the final step to crm success: 10 tips for encouraging end-user adoption

8/14/2019 The Final Step to CRM Success: 10 Tips for encouraging end-user adoption

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Copyright © 2010 by Infnity Ino Systems Corp. All rights reserved. No part o this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any ormor by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission o Infnity Ino Systems Corp. All trademarks, service marks andlogos reerenced herein belong to their respective companies. This document is protected by the copyright laws o the United States and international treaties. This documenis or your general inormation only and is provided “As Is” without warranty o any kind, including, without limitation, any implied warranties o merchantability or ftness or aparticular purpose or non-inringement. Infnity Ino Systems Corp. assumes no liability or responsibility or any errors or omissions in the content o this document.



SeCTion 1

Introduction

End-user adoption is the single most critical actor in making a Customer Relationship

Management (CRM) implementation a success, but it’s one that’s oten overlooked during

planning and development. Organizations may spend hundreds o thousands o dollars on

a deployment, but unless end-users embrace the new system, the return on that investmen

won’t be maximized.

Unortunately, basic human nature makes most employees resistant to change, and

transitioning to a new system can be a dramatic change, requiring new ways o keeping

records, entering data, and perorming other daily tasks.

The good news is that increasing end-user adoption doesn’t require a large investmento additional resources. I you can demonstrate that management has thought out

the application, deployment, and all o the processes with end-users in mind, you wil

build confdence in the system. In act, most o the work can be done in conjunction

with the basic training required to get employees up and running on the new system

Following these 10 tips can help you boost end-user adoption rates easily and efciently

WhiTe papeR: The Final STep To CRM SuCCeSS: 10 TipS FoR enCouRaging end-uSeR adopTion 3



SeCTion 2: BeFoRe deploYMenT

Step 1: Perorm Due Diligence On ExistingBusiness Processes

Too oten, organizations don’t fnd out that the CRM

application doesn’t match its actual processes until the

go-live date. I customizations within the client system

don’t match processes, you can alienate your user base. By

having both management and a pilot team properly trained

beore deployment, you can identiy potential issues as

early in the overall planning process as possible. This will

also allow you to consider revamping existing processes i

necessary.

Step 2: Answer “What’s In It For Me?”:One o the keys to eectively engaging end-users is to

determine how your application will beneft them directly,

and communicate this to them early and oten. Rather than

simply requiring users to attend an end-user training class,

describe a specifc way the class will positively impact the

end-user (e.g., training is going to reduce the time it takes

to generate call reports on a weekly basis).

Step 3: Scrub And Scrutinize Your Existing Data:

Early on within the project liecycle, the project manager

should ocus on data integrity and cleanliness. Audit the

data that will initially populate the new CRM system, beore

importing it into the system. Imported data that’s not clean

(or example, redundant or misspelled entries) detracts

rom the system’s credibility and consistency, and distracts

users rom the benefts o the system.

Step 4: Use a phased approach or deployment:

Don’t overwhelm the user by releasing every bell and whistle

o an application at once. Release the application in phases

that users can easily grasp and absorb: Phase one might

be that end users understand general navigation, have the

ability to enter new records such as accounts and contacts,

and perorm look ups-and that’s it. Give users digestible bits

that they can go back and perorm and master beore the

next concept or phase o the deployment is introduced.

That’s a mighty tall order—one that is loaded with potentia

difculties.

4 WhiTe papeR: The Final STep To CRM SuCCeSS: 10 TipS FoR enCouRaging end-uSeR adopTion



SeCTion 3: duRing deploYMenT

Step 5: Accurately And EectivelyCommunicate “Why”

Make sure you communicate the business catalyst behind

implementing the new system or upgrade unambiguously

to ensure that everyone buys into the investment. Too oten

management has a clear idea o what should be captured

and reported on, but the end-users are never eectively

told why. It is critical or users to clearly understand what

the objective is. They need to know why you are deploying

the system and how is it going to make their lives easier.

