully understand the problems of each business and understand the workings of the CRM software.

How to succeed in your CRM project? Consider the client; think of the CRM as a tool to improve the customer’s experience and deepen the relationship with the customer 

To be perceived as a really useful tool for users, the CRM must place the customer at the center of the project. This is one of the keys to a successful CRM project. The challenge? Map the customer relationship to optimize it.

The first step will lead you to identify the routes of existing customers and those that will be implemented to improve the customer experience. You can, for example, decide to deepen your communication strategy with chat, online forms and other means of communication.

So, it’s up to you to highlight the key moments of customer interactions. These are the moments when the customer relationship must be absolutely perfect. For example, on the first contact, during the payment, when informed about delivery times, after-sales service and more. A good CRM software will allow you to automate certain tasks to better understand these key moments of interaction.

How to succeed in your CRM project? Make sure the tool is appropriate, choose the right CRM software for your business

The choice of the CRM solution is an important factor in the success or failure of a CRM project. However, it is not always easy to navigate the diversity of the offer in the market. So how to choose your CRM software? How to identify the one that will adapt perfectly to your company, your business, your problems?

As a first step, we advise you to define the CRM objectives for the company. Then you list the mandatory features and those that aren’t completely necessary but you would like to have. Then, identify the different architectural possibilities of the operational system.

Finally, compare the CRM software that meets all your criteria: features, ergonomics, support, integration and more. Innatos Software can guide through this process.

 A summary

We focus on three of the success factors of a CRM project: the human being, the customers and the tool. In summary, success depends on the company’s ability to build a CRM project in line with human resources, customer journey and the choice of the right tool. 

How to succeed in your CRM project? To be successful in a CRM project, you must start from the company and its customers. Beyond the human, customers and the tool, you will also have to give importance to data, budget, ROI and project management. Innatos Software can help you develop the right CRM project for your company. Contact us today for more information.