Misusing CRM Software can have drastic implications for your business but how do you avoid doing it?
When done right, using CRM software can reap many rewards for your business empire. Put it in the wrong hands, however and it can also become time-consuming and counterproductive very quickly. Whether too much, too little, or not right at all – using your CRM software in just the right way is imperative to its effectiveness.
1. Overuse of your CRM software
Sales managers are usually guilty of this. Although using online CRM can give much greater visibility across the activities of a team and the sales pipeline as a whole – access to this information can be a blessing or a curse, depending on what is done with it.
While keeping an overview of everything that is going on is important, taking the role of big brother too seriously can be counterproductive. The best way to counter this behavior is to use the information found within your business’ CRM software to help praise as well as critique, to avoid the sales team feeling like they are simply being watched over and overly criticised.
The very worst case scenario can result in your team failing to use the CRM software properly in an effort to prevent such close monitoring. Put simply, don’t overuse your CRM software to keep tabs on every move your team makes.
2. Underuse of your CRM software
CRM underuse can be equally as ineffective when it comes to trying to get the most from your CRM. If used intermittently, lazily, or even not at all, this can result in ineffective contact management and ultimately, confusion further down the line. If vital information is not being logged, this can often cause confusion between team members – and can become time-consuming when information is no longer easy to find.
If information is clearly accessible within your CRM, then team members don’t have to hazard guesses when things haven’t been logged. Making assumptions about your customers can ultimately cause embarrassing problems and leave you out of the loop with your customers.
For sales managers, using the web-based or cloud-based CRM regularly is also important, as having an overview of important updates, as well as being familiar within the CRM itself, is paramount to managing a sales team effectively.
3. Misuse of your CRM Software
While using your CRM software too much or not enough is an easy problem to address, not using it correctly in the first place is where problems can really begin to snowball. Do your team know how to use a CRM to its full potential? Delivering the necessary CRM training on all business CRM software when it is implemented within your business is the best way to keep your team up to date, and to avoid CRM issues. However, that might not always stop common mistakes from occurring.
Not having a good grasp of your contact management software can result in information being logged in the wrong place or not at all. When it comes to contact or sales cycle information, this can result in the incorrect communication being sent out, which can make or break a sale. Having a good handle on your CRM software is essential, and it all starts with training.
Over-, under- or misusing your online CRM software can drastically effect the bottom line of your business. From sales managers to salespeople, knowing your CRM responsibilities and how to best use it is paramount to its effectiveness.
