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Because first impressions matter, the way a new CRM is implemented and introduced is one of the most important decisions made by leadership. The reason CRMs fail is often because of lackluster adoption by users and not the capabilities of the tool itself.
On a recent episode of the CRM Unlocked podcast, Mark Nahlovsky, executive vice president at ActiFi, pointed out that a successful CRM implementation, “starts with the leader and ends with the leader.” It’s not enough for a business owner to let their IT team implement a new CRM out of view of users. To gain employee buy-in, leaders must include users in the installation and share actionable goals and progress updates.
Don’t tell IT, “Let me know when installation is finished.” Tell users, “By using this new tool, we hope to grow our revenue and opportunities.”
Outside of an inclination to make quick judgments, we are motivated by purpose and the possibility of growth. By using inclusive language to draw users into the process, business owners can achieve easier team buy-in. Your staff needs to understand that CRM adoption will grow revenue and your client base. This results in greater access to professional growth opportunities.
Be prepared to answer the unspoken question: “Why?”
