Debunking common CRM Adoption Myths

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CRM adoption is a common issue for companies trying to initially use a CRM software. Most people are aware of this fact, but as to the reason behind it? The answers are quite vague, but they do have one thing in common: misinformation. The second biggest reason for CRM adoption failure, next to the natural human tendency to resist change, is the lack of proper knowledge. Fortunately, both reasons can be worked upon, with the implementation of CRM adoption strategies, accompanied by proper training.

To tackle the issue of CRM misinformation, here are some of the most prominent CRM myths that hinder your company’s adoption:

CRM is unnecessary extra work

Many employees feel that CRM is merely extra work, contrary to its initial purpose which is to increase efficiency in the workplace. People don’t like the idea of changing and adjusting to new ways of doing things, especially if they’re content with how their set ways have been serving them. Plus, CRM requires training and constant use, before it becomes a natural part of an employee’s workflow, which makes the beginning stages of adoption difficult.

In reality, CRM is necessary to improve your company overall. A statistic by Salesforce shows that with the use of CRM, sales increased by 29%, productivity by up to 34%, and sales forecasts improved by 40%. As with “extra work”, CRM, if used the right way, can reduce the number of manual admin tasks. It has features that can automate email marketing, track customer data, contact information, etc.

The only problem is that perhaps your users are not aware of these benefits and how to harness them….yet. That’s why they think of it as a nuisance. Before anything else, inform your users of the gaps in your current state, and how CRM can help with those gaps. Show them the benefits of using CRM for the long-term, to help them understand why the shift is ultimately a good thing.

CRM is only for IT or Techy people

Technically, CRM is a kind of digital software, so it can be easy to believe that it is something that only techy people can use, or even understand. This myth can even be used as an excuse for non-IT people to not use CRM. They may be intimidated by the technology aspect of it, especially since it’s not a very familiar thing to them. However, with proper training, anyone can use a CRM.

Think about it, many of the apps that we use today are programs made with code, such as Facebook, Google, and even Spotify. IT people aren’t the only ones using them, everyone is. Programs and apps just need a little bit of exploring, and some time to get used to. CRM is the same.

Besides, CRM stands for “Customer Relationship Management”, and we all know that the IT department’s direct job is to maintain the company’s computer systems, not to manage customer relations. CRM is mainly a database that serves to improve sales and marketing. This leads us to the next myth:

CRM is only for Salespeople

According to a research report by Capterra, the sales department is said to be the biggest user of CRM software across industries. However, it also states that next to the sales department, marketing, customer service, IT, finance, and HR, also use CRM.

Salespeople just happen to use CRM more due to the nature of their work, which is to interact with customers, but that doesn’t mean that CRM is exclusive to them only. It is a shared database. It can be used to craft better marketing campaigns, to track sales and ROI, billing, notes, contacts, and even employee performance. Therefore, CRM can be used and accessed across all departments.

CRM demands a ton of Manual Data entry from its users

This might’ve been true in the early days of CRM. Back then, CRM was typically managed on-site and was hosted using company servers. This meant that it was hard to access or use, away from the company/office. Mobile solutions weren’t available because they can be very expensive to set up, and users are forced to pump data manually into the CRM through typing,during working hours. Instead of having more time to do productive work, users become stuck having to input huge amounts of data.

Some of these methods are still in use today, however, manual data entry is undeniably inefficient and over the years, there have been many innovations in CRM to reduce this burden.

Many CRM systems are now cloud-based, which means they can be accessed via the internet. Mobile CRMs have also been popular over the years. It increases accessibility and allows users to input data anytime, anywhere. Additionally, manual data entry is becoming less of a problem due to crm data entry software solutions, and automation. Many new CRM systems have found ways to capture information and automatically enter the necessary data, without users having to manually input anything.

One prominent innovation that lets you do this is Voice to CRM. The user only needs to speak, and that’s it. Data is perfectly collated and entered into the right fields, making data entry more efficient.

CRM systems are at risk for Data Leaks and Theft

Lastly, users may be hesitant to use CRM for fear that the important data entered into it may be breached and stolen by hackers. Unfortunately, this is a real risk with CRM. Just like any other database, data breaches can happen. However, the chances of such security threats are quite minimal, given that the company follows best security practices.

Many, if not all, cloud-based CRM providers consider these risks. Precautionary measures such as restrictions in the IP address range, firewalls, login security, and data encryptions are typically set in place to secure your data.

Security can also be doubly strengthened on the company’s end, by doing regular updates, following security protocol, managing access levels, and training your users on how to keep CRM data secure. Doing these can help users feel safe and less fearful in using CRM, leading to better adoption. Moreover, with security threats out of the way, the CRM benefits will outweigh the risk of a possible data breach.

Bottom line: There are many misconceptions when it comes to CRM. It is the CRM administrator’s job to clear any misunderstandings that may be preventing company-wide CRM adoption, so make sure to communicate the benefits of CRM, and debunk common myths.

Integrating Voice to text Technology in CRM Data Entry

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In this day and age, Voice-to-text technology has become common in everyday life. A report from Voicebot.ai indicates that in early 2019, 58% of the online population has utilized voice search, 33% of them use it monthly, and 11.8% daily. Using voice as input has been on the rise in the past few years, and for good reason. Smart speakers and mobile devices are now one of the most common adaptors of voice technology, making it easier to access. Not only that, the accuracy of newer speech recognition products is often as high as 95-97 percent, aided by deep learning and other functionalities. Big names in the software industry including Google, Microsoft, Apple, and even Amazon, have adopted the said technology.

The demand for voice recognition technology is undeniably high, yet if you look at how it is currently being used, you’ll find that it’s not living up to its fullest potential. The most common use for voice recognition on smart speakers, according to an analytics survey done by Adobe, are the following:

  • Asking to play music (70%)
  • Aking for the weather forecast (64%)
  • Asking Fun questions (53%)
  • Searching online (47%)

Sure, some people do use Voice-to-text technology for writing, taking notes, transcriptions, and to aid people with disabilities. However, only a select few utilize voice technology this way. As of now, it is mostly adopted for personal or home use, and while it’s great that people at home can play music or search for the nearest drugstore using their voice, one can’t help but feel like this technology, which supposedly offers 97% accuracy, isn’t put to the best use.


