Be Proactive!

The best time to start your messaging is before you roll out your chosen technology. Develop best practices and routine guides and setup a support team to ensure your team is equipped to face this new challenge. Clearly communicate these best practices. If you have already established your CRM solution, and you have not implemented these tools, there is no time like the present. Find a group of Super Users to help you set up a support team and develop a routine guide. Start today!

With these important foundational tools in place, schedule regular CRM check-ins with your team. Pick a recurring time to have a quick informal one-on-one meetings with sales reps to ask about their CRM activity. Share tips, and help to show them the value of the data they entered by highlighting features and reporting that make this data more useable. Make a priority of these meetings to highlight the rep’s gripes and perceived weaknesses in the technology or process. Take these comments back to your support team and sincerely consider them. Followup on these at your next check-in with the rep.

Be Consistent!

Don’t let these meetings slide. Checking in regularly and consistently allows you to catch problem habits so they don’t have time to build. Stay on top of your CRM by tweaking your solution, and your routine guide as you receive feedback and learn more about the technology. Stay on top of your team. Don’t let sales reps off the hook for refusal to adopt even if they are making sales (*link). A good support team will help you maintain your CRM vision for the long term (*link).

Be Positive!

When you discover a Super User, make sure to praise and highlight their skills. Team leaders will be less likely to be perceived as ‘naggy’ if they make an effort to keep their messaging positive by focusing on rewards rather than responsibilities. Try incorporating gaming and intelligent rewards (*link). Use reporting to spotlight sales achievements and communicate to your team how you used CRM analytics to uncover the achievement.

Be Realistic!

Make sure that you fairly and honestly consider the administrative burden that you are placing on your sales team with the implementation of a CRM solution. Be reasonable in your requirements, and if there is a serious administrative burden, one that outweighs the payoff, it is wise to consider services and CRM add-ons that can alleviate this burden. There are AI and Voice to CRM services available to support your team.

Be Supportive!

Proactive, consistent, positive, and realistic are the qualities you need to be a supportive leader. In short, with a well chosen CRM and a supportive Team Lead your sales team will be CRM Super Users before too long!