Step 6: Continually Advertise, Market, And SellTo The End User

Consider end-users as clients that you have to advertise

and market your solution to and make the end-user benefts

the oundation or training sessions. Stay in touch with

users by providing tips and tricks and updates. Share any

inormation that might be helpul to keep them engaged

and interested in using the application. Send emails to the

end-user population regarding new eatures, and provide

detailed inormation regarding go-live dates and phaseddeployment dates.

Step 7: Treat Each Phase As A Focus Group

During each deployment phase, seek out and accept al

eedback. In act, you can treat any training session-be it

new user training or an advanced power-user session-as a

ocus group since end-user/ront-line eedback is critica

to the success o the deployment. You can also analyze

the help-desk to identiy trends in issues being reported

and address them as quickly as possible. You want end

users to know that i they’re reporting problems or having

specifc issues, the support team and upper managemen

understands they might be mission critical and that they

must be addressed to maintain consistent use o the

system.

Step 8: Use CRM Training As An Opportunity ToCommunicate Business Goals

Most organizations do not maximize the opportunities

that end-user training provides. Training sessions bring

your entire sales orce in a room together. Ask yoursel

what else you want them to know, what other messagesyou want to communicate to them. What are the specifc

business processes that are involved with the deployment?

By illustrating that management has really thought out

the application, the deployment, and all o the processes

related to the deployment, you will give end-users more

confdence that the system that’s been chosen-that they’re

being trained on-is the right solution or the job.




SeCTion 4: aFTeR deploYMenT

Step 9: Maintain Regular Training Opportunities

By providing ongoing training in one orm or another, you actually do a couple o things:

• You provide a platorm or venue or users to express their concerns or comments.

• You give end-users additional confdence in the system by demonstrating that

upper management is committed to the deployment (since it is providing additional

training where users need more inormation or instruction). Then, continue to

maintain regular training opportunities or end users based on gaps discovered,

as well as new eatures or revamped business processes, etc.

Step 10: Evaluate The Perormance O The CRM System Beore Moving OnTo The Next Phase

Beore transitioning to the next phase o a deployment, ask i your organization is ready: Did

you achieve the goals and objectives set orth beore deployment? Have your employees

mastered the tasks involved in the initial phase? A good way to make these determination

is to analyze user output. In SalesLogix as well as Microsot Dynamics CRM, or example

administrators or upper management can create queries or flters to show what records and

how many have been added to the system by a particular user, or by a particular user within

a particular time rame. Taking the time or these appraisals gives you the ability to reallydetermine whether or not a particular phase is successul beore you move on to the next

phase within the deployment.

6 WhiTe papeR: The Final STep To CRM SuCCeSS: 10 TipS FoR enCouRaging end-uSeR adopTion




SeCTion 5

About The Author

Jff BocJe is a certifed Microsot Dynamics CRM and SageSalesLogix trainer with over a dozen years CRM trainingand documentation development experience. Over thecourse o his career, Je has led numerous CRM trainingand documentation initiatives or clients across multipleindustries, including fnancial services, lie sciences, businessservices, media and manuacturing/distribution. With a ormaeducation in training and communications, Je joined InfnityIno Systems in 2000 and is currently responsible or managingInfnity’s Training department.



WWW.INFINITYINFO.COM 525 SeveNTh AveNue SuITe 1200 NeW YOrk, NY 10018 Tel: 800.354.4228

About Infnity Ino Systems

Founded in 1987, Infnity Ino Systems develops Customer

Relationship Management (CRM) and Business Analyticssolutions or clients in the fnancial, lie sciences, businessservices, media and manuacturing/distribution industriesaround the world. Infnity’s technology solutions, services,training and support help organizations become moreproftable by improving sales and marketing eectiveness.Infnity has trained more than 130,000 proessionals andsuccessully implemented more than 3,500 CRM systems. Visit www.infnityino.com or call (800) 354-4228 to learnmore about Infnity Ino Systems.

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