Voice to text for Work and Productivity

With voice recognition technology on the rise, it will most likely be part of the workplace soon, on a worldwide scale. In fact, due to the current accuracy and efficiency it delivers, why shouldn’t it be? Wasteful processes in the workplace often come in the form of administrative tasks such as writing and sending emails, manually taking down meeting notes, transcriptions, data entry, and more. Most of which can be aided by using a voice-to-text service. A lot of the other repetitive tasks such as making Google searches, setting appointments, calling someone, and asking for one’s schedule, are also made faster, and hands-free.

Developers have long seen this need in the workplace, and have applied voice technology in productivity apps, or at least, allowed it to be integrated.

Writing

For writing and notes, some of the best applications include Speechnotes, which is a free online speech-to-text tool, and Dragon Professional Individual, which is popular for its 99% accuracy and use of AI. Google docs also has its own voice-to-text feature that is available for free, for all Google docs users. All you need to do is speak, and the application will type what you say.

Transcribing

Doing transcriptions manually is a pain, which is why apps like Just Press Record and Amazon Transcribe were made. Just Press Record is an app for iOS that looks like a normal mobile recorder with a red dot, but not only does it record, it also transcribes audio into editable text. This app is great for on-the-go meetings and personal audio memos. Amazon Transcribe, however, leans more towards the business side. It transcribes audio into text, automatically adds punctuation, does vocabulary editing, as well as time stamping, aided by deep learning technology, to deliver more accurate results.

Emailing

Both Mac and Windows have built-in speech recognition features that allow you to make emails through speaking. In Mac, a program called Dictation can be used by pressing the function key twice when it is activated. A similar feature, called Speech Recognition, which can be found in the Control panel, is also available for Windows. Regardless of the account or provider you use, all you have to do is enable these features when making emails.

According to research, speaking is seven times faster than typing. Because of this, utilizing voice-to-text software will undeniably help increase the speed of your workflow, all in all. One of the best ways to apply Voice to text technology at work is by using it for CRM.

CRM Data Entry

In the workplace, Customer Relationship Management(CRM) collates customer information, tracks interactions, and analyzes data, for a smoother sales process, and to increase customer retention. Many CRM softwares are available in the market, but one thing remains clear throughout: A company’s CRM is as good as the quality of the data fed into it, which is why the information must be accurate, and complete.

We all know this, but we also know that CRM’s number one problem is user adoption, due to tedious manual data entry. Imagine having to manually input data into your CRM every time you schedule a meeting or talk to a client. With this, problems like forgetting, and mistyping can arise. Instead of spending all that time typing down info, why not integrate voice-to-text technology instead?

Salesforce CRM initially launched a campaign for this called Einstein Voice, although the project was abandoned, it left a lot of potentially good implementations which we can utilize any CRM.

Automating CRM Data Entry using Speech Recognition

The integration of Speech recognition for CRM data entry is called Voice to CRM. With just a press of a button, it allows you to record meetings, and input data using speech. In general, the audio data gathered is parsed and entered into the correct fields in your CRM. It automates manual data entry and frees up time and effort for employees, and even sales reps. The goal is to eliminate manual data entry, increase user adoption, and create faster more efficient workflows.

A major concern with Voice to CRM however, is the quality and effectiveness of the Voice technology itself in delivering accurate data, and automatically placing it in the correct fields. Sure, it has that capability, but how can we guarantee that it does the job right, without any human intervention?

Hey DAN is a Voice to CRM enablement software that combines machine learning with human intelligence, to doubly ensure data quality. As the information is analyzed artificially, using voice recognition technology, it is backed by human support to ensure that the most accurate data is entered into the appropriate fields. With HeyDAN, people in the workplace can confidently enter data into their CRM using just their voice, increasing productivity, and delivering quality data, all at the same time.

Download the Hey DAN app and give it a try.

Deriving Better Insights from Meeting Notes Data

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The main point of having a sales meeting is to talk about issues, ideas, and solutions, that all lead to the creation of an actionable plan for the company’s sales to improve. A sales meeting can also be done one-on-one with a client to pitch one’s product or service, as well as to discuss other things like pricing and product features. If not documented properly, these meetings are as good as making small talk around the coffee table. Deriving insights from sales meeting notes is the key to realizing a meeting’s purpose.

Why take notes during Sales Meetings?

Notes are important because they summarize the real meat of the meeting. Decisions agreed upon, top performers, sales forecasts, marketing strategies, product updates, needing to know these kinds of information is the reason why a meeting is done in the first place. It aims to make the sales process more efficient and increase revenue, so it makes sense to take note of them. When facing a client, it is also important to take note of their goals, and what they want from your product or service.

However, manually taking notes while the meeting is going on can pose a few problems, which can affect its overall interpretation.

Problems with Taking notes on Sales Meetings

 

  • It makes it harder to listen. Sometimes, you can be too focused on writing down notes that you forget to listen to the meeting, resulting in a lack of understanding. When it comes to sales meetings with clients, it is very important to be attentive and to interact with them, in order to win them over, which can be hard to do if you’re manually taking notes.
  • The difference between the speed of talking and writing makes it harder to catch up. On average, a person can write 25-45 words per minute, whereas the speed of talking is an average of 140 words per minute.
  • You don’t understand the notes you took. Due to the rush, and having to multitask between writing, listening, and giving your inputs, when you look back at them, sales meeting notes can look like messy scribbles on paper. Not understanding your own notes defeats its purpose.

 

All these issues lead to the loss of sales meeting notes data. Being unsure of what to do next due to incomprehensive notes can delay the carrying out of tasks, as well as the overall progress of your sales team. It can also lead to client dissatisfaction, if you don’t get the details right.

There are solutions such as preparing a predetermined format for better organization, writing in shortcut words, or even writing your notes when the meeting is over, to avoid the rush. However, these methods are still subject to errors. Perhaps writing or typing down notes manually is the problem.

The best hands-free solution is to record and transcribe the sales meeting using a Voice to CRM data entry solution. When it comes to accuracy and comprehensiveness, no handwritten notes can compare to a direct recording. This way, no sales data can slip away.

To understand why transcriptions have the best capability in helping you create complete, and better insights in making notes, one needs to know what makes up good meeting notes in the first place, and how to meet those needs.

