May 2016

Sticking With It: Why Discipline is Key to CRM Success

Introducing a new system into the workplace isn’t always an easy task – and as with establishing any new habit, it takes time and discipline to get things rolling properly. But whereas your organisation may have an abundance of time, it’s often the discipline of using a new tool which is more difficult to secure.

Why is Discipline So Important?

Without discipline, it becomes almost impossible to implement a new system – no matter how much you’re convinced it’ll revolutionise the workflow, triple profits, and change your team’s lives. That’s because the individuals in your organisation are the ones who drive it towards the goals you set for the business, and without their support a new system becomes an uncomfortably wasted investment. With discipline, you’ll be able to position the CRM at the heart of the business and enjoy its greatest benefits – but before any of that can happen, your team needs to be happy adopting the system.

Why Do Teams Struggle to Adopt?

There are many reasons why teams struggle to get the most out of their CRM solutions, and it’s important to explore these potential pitfalls in order to help individuals adjust to the new system more easily – and to develop that all important discipline we’re after.

One of the two main reasons for individuals disliking a CRM is the limitations they may experience - for example, if a reporting function requires additional data to be dug out because it isn’t thorough enough, or if there’s no remote working capabilities involved, teams are bound to become frustrated.

Time is the second most common factor in teams struggling to adopt a new CRM. If individuals find that learning to navigate the system is taking more time than is necessary, or that processes have become lengthier, they can quickly begin to turn away from using the system, putting any thought of an ROI far out of sight.

How Can Discipline Be Built?

The first step to creating discipline and making the most of your new CRM solution is to ensure that you’ve picked the correct tool for your organisation. Whereas many off-the-shelf solutions woo businesses with their on-point marketing jargon, choosing a more bespoke offering from the start could potentially prevent a whole heap of trouble later down the line. Instantly, you’ll have a system which addresses all of your business’ needs, streamlines workflow, and allows for remote working.

Once you’ve chosen your CRM, it’s essential that every team member is given a full and detailed brief, with time for training and questions. This initial period of getting to know the system should also constitute a trial period whereby teams can offer their feedback to management – after all, if the people who’ll be using the system don’t like it, they won’t have the discipline or willingness to help the business find value in their investment.

Finally, a thorough process is required to ensure that teams are informed that using the CRM is a must – putting it at the front of your business’ strategy will help individuals to associate the system with the direction the organisation is moving in.

What if Teams Don’t Like the New System?

Let’s be honest here: if they don’t like it, they don’t like it, and you’re going to have to weigh up your options. You can either enforce the system as a rule – though this is a decision which is likely to bring disdain in its wake – or you can take their feedback and opt for a bespoke offering (the best choice, if you ask us!) whereby all their needs are accommodated, and they receive the tool they want to use, rather than the tool they’re being forced to use.

Believe us when we say that a little discipline really can go a long way, and if you can get the support of your team behind you, your CRM solution will take your business as far as it wants to go (and maybe a little bit further), all with a clear and achievable ROI on the horizon; it’s worth sticking with it!

If you’re interested in implementing a system which takes into account your team’s needs from day one, then get in touch and let’s discuss how Lunar CRM’s bespoke solutions can help your business to blast off!