With so many customer relationship management platforms out there, it can be a challenge to know which one is best. Still, if your business is growing, you can’t ignore the fact that you need a CRM solution that will grow as your company grows.
We’re not going to talk about how to choose the right CRM here. For that, check out our free resources:
- How do I Find the Right CRM for My Business?
- What to Look For in a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Application for Small Businesses
But once you’ve decided on a CRM, don’t let the idea of integrating it with your other business practices and programs daunt you. We’re here to make it easier.
Get Input From Your Team
This isn’t a decision you should make on your own. Consider the people that will actually be using the CRM. Don’t you think your team members would like to have a say in which CRM you choose? Hold a meeting and ask what features and benefits each wants to see in a CRM. Getting their opinions will also help when it comes time to training and use. If they weighed in on the selection, they’ll be more likely to embrace the new system.
Preparing for the Change
Before you go cold turkey on your former CRM (or even that archaic spreadsheet system you’ve been using), get everything ready to make the transition seamless.
Gather all the documents you want to import into your new CRM with your contacts and house them in one easy-to-find file. Make sure you’ve got all the necessary login information if you need to pull records from your email marketing or other software.
Now’s the time to standardize all the data you’ll be importing. What does that mean? Make sure all the names in your database are separated by first and last to seamlessly import into your CRM. Make sure address fields have addresses and not company names. A quick scan of your spreadsheet should show you what’s sticking out like a sore thumb.
Import Your Records
This step is easier than it sounds. Basically, you’re copying client data and contact information from one source (say, an Excel spreadsheet) into your new CRM. If you use Insightly, these Insightly import tips will help (and, in fact, they’ll be useful no matter what CRM you use).
If you plan to manually enter records, check to make sure you’re not creating any duplicate records.
You might start by testing a small batch of imported files to make sure you’re doing it correctly. This will also help you avoid starting over in case the data isn’t standardized (see above).
Take Your CRM for a Spin
Once you’ve loaded all your contacts into your CRM, play around with the system to familiarize yourself with how it works. A few hours should make you an expert!
Next, schedule time to train your team on using your CRM. It’s of the utmost importance that you dedicate time to training, as that will be what determines how excited your sales team is about adopting the new software into their sales processes. You can force them to use it, sure, but it’s better if they want to use it because they understand the value of a feature-rich CRM.
A great CRM will provide you with plenty of resources to answer any questions you have. The more learning channels you have, the easier adoption will be.
Knowing ahead of time that transitioning to a new CRM doesn’t have to be the headache you imagine might just make you all the more ready to take that step. What are you waiting for? Register today for Insightly’s 14-day trial and take your CRM for a spin.