Factors that contribute to the complete retention of accurate data in Sales Meeting notes

 

The Extensiveness of the Notes

Having more data about what was said in a sales meeting can create better insights with the right context. More information means more accurate interpretations. The completeness of one’s meeting notes ensures that no detail, however minor, is overlooked.

This is where transcriptions or recordings can come in handy. This does not mean that your notes should look like a transcription of the meeting, that would be impractical. However, since transcriptions include every single thing in the discussion, you have more information to work with, where you can extract the most valuable and comprehensive insights, without missing anything.

 

The Timeliness of the Notes

Studies have shown that writing down meeting notes on the same day as the meeting provides more complete and accurate information relative to notes done two or three days later. Notes written a few days after tend to be dependent on one’s memory, which can cause the information to be subjective or even incomplete. Taking notes during the meeting is still better. If this is the case, imagine taking them in real-time, recording the meeting, as it is going on. Nothing can be timelier.

 

The Format and Interpretation of the Notes

Gathering lots of data can be useless if not formatted and interpreted properly. Yes, as said earlier, having extensive and complete data is good to retain details, however, these need to be sorted out the right way in order to be usable, converted into viable action items. An entire transcription cannot serve as notes because the information is far too vast. Summarizing the most important points, while not missing any significant details, is the key to better interpretation.

 

What can we do to meet all these factors?

Having extensive, timely, and well-formatted sales meeting notes can be achieved by simply recording one’s sales meeting. Afterward, the transcription of the said recording can be used to format and extract important data. But then again, doing this can mean extra work, which might disincentivize you, or your company secretary/transcriber to record and transcribe each meeting. It takes time and an unpractical amount of extra effort to be done manually.

The solution is to outsource it to a data entry software, particularly, one with a Voice to CRM service. Utilizing a Voice to CRM software maximizes efficiency in deriving insights from sales meeting notes.

Firstly, a Voice to CRM data entry software wholly records everything from a meeting. During a call or meeting, there’s no more need to worry about spelling, or catching up with what’s being said, all you need to do is to speak and no detail is left behind. Secondly, it records the data in real-time, as the meeting goes on, and thirdly, depending on the type of Voice to CRM software, the actionable points and key details from the meeting are conveniently and automatically entered into the right CRM fields. The cleaning, summarizing, and formatting of the content are done by the software.

Other benefits include:

  • Sales Meeting notes are more accurate, timely, and complete
  • Automatic data entry
  • Reduces technical problems that come with manual note-taking
  • Less risk in the loss of data
  • Allows you to focus on the sales meetings themselves

This resource can be highly beneficial for almost all departments of your company, especially for your sales team, or for anyone who regularly faces clients. We can make use of this technology to take tedious manual data entry off of our hands, saving time and effort, all while reaping the benefits of having accurate data and better insights.

Top 5 Ways to Improve your CRM Adoption Strategy

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The advantages of having a CRM are undeniable. A Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is capable of organizing loads of customer data, shortens the sales process, and drives productivity and sales up the roof. However, without a proper strategy, it can be very easy to fail. Nobody wants that, yet CRM adoption success rates are still very low. A survey by Merkle Inc. shows that 63% of CRM projects fail. The main difference between those who succeed and those who fail, is the presence of a solid CRM adoption strategy.

Each company may be different, but the most common fundamentals in successfully adopting a CRM remain. Here are a few guidelines to help you and your company create this solid strategy.

Transparency and Communication

A good CRM adoption strategy starts with good communication. There are many stakeholders in adopting a CRM program: we have the executives, the end-users, CRM developers, and even the CRM trainers. They are all part of the process, thus, having a successful CRM project requires a team effort. To achieve this the following need to be communicated to the entire team:

  • Why your company needs to start using a CRM program
  • How the CRM will fill in gaps and help improve the company
  • What having a CRM will demand from each person
  • The SMART(Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realisable, Time-bound) goals that your company is aiming for in using CRM

Make sure it is clear to everyone why the company is making the shift, as well as how it will happen. Before you decide to purchase a CRM(or even before you consider that your company needs one), ask your employees first. Communicate with them. Do they need this software? Do they have any current difficulties? What are their suggestions to improve the existing workflow? Involving others in the company is part of communication, which leads to the next guideline:

Active Involvement

As the primary adopters of the CRM, your users ought to be involved from the start. Let them know that their input is valued and that you’re not just ordering them to use new, unfamiliar software, to make their lives miserable. Users, and other stakeholders, will value the success of something that they feel they are involved in. They become invested. It raises their team spirit and it’s not just about following what the higher-ups said, it’s about making this a success together. Actively involving users in the decision-making processes, like choosing the right service, picking out needed features, and even using the CRM and giving feedback, etc. is a sure way to increase user adoption.

Lead by Example

The CEO and chairman of Merkle, Inc., David Williams, once said:

 

The most significant CRM initiatives are driven from the top, and this report will serve as a powerful reference guide for senior executives looking to get closer to their customers and achieve superior results.

 

CRM is not only for the average office employee, they are also for the executives, the managers, the supervisors, and anyone with significant authority. For it to truly become beneficial and produce results, it has to be used and adopted by the leaders as well.

First of all, CRM is not only a customer and lead management tool, it is also a database. A place to store all your customer’s information, including contacts, leads, and sales analytics. Imagine a user diligently trying to adopt the CRM program, only for their boss to ask for another contact list on a spreadsheet or a sales forecast on a word file? It beats the purpose of using the said CRM, demotivating the user to try in the first place.

Secondly, when leaders try to use and adopt the new software, it communicates to the company’s users that CRM is important enough that even the higher-ups are using them. Besides, it won’t hurt to learn the workings of CRM, as it can benefit almost everyone in the company, from taking notes and automating emails, to having better sales data.

Conduct Regular Training

In the CRM implementation stage, and even after, training is very important. No matter how techy your users or your company may seem, it will still be best for them to be trained and to understand the features, controls, and how to use the CRM software in general.

Set a schedule for training. This can be through a webinar, a live seminar, or through small team meetings. Have longer, and more frequent training sessions during the start. The beginning stages will be hard as people are resistant to change after all. Once the users have slowly warmed up to using the CRM, you can opt for less frequent sessions.

However, it is still important to continue training even if your company has been fully adopted. You want to make sure that the users are always fully equipped with knowledge of the latest features. These touch-up training sessions can be done quarterly, or even annually, depending on the need.

