Many believe that business success comes from one massive, game-changing win. However, the reality is often quite different. True success is usually the result of many smaller yet equally important victories that compound over time.
Take implementing a CRM system, for example. Sure, it may not sound like the most exciting project, but a well-executed CRM implementation plan can profoundly impact your business. By boosting the productivity of your sales and service teams, enabling data-driven decision-making, and improving customer satisfaction, thoughtful CRM strategy development and implementation can help you build a strong foundation for long-term success.
But there’s a catch.
Implementing a CRM involves challenges and a lot of questions. Which software is best for you? How do you get buy-in at all levels? What kind of training and support is necessary?
Implementing a CRM successfully involves mapping out your business’s unique answers to these and other questions. It’s about taking a systematic approach—building the infrastructure your business needs to thrive.
Planning your CRM implementation
As with any endeavor, planning and success go hand in hand. So, when it comes to CRM implementation, take your time planning out a detailed and strategic approach:
Assess your needs and the specific problems you aim to solve with a CRM
Work to achieve company-wide buy-in, ensuring every department gets a say
Map out processes and workflows that you intend to streamline
Choose the CRM that aligns with your comprehensive assessment
These are the broader strokes, but many more granular details must be addressed. Implementing a CRM is a large and time-consuming process; many finer points can (and should) be highly unique to your business.
With that in mind, ensuring the project is overseen by a keen manager can facilitate an implementation that’s on time and within budget. This manager will lead the architecting of key phases, such as contracting and licensing with your chosen CRM vendor, and spearheading discussions on any customizations that need to be made.
Support and training for CRM users
Even the most powerful, fine-tuned software won’t improve your bottom line if your team doesn’t know how to use it.
That’s why Skydog Ops’ training approach is designed to be hands-on and interactive, focusing on real-world scenarios and best practices. By utilizing real data that your team is already familiar with, we ensure they learn key CRM skills within the context of your business.
Some CRM systems, like Salesforce, also provide learning resources, training programs, and even dedicated Salesforce Partners. Identifying these tools early can help you develop a training program tailored to the specific use cases of your individual team members.
Integration and customization
To get the most out of your CRM, it needs to be integrated into existing business systems and processes. This may involve key parts of your tech stack, such as:
Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP)
Marketing automation
Sales engagement
Data enrichment and reporting
Messaging platforms (like Slack or Teams)
Such integrations ensure that your users have access to the information and tools they need from the start. This helps reduce friction and minimize the time it takes them to acclimate to the new platform—especially if you’re migrating from one CRM to another.
Similarly, customization is necessary to ensure your CRM fits your unique business needs. This may involve creating tailored fields and workflows or developing custom reports and dashboards relevant to your business.
Finally, before deployment, the system must undergo thorough testing. This may involve testing functionality, security, performance, and other areas to identify and resolve issues before they impact your operations.
Monitoring and evaluating CRM performance
Data plays a key role in ensuring the new system delivers genuine value even after your CRM goes live.
In fact, aside from essential bug fixes, you should monitor for:
Performance: Regular check-ins help gauge how well the team adapts to the CRM and where additional training from CRM users might be needed.
Optimization: Comparing CRM outcomes with previously set performance indicators can help identify opportunities to further streamline operations.
ROI: Evaluating the CRM’s impact on sales, marketing, and customer satisfaction provides insight into your return on investment.
Regular performance evaluations can help you identify issues early on, like low user adoption or data quality problems, and take corrective action before they become bigger problems.
Sealing CRM success: The Skydog way
With careful planning, comprehensive support, and strategic execution, a successful CRM implementation is achievable. And teaming up with the right partner can make all the difference.
By leveraging Skydog Ops’ expertise and collaborative approach, you can confidently navigate the complexities of your CRM implementation plan, knowing you have a trusted partner by your side every step of the way.
After all, success is too important to leave to chance, so contact us today to start your journey.