Your new Salesforce CRM is the
single system that houses essential constituent data used across your organization.
It provides a bird's eye view of that person's relationship and interactions –
helping track their journey through your organization's programs and guide them
through the next steps. This helps Program
Managers and Directors better understand which initiatives or interventions are
most successful, allows them to make program changes to fit clients' needs better, and create
new programs.
Why Should You Care About CRM
Adoption?
As you know, CRM data helps improve
communication among teams serving clients and managing programs. The teams can
better align the goals and activities of the organization. It helps ensure that
they all have the same information and can, in turn, work better together.
Why do CRM Adoption Rates Fail to
Increase and So Many Licenses Go Unused?
A quick Google search shows that
many are frustrated by a lack of user-friendliness hindering their interactions
with CRM tools like Salesforce, but, like with all software, there is a learning
curve. These problems may have more to do with the individual (and the approach)
than with the tool itself.
Finding a Way to Address CRM User Adoption
Issues is Critical.
With a good understanding of the
logic and processes behind the tool you are using, it's an achievable goal to
show your team how beneficial CRM usage can be to the user and the
organization.
Training Techniques to Support User Adoption
Hands-On Training
Let's face the
obvious: individuals typically do not learn as well from reading information as
they do from hands-on experience and practice. Use a classroom environment to
its full effect by having users practice their CRM skills as they learn them.
The instructor, in a supporting role, can iron out any issues that crop up.
Group Training
When first tackling an
unfamiliar CRM topic, it can be beneficial to group people into small teams.
This way, they can discuss what they're learning about, the logic behind it,
and work through problems with peers. In addition, having a manager present
will ensure everyone that this isn't "just another meeting" and show
how serious the company is about improving its CRM adoption.
Scenario Based
Training should be
comprehensive without being exhaustive. Instead of showing the team every
feature on every screen, teach them how to work through a specific task by
finding and implementing the right steps for that particular task. Set up
realistic scenarios for the small teams at hand. Working through tasks that
they'd encounter in their everyday positions will help them commit the skills
to memory and learn how to truly apply them.
Role-Based
Not every member of a
team needs to be familiar with every function within the system. Training
should, therefore, focus on the specifics of each person's responsibilities.
Start with the managers or Super Users as they'll be the ones you teach to
teach others. Show them the value of CRM logic by pointing them to the data and
reports that will serve their role best, then continue with the rest of the
team.
Hit the
Refresh Button
You know what they
say, if you don't use it, you lose it. In the absence of
the occasional refresher, even the best and brightest have difficulties
recalling the skills they've learned. One way to help your team retain training
knowledge long term is to send out a survey checklist to determine what
trainees remember and what they don't. Use feedback to structure a review
session that can be followed up with group calls where a specialist shares his
or her screen and answers all questions quickly and effectively.
Key Takeaway
Your teams across the organization
should be able to take advantage of every part of your CRM software. This is
achieved by holding thorough, timely, and ongoing training sessions across your
organization. Remember that what may be ideal
for one team may not be the best for another. Some techniques work for teams;
others do not, so don't feel like you have to use the same training technique
for all groups. Choosing from these five training ideas will significantly
increase your CRM user adoption rates and ultimately maximize your Return on
Investment (ROI).