Another tip is to avail of any free CRM training materials. Some CRM providers offer free training guides, so make sure to take advantage of those. You can also opt to hire or outsource training to a CRM expert, this can be external, or someone from the CRM provider you are currently subscribed to.

Ensure the CRM’s Ease of Use

One of the biggest barriers to CRM adoption is the CRM’s ease of use. A study found that among users, 65% consider ”ease of use” to be a top priority in choosing a CRM service. It tells us that, to increase the rate of adoption, we need to make it easier for users to utilize the software.

One way to make it easier for users is to choose a CRM with simple, user-friendly features. One important feature nowadays is mobility. Choose a CRM with a mobile phone integration. With this, your users can access the CRM program using their mobile phones.

Another way to make it highly adoptable is by reducing manual data entry. Users don’t want to get caught up in administrative tasks such as these. With tons of data, it takes time and effort that should’ve been spent doing real productive work. The best way to eliminate manual data entry is by subscribing to a Voice to CRM solution. Users don’t have to navigate through tabs and menus, all they have to do is speak, and the data is entered, right where you need it. It automates the time-consuming task of typing etc. After all, speaking is faster and easier than typing.

Always remember that the goal here is to make it easier for your company, and therefore, your users, to adopt the CRM software, encourage them to make it a part of their daily workflow.

Total Recall

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Looking back at what just happened in your sales meeting

If you run a company, or you are under one, meetings are always a given. Sales meetings are usually conducted 4-5 times a week, and each one takes an average of about one hour. On top of that, sales reps spend an average of 94.4 communicative daily activities such as sending emails, taking calls, leaving voicemails, and responding to social media. These activities generate communication and end up in about 14.1 meaningful conversations per day. Now, what does all of this data imply? It means that salespeople, or even leaders, get involved in a whirlwind of meetings every day.

Meetings are good for an organization’s development. It is a way for executives and managers to communicate objectives, motivate, and give updates. However, with so many meetings, interactions, and information day after day, it can be very hard to keep track and remember the things discussed, thus affecting work outcomes and the data entered into your company’s CRM. Meetings are only as good as what people do with the information communicated from them. The data is what counts.

total recall - sales meeting notes

From a Salesperson’s Perspective

Imagine a sales rep attending an internal sales meeting in the morning. They try to type in notes on their Macbook, and as the meeting goes on, from time to time they would say: “Sorry, I didn’t catch that, can you tell us again?” Later on, they take phone calls, go out and talk to clients, close sales, and discuss updates with their manager.

The sales rep gets home, opens their CRM, and realizes that they need to recall something from the meeting earlier. They check their notes, and it looks like a mess of words. When was the deadline again? Who were the contact persons? What task needs to be done tomorrow? After a busy day, the typical salesperson will forget at least 30% of what happens in a meeting, affecting data inputs and the retention of important information, thus affecting the quality of their CRM data entries.

Forgetting is Normal

Not being able to remember things 100% is normal. Neuroscientists say that because of the multiple sensory inputs your brain gets every second, it needs to forget unnecessary things to zone in, and let you focus. The same goes for memory.

According to the forgetting curve, after an hour, people generally forget 50% of the information, and this percentage gets bigger as more time passes by. The problem is that important information may be forgotten along with the others, but don’t beat up yourself, or your salespeople for forgetting things. It is simply our brain’s adaptive and evolutionary feature.

In short, it is very unlikely to be able to look back at what just happened in your sales meeting, and remember everything.

What we need to do is to find an efficient countermeasure, one that doesn’t have to rely on our memory or ability to recall, because as we all know, it’s not very reliable.

What are these countermeasures?

Taking notes manually

The classic “note-taking” has been around for many years. It may be manually writing down with pen and paper or typing on a keyboard. Generally, leaders encourage their employees to “take note”, but is this the best countermeasure to retain data?

In the context of a sales meeting, taking notes will not be enough to catch up with the information being presented. It has been proven that speaking is significantly faster than typing or writing on paper. Oftentimes the “Pardon me, can you repeat that?”, a sentence that seems to frequently arise during meetings, happens not because they couldn’t hear you, but because they are trying to take note of the information. Besides that, taking notes comes with the risk of not being able to listen, nor actively participate, which is the entire point of having a meeting in the first place.

Simply put, manual note-taking is possible, but if you want complete, accurate, and thorough data, it may not be the best solution for you and your team.

Recording the meeting

Recording the entire meeting is also an option, either a video or an audio recording would work. This is a great way of capturing an entire meeting, and everything that was said in it, ensuring the wholeness of information. The recording can also be used to create a transcription, which can be useful for reports or meeting minutes.

However, the problem with this is the filtering of important data. A recording is a raw and full capture of information, it’s not organized nor outlined to show the most important things. It may be complete, but it doesn’t highlight any meaningful data. If the meeting is 45 minutes long, then you’ll have to skim through a 45-minute long footage of the meeting, to look for a particular detail or information. This process is inefficient and will take even more time and effort.

Using Voice to CRM

At the end of the day, most of the data within a company will be stored in their respective Customer Relationship Management(CRM) software. This includes meeting notes and information. Employees and users will have to input data into the software for it to be useful because after all, a CRM runs on its data. When Salesforce conceived Einstein Voice, this was one of the things that they wanted to help sales people on. Although it did not came to actual fruition, companies like Hey DAN was able to catch on and started integrating Artificial Intelligence into their ever efficient next day crm data entry service.

With Voice to CRM, data capture is almost effortless. There’s no need for a 100% total recall of the meeting(it’s physically impossible to do anyway) because the meeting can simply be recorded and the software does all the work. All you need to do is press a button to record the audio of a meeting, and the Voice to CRM system will automatically enter the data in the appropriate CRM fields. No more transcribing, or filtering out data manually, or even type anything, the software does it for you.

Meeting notes have never been so accurate, and efficiently taken. Using a Voice to CRM is the best solution as it allows real-time recording for complete and accurate information, cleaning and filtering of the data gathered, as well as the automation of CRM data entry. This ensures the quality, effectiveness, and completeness of your sales meeting insights.

The Advantages of adopting a CRM for your Sales Team

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Sales Departments dominate the CRM user population, as 80% of CRM users have stated. Yes, CRM can be used throughout all departments and teams, but the bulk of its impact and usability can be found in the Sales Team. This is due to the numerous advantages that busy salespeople can benefit from adopting a CRM system. CRM software such Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, and SAP CRM play a big role in a lot of sales departments specially here in the United States.

