How to convince salespeople to use CRM?

If you are planning to implement CRM in your company or sales department, you are probably wondering what to do to ensure that sales representatives willingly embrace the new solution. Let's not hide the fact that new tools often face resistance because they require a departure from habits and time for learning. Therefore, it's worth taking proactive steps to ensure that your employees embrace the planned changes.

CRM from a Salesperson's Experience

I have been involved in implementing CRM systems from the software provider's perspective, as well as being a salesperson in a team where new tools were introduced.

Personally, I cannot imagine working without such software. I remember a place almost 10 years ago where we worked with Excel and notes in a notebook. It was terribly inconvenient, leading to instances where I contacted the same person as a colleague or vice versa. This caused frustration for the client and built an extremely unprofessional image of the company. Additionally, the lack of a centralized database resulted in lost notes or extended preparation time for conversations or meetings due to the time needed to find information.

Another process I experienced was the implementation of CRM when the system was already in place, but there were no tools for automating activities. Every task had to be clicked through in multiple places, then add a note, create a new task, etc. It involved a lot of clicking. Draft emails were saved in Word or Gmail at that time. It was a step up, but I still had to search for information in different folders, making it less than optimally convenient and fast. It's no wonder salespeople are hesitant to use CRM when they have to click so much in their system.

Creating a sales opportunity or generating an offer also took a long time. In such moments, a complex CRM can significantly impact the company's results. The client's emotions after a presentation peak. They know they need our product, wait for the contract, and may sign it immediately. Every minute diminishes their enthusiasm, and if they don't receive the contract within 5 minutes, they might shift their focus elsewhere. Going back to what they promised to review and sign may happen the next day or later, which is not an ideal sales situation.

To learn about the features I believe a CRM should have to support rather than annoy, I have written an article based on my experiences.

How to Convince Salespeople to Adopt CRM?

So, how do you convince sales department employees that CRM is an aid and not a nuisance?

The first and most crucial step is to choose a solution that will genuinely meet expectations and can be customized to the company's processes. Define precisely which processes will be carried out using the new tools and what functions are needed. Talk to employees about the routine, repetitive tasks that consume most of their time. If they know that CRM will help them with specific, indicated tasks, they are more likely to welcome it.

It's essential to consider that most people are visual. Even if it sounds childish, if employees think the system looks outdated or unattractive, they won't want to spend much time there. Therefore, ensure that CRM has a friendly and modern interface.

Next, to convince salespeople to use CRM or switch to a new one, it's crucial to show them the real results they can achieve through it. It may seem simple, but it's good for the project leader, preferably a respected figure in the company hierarchy, to show salespeople examples such as:

"Now, to call your customer list, you have to open X tabs and click many times to open, save, add new tasks, etc. With the CRM module for prospecting, they can do this much faster."

Of course, I can't provide exact values for "clicks" or tabs since processes may vary depending on the company. Nevertheless, the benefits are usually very tangible:

• Shorter data entry time means more time to contact customers, leading to higher commissions.
• More enjoyable work leads to a better mood, also resulting in higher commissions.

Usually, a salesperson's main task is to sell, so effectively communicating how CRM can increase sales is crucial.

However, there are other benefits worth presenting. Many salespeople are familiar with the moment when the end of the month or quarter is approaching, and there is still a lot to achieve in sales targets. They frantically browse through customers, wondering where to call to close a deal before the period ends. With CRM, every salesperson can create a report showing when they contacted whom or identify the potential opportunities and who to remind when.

Arguing that CRM can be a digital assistant, facilitating administrative work, is essential. CRM should show and help the salesperson understand where they are in the sales process and what needs to be done to get where they want to be. Therefore, it's crucial to ensure that CRM sales funnels are well-matched, clear, and intuitive.

If you need suggestions for other CRM features beneficial from a sales perspective, here are some of the most useful HubSpot features according to my opinion.

Friendly Implementation for Employees

Another issue is ensuring a proper system implementation.

If a representative has to learn to use new software, they will likely work slower for the first month or even longer (due to not seeing where everything is, etc.).

At this point, resistance and thoughts like "I'm going back to the old way of working; I don't have the time and energy to learn something new. It seems like I'm losing money, so I'd rather earn this month. Maybe I'll learn next month..." may arise.

There may be a presentation or a series of meetings showing what and how things are done in the system during the implementation. However, from experience, we know that it will be less effective than "learning in the field."

Only when individuals actively use the system do they truly learn. Therefore, it would be beneficial to provide salespeople with continuous support during the initial period to instruct and answer their questions promptly.

If the organization allows, consider lowering the sales target for one month to show employees that it's the time to learn new ways of working. Offering rewards for the highest adaptation can also be considered.

Challenges During CRM Implementation

Even during the best CRM system implementation, various standard problems may arise. It's essential to know how to face them.

There are individuals who simply do not want to use new software or technology. In such cases, managers should try to understand the reasons behind this reluctance.

Some employees may be inherently resistant, claiming they've worked in a specific way for 20 years and won't change it. In such cases, examining the organizational culture of the company may be a difficult but necessary solution.

There are also individuals who take longer to master new technological solutions – additional or individual training may be considered for them.

Salespeople may intentionally leave minimal notes in CRM and record information in their documents or maintain two databases to avoid being replaced. They may want to build a monopoly on customer contact and take the client with them when leaving the company, perhaps to a competitor. It's essential to ensure that this is not the case.

Some salespeople believe they have an excellent memory, and if they've built a proper relationship with a customer once, it will last. However, after a few months, the customer may not remember the salesperson. Therefore, it's essential to record as many details as possible to refer to them later and deepen the relationship. In the age of information overload, personalization is crucial, and showing that one truly remembers someone during a meeting is exceptional.

Continuous Adaptation Efforts

Once the CRM implementation period has passed, some individuals may use only the minimum features that the company demands from them. Therefore, regular meetings, at least for the first six months, should be conducted to show what the system can do. Let's be honest; hardly anyone will take the time to search for additional options independently.

It's also a good practice to appoint a champion who successfully works with the system, enabling them to share their perspective with colleagues.

Of course, as with any implementation, KPIs should be indicated at the beginning and monitored continuously to take appropriate actions if goals are not achieved. CRM will require ongoing adjustments in the initial period, and contact with employees, collecting their opinions on what works and what doesn't, will undoubtedly help.

Implementing CRM is a joint effort of management, salespeople, and the partner responsible for implementation. Full utilization of the system's capabilities is crucial. If you're wondering how to convince salespeople in your company to implement HubSpot CRM, let us know! Together, we'll find solutions and prepare salespeople for effective utilization!