You Have CRM But Who’s Using It?

CRM may be the answer to many managerial dreams but only if its used, and used well! Jim Stout, the CEO of Invoke Systems in his article theorizes that not all work groups (or individuals) in any given company will take full advantage of CRM, primarily because people don’t adapt well to change. What’s needed is a technique called “user adoption.”

The Pareto principle (also known as the 80-20 rule) implies that 80% of what happens is the result of 20% of the causes. This is how most, if not all, businesses operate. Stout specifically refers to business development teams and states that there are three classes of employees: “the top 20 percent, the middle 60 percent and the bottom 20 percent.“ The top 20% provide 80% of the business development and, somewhat ironically, are the ones who feel they have the least use for a tool like CRM. Why? Because what they are doing and the way they are doing it has been successful; this may be the type of person who adopts least well to change. The middle 60% is the group who can derive the most benefit from CRM – they have the potential to be top performers and, with a tool like CRM they will move in that direction.

The three methods that Stout recommends to implement his user adoption technique are: the “K.I.S.S.” method, the “What’s In It For Them” method and the “Work The Way Your Business Does” method.

The “K.I.S.S.” method of user adoption involves not complicating your employees lives by selecting a CRM tool that changes virtually everything they now do; or at least find one that has the least effect on current procedures and one that integrates well with the software tools they are comfortable using.

The “What’s In It For Them” method of user adoption involves showing your employees, proving it to them, that the new CRM solution will benefit them by making their job easier and perhaps even by turning them into Star performers. The key is convincing your employees to use the tool every day and, if used properly, the company and its employees will all reap the rewards.

Another aspect of the “What’s In It For Them” method involves having the right CRM tool, one that will make the users feel informed and involved. One way to do this, Stout says, is to choose a CRM solution that allows your employees to access customer and sales data on their laptops and handheld devices – allowing them to stay involved in the process no matter where they are. The third method of user adoption, the “Work The Way Your Business Does” method simply shows your employees that the new CRM tool and the benefits it brings has not changed the company culture, it has simply improved the way the company does business.

The subtext of the three methods of user adoption . . . and especially the third message . . . is choosing the right CRM solution for your business; one that integrates, as seamlessly as possible, with your current software, with your current employee base and with the way you do business now. Stout sums this up very nicely by saying, “You should not be forced to manage your business using terms or objects that are not native or natural to your team.“ A CRM solution, even if it is a perfect fit for your business, will benefit no one if it is not used.