Because the sales team is the ones who often interact with customers, it is important that all customer information be stored and organized, in a reliable centralized system. This information will be used to build more meaningful and personalized customer relationships. With this, CRM makes it easier to automate sales, show analytics, track leads, and altogether bring customer satisfaction.

Here are the top advantages of adopting a CRM software for your Sales team:

CRM adoption for your Sales Team

Manage Customer Communications and Interactions

A statistic provided by Software Advice shows that the top 3 most requested CRM features are:

  1. Contact management (88%)
  2. Tracking customer and internal interactions (80%)
  3. Scheduling or reminders (75%).

These are the basic functionalities of CRM that are considered to be the most important. Un-coincidentally, they are all related to customer communication and interaction.

When it comes to sales, strategically interacting with customers is imperative. Adopting a CRM software helps streamline that process by managing leads, recording calls, meetings, and client messages.

Tracking customer communication helps your sales team paint a better picture of the client, making your marketing strategy more effective. Having a convenient list of customers or prospects, their contact information, their interests, as well as previous interactions with your company, and many more, are extracted from these recorded interactions. It can even remind salespeople of their scheduled client meetings, improving customer experience overall.

With the data gathered from tracking customer communication, follow-ups can be automated, emails and ads are customized, and the entire sales cycle is improved.

Data is made Actionable

Data is an essential part of running a business, and it plays a key role in customizing a sales approach. However, it’s not enough to know which ads people click on or how many times a lead was converted. That huge amount of raw, unsorted data, might as well be useless until it is cleaned, sorted, and made actionable. That’s exactly what CRM does.

CRMs can organize, tabulate and visually present data automatically, reducing the amount of manual data entries and cleanups the sales team have to put up with. Most CRMs also have a Personalized Dashboard feature that enables individual end-users to track their progress. They provide deeper insights, and data that are laid out neatly, helping the sales team make more systematic and informed decisions that drive up sales.

Reduce Administrative tasks

One of the biggest benefits that a CRM can offer is its ability to shoulder time-consuming admin tasks. This includes filing paperwork, reports, data entry on spreadsheets, handling correspondence, calls, and emails, etc.

These activities are necessary, yet do not directly generate sales, and it is one of the major complaints of salespeople as it takes up a lot of their time. Sales reps are said to spend an average of 10.5 hours per week on administrative activities, which is almost equal to the amount of time they spend making sales.

When properly adopted, CRM can be a great tool to help Sales representatives focus on their main goal, which is selling. Making reports and paperwork are easier due to the actionable insights and metrics that a CRM provides. It also allows emails to be automated and calls to be recorded. Using a Voice to CRM solution would make data entry even more seamless. The user only needs to speak, and the recording and data input is properly taken care of, no more manual data entry needed.

Sales quotas are Achieved

It has been reported that more than half the population of salespeople don’t reach their sales quotas. However, a statistic from Innoppl showed that 65% of salespeople from companies that have enabled a mobile CRM solution, were able to reach their quotas. Whereas only 22% of the salespeople from companies who didn’t have mobile CRM, reached their quotas.

This is where the power of Mobile CRM comes in. Salespeople are always on the move, jumping from one meeting to the next, having quick and easy access to their CRM is the key. It shouldn’t be a burden, but rather, something that’s convenient to use. Having access to the company’s CRM on their phone will greatly improve the sales team’s performance.

Mobile CRMs help sales representatives be more effective because not only does it improve user adoption, it also creates better, and more accurate data. Instead of waiting to get home, or to get back to the office, to input data and meeting notes, having mobile CRM allows real-time data capture. It can also utilize Voice to CRM enablement to record calls and meetings, as well as input data in real-time, thus eliminating any chance of misinformation brought about by time and memory decay.

Lead Nurturing and Conversion

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, implying that it is a system that helps the company better understand its customers, have meaningful interactions, and build solid relationships with them that will result in better sales. But how?

The data needed in order to personalize a sales pitch, or to even know when to call, is powerful information stored in a CRM software. This data can be used to make your customers feel valued. Rather than focusing on profits and sales, being customer-centric creates lead retention, and after all, selling to existing customers is easier and more effective than looking for new prospects. These loyal customers can then become ambassadors, attesting to your company’s good customer service to their friends and family. Thus, more sales conversions will naturally come in.

Building a relationship takes effort and time, but having a CRM helps you do this more efficiently.

Bottom line: The sales team bridges the company to its customers, and for them to effectively do so, adopting a CRM is paramount.

  • It has been proven to increase the likelihood of reaching sales quotas.
  • Data is organized, cleaned, and handled more efficiently, with visual presentation.
  • It frees up administrative tasks and allows salespeople to focus on selling.
  • Overall, it creates better customer communication and relationships.

Next Day CRM Entries – What you are missing

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CRM is often associated with customer management, retention, and lead conversions resulting in better sales. But in reality, these benefits are the results of behind-the-scenes processes anchored in data entry. After all, CRM is a data entry software that stores information in a centralized and reliable platform. However, when inputs are made the next day, data quality and quantity are being compromised, rendering the CRM system unable to operate to its fullest.

Data is a CRM’s lifeblood, for without any valuable input, it won’t be able to know customer preferences, demographics, and other information, much less in helping create solid customer relationships. This is why data quality and accuracy are fundamental if you want to get the most out of the “efficiency” that CRM offers. The best way to ensure quality and accurate data is to record it completely in real-time, not the next day, or any time after it. Here’s why:

Memory is not always Accurate

Unless you have an eidetic memory, oftentimes recalling details from memory is not very reliable. Mistakes and changes regarding facts may happen. This is why people take notes, it is to avoid inaccurate data. According to psychological research, there are 2 main theories of why people forget things.

Interference

According to the Interference Theory, it is harder to recall a specific thing if similar events, happenings, and retained information occurred in between, thus, these other memories interfere with one another.

Time

The Decay Theory of forgetting states that memory becomes less accurate over time. The more time passes between the event and the instance of recall, the more likely it is to be forgotten.

We know that generally, people in the office, may it be salespeople, executives, IT managers, or HR, do a lot of repetitive tasks daily such as sending emails, attending meetings, creating reports, and more. The same is true when it comes to their data entry: customer names, dates and deadlines, nationality, age, etc. Each field and each customer is unique, but due to large amounts of data and the similarities of each one, it is highly likely for memory interference to occur.

The adverse effects are amplified much more if all of these data are taken note of the next day. Typically, salespeople wait a day or more to jot down meeting notes and other things, however, the more that  time passes by, the more likely it is for the information to be inconsistent and inaccurate.

According to a short experiment done by Hey DAN, same-day notes have 100% data retention, while notes done after 1-2 days suffer a 33% deterioration of data. Note length continuously decreases as more days pass by, proving that next-day CRM entries do not deliver quality and accurate information. This window of error could affect a company’s growth, considering that information adds value, particularly when it comes to CRM.

However, this is not new knowledge. It is generally known that one must take notes during or right after you obtain the information, to retain the most accurate and complete data. Yet why do most employees wait until later to enter data into the CRM system? Let’s tackle it from the root of the problem.

Manual Data Entry is tiring

Most companies still adhere to the manual setup of data entry. A person may like it at the beginning because of the simplicity of the task, but let’s be honest, doing it repeatedly, every day, with large amounts of data, can be tedious and inefficient. With this kind of setup, it’s hard to blame CRM users for not entering data right then and there, especially for salespeople who want to focus on selling instead of doing admin work.

Real-time Manual Data entry can be discouraging for many reasons.

  • The CRM system is hard to access while on the go.
  • Typing in information can take time.
  • It keeps employees from generating more valuable and productive work.
  • It can be hard to catch up with the things being said and focus during a meeting.
  • Data entry fields can be confusing or difficult to find.

Moreover, Manual data entry can be costly for the company. According to the 1-10-100 rule by Joel E. Ross, error prevention will cost 1$, error correction will cost 10$ and unchecked errors, resulting in failure, will cost 100$. This concept reveals that it is always less costly to establish a way of avoiding errors at the very start of the process than to work on them down the line.

With manual data entry, errors and mishaps are to be expected which eventually leads to corrections, or if uncorrected, will lead to failure, both costing a lot more than prevention. This concept can give us insight into what we should prioritize when it comes to data entry, and that is error prevention. 

How do we prevent errors, and at the same time, achieve real-time, accurate information?

Solution: Automate Data Entry

Liberate your CRM users from the burden of administrative work by adopting technology that automates data entry. Regardless of their department or role, end-users can highly benefit from it, reducing time and effort spent, for fewer errors and less cost. It allows more space for employees to focus on giving real value and to use their skills and talents because after all, they have better things to do than manually encoding data.

Moreover, due to its convenience, data entry doesn’t have to be done the next day. It incentivizes users to record data in real-time. The information can easily be recorded on the same day, keeping the company away from any data loss or inaccuracies. Using high level CRM software such as Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or SAP can be used at an optimum level given that data will be entered accurately and more timely.

With the right software, data capture and cleanup don’t have to be an issue. One of the best ways to do this is by subscribing to a Voice to CRM software that combines both technology and intelligence, ensuring that data is accurate and correctly placed. With just speaking, data can be effortlessly entered, with no need for the user to open tabs, or look for the right fields. It has everything you’ll need to create timely, same-day data inputs without having to worry about cleaning up the entries afterward. This way, data is captured not the next day or the day after that, but in real-time, when it is at its best.

Mitigating CRM Adoption woes

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According to Buyerzone, almost 91% of companies with more than 11 employees utilize CRM. With the staggering amount of companies seeking to reap the benefits of having a CRM, the struggles of doing so have become more apparent. Various research shows that on average, one-third of CRM projects do not succeed, and this is due to many reasons, but one of the biggest contributors to its failure is the lack of CRM adoption.

CRM adoption has been the bane of CRM implementation for many, as most people will often resist change. When users don’t see the value of interacting with the software, they will use it less, which leads to low adoption rates. This results in a lack of customer information, sticking to manual data entry, poor insights, and a waste of investment.

Oftentimes, the problem is not the software itself, but the lack of proper implementation and strategy. Theoretically, we know that having a CRM modernizes and increases sales, it serves as a useful data platform for customer information. The challenge is translating those benefits into a reality for your company as well as understanding that a successful CRM implementation needs the involvement of active users.

We have summarized the most common CRM adoption woes or problems that companies face in regards to CRM adoption, and how to mitigate each one:

The chosen CRM software fails to add value

At the very start of it all, choosing the right CRM for your company is key. Subscribing to the trendiest or the most recommended software doesn’t always ensure success. Choose a CRM with features that can help solve specific problems and issues that your company is facing, as well as features that are relevant to the type of business or industry you are in.

As the ones mainly utilizing the software, also look at it through the lens of your users and assess each option.

  • Do these features make it easier for them to use the software?
  • Does this CRM eliminate inefficient procedures and optimize their workflow? 
  • Will the system give my employees a competitive advantage?

The CRM data entry software you choose should not be a mere formality or decoration, make sure that it adds value to your users’ work. People naturally use things that can benefit them. With value and functionality, usage of the software will eventually follow, thus increasing user adoption.

 

Inadequate communication

In connection to choosing the right CRM software, how will you know what the users’ problems are in the first place? Communication is a vital part of the process. Making decisions solely based on your perspective, without consulting your users, will result in mismatched interests, and that is just one example.

Studies show that the most prominent risk factor for CRMs is the “Lack of cross-functional coordination”, amounting to 50%. This implies that communication, amongst the users from each department, company executives, and CRM implementation supervisors, heavily affects the success of a CRM project.

 

Photo Taken from CRM Unplugged Ch 2, A review of CRM failures, p. 34

 

Communicating with your users is very important especially in the adoption stage. Involving them with decision-making processes such as the mitigation of current issues, choosing the right software, the creation of your company’s CRM training program, and so on, will help them better understand its value, giving them a sense of responsibility. They are not just being told to use an unfamiliar CRM software, but are actively involved in trying to utilize it for maximum efficiency. This not only applies in the early stages of adoption but throughout the entire duration of using the data entry software.

It is also important to communicate the company’s objectives and to have clearly defined goals. Let your users know about the goals of using a CRM. This could be to double lead conversion rates, or better organize customer data, etc. Actions and initiatives should be in line with your specific objectives and communicated to everyone to avoid irrelevant efforts in all sectors downstream.

CRM is implemented but not used

User resistance is a very common issue and might as well be the main cause of poor CRM adoption. It can be due to the following factors:

Poor usability

When the software is too complicated and inconvenient to access, it discourages employees from utilizing it daily and is difficult to adopt. Ease of use is an important factor because it reduces user resistance. If the users find the software easy to use as compared to their old methods, switching can be smoother.

Inconvenient Manual Data Entry

Users often complain about the amount of time and effort it takes to input data, even when using CRM. One of the most effective strategies to increase usability is to eliminate manual data entry through automation. Automated functionalities encourage users to use the CRM, thus increasing adoption rates.

Integrate technology that allows for easier and more seamless data entry. One great example is utilizing a Voice to CRM software. It enables you to input data with just your voice. It can even be used to record calls or meetings and organize the information taken from each recording. That way, data entry can be done in real-time with little to no gaps in the information. It also eliminates manual data entry and can make it more convenient for your users.

Lack of widespread use

The data stored in a CRM system is not exactly like notes written down in a personal notepad. Oftentimes, it is shared and can be accessible to its many users, allowing cross-functional coordination. This requires the collective use of the CRM software across departments and sectors to unify the data, making it easier to analyze and gain insight from it.

If a user feels as if its other team members, including their executive, are not chipping in and using the software, they will perceive it as unimportant and something to be dismissed. More so if the higher-ups, managers, or executives still demand excel spreadsheets and printed data instead of shifting to using CRM. Divided data input strategies create more steps, such as referring and compiling, to complete the needed information, which contradicts the entire purpose of CRM: efficiency.

Little to no training

Training allows your employees to try and use the CRM software while learning about its features and benefits. Allow them to gradually get used to the new platform. This is very important especially at the beginning when your users are most unfamiliar and hesitant with it. Training not only teaches the users about the CRM’s functionalities but also increases the speed and improves CRM adoption.

In Conclusion

User adoption strategies should be one of the top priorities when deciding to subscribe to a CRM because the technology itself is only half the equation. Keep in mind that the functionality and value of the features, accessibility, ease of use, training, as well as open communication, are key factors in making sure that your CRM is being utilized and integrated to its fullest potential.

CRM Training and Streamlining your Operations

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The goal of having a CRM is to optimize and create better efficiency within the workforce. It has been proven to be effective in streamlining processes and workflows through automation, managing customer information, as well as taking care of admin-related tasks. It allows its users to achieve more, and do less. However, when the users are not equipped with the knowledge of a CRM’s proper usage, the intended effect can be backwards.

The most common reason for a CRM project’s failure is poor implementation and lack of user adoption. Statistics show that the average user adoption rate is 26% and it’s the number one reason why CRMs fail. If you are planning to subscribe to a CRM data entry software or if you are a new adopter, understand from the very beginning that the biggest hurdle is not the technology itself, but the people using it. CRM is nothing without the participation of its users after all. This is why CRM training for you and your end-users is very important.

Take, for example, a salesperson attending a meeting with a client. Instead of simply using the Voice to CRM (a service provided by certain companies) feature to record one’s meeting, the salesperson ends up fiddling with the program, looking for the right dropdown menu, page, tabs, the right fields, etc. They end up wasting time and exerting more effort, trying to understand how to use this new software, whereas they could have used that time and effort to focus on their clients and sales.

The point is that even a program that’s built for better efficiency can become inefficient if its functionalities are not identified and used properly.

Training should not be Overlooked

Don’t skip on the training. A CRM software can only be as good as the people who know how to use it. No matter how tech-savvy your employees might be, new software with a new interface will take getting used to. It will help them know each feature, as well as WHEN and HOW to use it. If not trained properly, users cannot fully take advantage of it, increasing the risk of the CRM’s failure.

 

Have your trainees be involved from the very start

Even before starting the training, let your employees know what the company is doing and why. Involving your employees and communicating with them about the shift is a big part of CRM adoption strategies. Ask them their opinions on which software would be best, the type of features that they need, what issues the CRM should help mitigate, etc. Do this instead of deciding everything for them and then telling them to suddenly use it, not really knowing what matters.

Your end-users should understand from the start, why this training, and ultimately why using a CRM data entry software, is going to help them and the company. Set their mindsets right.

 

CRM-Training-and-Streamlining-your-Operations

Communicate with your end-users regarding their preferred training methods

Do your employees prefer to have the training online, through seminars, or just through a handbook? Or maybe they would prefer a combination of training methods? It would be best to know there preferences and show them different options. You want your users to utilize this new software and learn in a way that’s best for them, to reduce resistance.

SuperOffice revealed that 55% of sales experts consider “ease of use” to be the most important feature of CRMs. This clearly shows that a CRM should be fairly easy to use, and more importantly, easy to learn. The goal is to simplify.

In order to shorten the learning curve, know what type of training best fits them. A great way to simplify is by utilizing a Voice to CRM solution. It makes data entry faster and easier, simply by speaking, increasing your overall adoption rate. Take these into consideration before finalizing training procedures.

 

Take Advantage of Free Training Programs

Subscribing to a CRM can already be costly on its own. This is one of the reasons why companies on a tight budget choose to skip training, due to its added cost. Purchasing external training programs can be expensive.

However, it is common for CRM providers to offer free training and user guides. Some separate entities such as online training course websites, consultants, and other vendors also offer free training. There are great free training programs and guides out there that can help you save money on training costs or can serve as supplemental training for your team.

Companies like SalesForce CRM offers a wide array of training options from online courses to one-on-ones, all for free. Make sure to take advantage of any type of CRM training or assistance offered.

 

Train your end-users Gradually

Don’t expect your users to learn everything after a week. Information overload often causes low adoption rates since all this new information is bombarded at the users, causing them to step back from all this complicated knowledge, and revert to their set ways.

Training should be an ongoing thing. For the entire program, set a consistent schedule for live demo sessions, seminars, or group training. To make it more interesting, don’t train them the same way over and over again. Try to add variety to each session.

Lastly, keep having training sessions even after your team has adopted and finished the program. Technology will keep changing, updating, improving, and the same goes for any CRM software. Make sure that the team is able to keep up by having ample follow-up training. This can be done annually or once a month, depending on your company’s needs. It doesn’t have to be as comprehensive as the initial training, just something to refresh your users’ knowledge and perhaps help them improve the way they currently use the software.

 

Cater to Specific Roles and Departments

Instead of a one-size-fits-all, tweak and customize the training highlights for each department. Make sure that everyone is taught the basics before moving on to training that’s more catered. This will help them specialize and learn more about how they can use the CRM software to optimize tasks that are specific to their role in the company.

For instance, the sales department’s training can focus more on using CRM to enter data on client meetings and creating sales. The finance department’s training can emphasize how to use the software to better forecast data and profits, doing customer billing, and the like. This part is optional, but it can greatly help increase the efficiency within each department, resulting in optimization as a whole.

The Bottomline is: Training your employees or team members can help make it easier and faster to use the software, ultimately streamlining operations and getting the most out of your CRM investment.

Best Practices to Increase CRM Adoption and Engagement

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In recent years, companies have seen the value of implementing a CRM system, one of the fastest-growing technologies of our generation. CRM, which stands for Customer Relationship Management, helps manage customer data to streamline company processes to increase sales.

The projected value of the CRM market by 2025 is about $80 billion, and this number isn’t surprising, knowing that many companies have greatly benefitted from having a CRM system in place. However, there is one pitfall that lies with the company trying to implement a CRM system, rather than the CRM software itself, and that is CRM adoption.

A survey by Merkle Group Inc. stated that more than half of the companies using CRM fail at their projects. The most common culprit for failure is the lack of CRM adoption strategies, that would properly incentivize the end-users to use the software more efficiently, and speed up user adoption rates.

Most employees already have set ways on how to handle sales and manage their leads. Asking them to suddenly shift into using a CRM software may not be as easy as it sounds. Other reasons include usability problems, inadequate planning and training, and the lack of communication with users.

Despite the large number of companies struggling with CRM adoption, research shows that companies who have successfully adapted to their new CRM have seen an incredible increase in sales and productivity.

To replicate their success in CRM adoption, here are a few practical tips and tricks that can help you boost your company’s adoption rate:

Choose the right CRM for your company.

There are hundreds of CRM software available on the market today, and if you haven’t chosen one for your company yet, then this particular tip is for you.

Before anything else, one must look at what your company aims to achieve by using a CRM. You need one that will eliminate the inefficient procedures in your business and streamline data processing, that is specific to your company.

Consider these questions, which will help you choose the right CRM product to use, and make sure to involve your users in doing so:

What specific features and functionalities does the Company need?

 

Different companies need different solutions. It is best if you can pinpoint the problems your company has and what CRM features would be needed to mitigate those issues. Does your company badly need automated email marketing, calendar management, chat integration? Or perhaps a social media integration feature?

Knowing what your priorities are will help you select the right CRM that fits your company’s needs.

Here’s a Pro tip: Select a product with a Mobile APP capability.

Mobile APP-enabled CRMs allow you to utilize your CRM anywhere you go. Some even have support for CRM Data Entry Software which will make it more easier for you to maximize your CRM. The availability and convenience of phones make it easier for users to input data, manage sales, and communicate remotely. It reduces the hassle of having to go to the office or use a PC when the system can be accessed through the phone in your pocket. It increases usability and access, and it can be applied to any type of company.

 

Adoption rates have also been observed to increase for companies using mobile CRM. According to Forester, mobile CRM increased team productivity by 50%. All in all, it allows for a smoother CRM adoption.

Is the software user-friendly and a good fit for the users?

No matter the user’s familiarity with CRM, the more user-friendly it is, the better. In a survey done by Capterra, “Ease of Use” came in as the second most important factor in purchasing a CRM, with “Functionality” as the first.

Users are less likely to engage with software that is complex and hard to use.

Scalable Pricing

Choose a CRM software that your company can easily start with. The returns from using a CRM may come in later, it would be important to consider how your CRM adoption strategy pans out to your sales people. Large upfront costs may not be the best way to go but something that can easily scale as your business grows into it would be something to consider.. The type and level of the CRM software usually dictate the price, so choose the one which has the essentials you need.

Also, consider the number of users. The more users, the higher the cost, and note that not everyone in the company needs to be a user. Only choose the most suitable employees to become CRM users, to budget the costs. You can always add more or upgrade later on.

Get your Sales Team to Pitch in

As the ones who will be using the software, their input is just as important in deciding the best CRM to use. As stated earlier, try to involve your users from the very beginning. Discuss the previous questions with them. Let them demo the potential CRM products and listen to their concerns.

In order to achieve a 100% adoption rate, they need to be comfortable with the CRM that they will be using. Their early involvement will result in more proactive users.

Establish the importance of adopting a CRM system

During the entire process, make sure that your sales force fully understands why the company is making the shift. Explain  the benefits of having a CRM, for both the company and the users themselves. By understanding the reasoning behind the decision, the appropriate mindset and actions will follow, and resistance to change will be reduced.

 

To do this, an expert in CRM must be present to explain and guide the users. This leads to the next tip:

Have a CRM Specialist spearhead the adoption.

This person needs to be an expert in the CRM product and its use, to be able to manage training, answer questions, and oversee the CRM production processes all in all.

You may hire someone from outside the company, or select someone in your company who is already proficient. Someone in a managerial role would be most suitable in order to establish authority and to make sure that the procedures are in good hands.

Train and Guide your users well

This may come as a very obvious tip, however, some companies still don’t apply this. Conducting regular training sessions in the first few weeks of adoption is very important. It can be very detrimental to expect that your users already know from the start, how to utilize your company’s CRM.

 

Exploring and learning all the CRM features may take months. Instead of handing your users a two-inch-thick handbook to read within the next three days, have regular training sessions, starting with the basics. A handbook should still be utilized, but use it as supporting material for the training.

 

Training sessions provide an avenue for the users to quickly familiarize themselves with the software and actually use it, which can speed up adoption rates.

Give incentives to excellent end-users

Reward the users who actively use the CRM system well. Have weekly or monthly assessments and see which users input data accurately, set up the right email marketing, satisfied a customer, or converted a lead. This will motivate the other users to follow suit and increase the quality of their performance.

Conclusion

Shifting to a CRM system is more than just the software itself. A lot of it is about the correct implementation and user participation. Even the best CRM software would be rendered useless if the employees refuse to adapt and use this new technology.

In planning out your CRM adoption strategy, utilize these solutions to increase your chances of success and maximize your CRM’s capabilities, leading to more productivity and growth for your company.