How to train your employees to use a CRM

Platforms for managing customers, known by their initials CRM, have the potential to make a difference in modern businesses and even become an indicator of innovation. However, there are challenges to overcome when it comes to CRM training for employees.

If you are among those interested in using this technology in your company because you are aware of the impact it can have on your organization but have encountered obstacles in its implementation, in the following article we will see how to apply CRM training strategies for your employees.

Technology always comes to make things easier for us and increase our productivity. In the case of CRMs, we are talking about a platform capable of revolutionizing your sales team's work. Of course, as long as the technology is learned to be used; hence the importance of CRM user guides.

Whether you have a small business or a startup, this technology can optimize your sales process in all its aspects. So get ready, because in the following article we will break down what the implementation of the CRM implies with the necessary training that your employees must have. Let's see!

Why is it important to train your employees in the use of CRMs?

We are living in times of change and not precisely because of climate change; we are living fully in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, with Artificial Intelligence at the forefront. In this context, technological tools are emerging that allow automating the classic manual activities of any company.

In the case of Customer Relationship Management (CRM), any company is capable of implementing them. However, it is not an easy task, as the CRM adoption by companies requires proper employee training, which can be quite a challenge.

Much of the work done by marketing and sales teams, if not "all the work", is significantly streamlined with the use of CRM. Working with hot data on new leads and customer behavior regarding your products or services brings multiple benefits.

Hence the importance of offering CRM courses to your company's employees and taking training in the use of this technology seriously. While its adoption is a challenge and your company will survive if you decide not to use it, implementing it in your company will reflect more profitability and expansion for your company.

What challenges do companies face in training their teams to use a CRM?

That a company implements a CRM in its processes implies a significant leap in the fluidity of its processes. However, despite the existence of proven CRM training tools, implementation remains a challenge. Why does this happen? Let's see.

• High costs. One thing is the cost of acquiring the software as such, and another is the cost of CRM implementation in employees to effectively integrate it into their daily workflows. Investment in training and follow-up of new knowledge becomes the way to go.
• Ineffective integrations. What is expected when implementing the new customer relationship technology is that it integrates harmoniously with other platforms. When integrations fail or do not turn out as expected, it often happens that the new technology is abandoned.
• Pure resistance. This is the classic challenge posed by anything new. Company professionals are used to a certain way of doing things, and the new always generates fear and resistance. Therefore, when the challenge of using new technology arises, training programs are the answer.

How to implement a CRM in a company?

We already know that you will encounter challenges when implementing a CRM, but when the time comes to adopt the new software, it is best to follow the fundamental steps. Let's see what the first critical step to take is.

Understand the customer lifecycle

To successfully adopt a CRM in your company, it is crucial that you understand the sales cycle or the different stages during which a lead becomes a customer. This cycle can vary depending on each company and its type of product or service. However, all share steps.

The sales cycle begins when potential customers are generated by various marketing actions, so that the salespeople can carry out a process that, in summary, would be as follows:

• Prospecting or lead generation
• Establishing contact
• Defining the lead
• Persuading the lead
• Making an offer
• Addressing objections
• Closing the sale

The key to identifying the stages of your sales funnel is that you can locate and generate the metrics that allow you to evaluate the team's performance at each stage. By having clear sales cycle stages, you can better adopt and take advantage of the functionalities that the CRM offers.

More steps to ensure a successful CRM adoption in your company

Define the goals that follow your main indicators

You already know the needs when implementing a CRM, now it is time to analyze the data and other details that will allow you to support the implementation. That is, at this stage you will need to execute, measure, plan, and re-execute.

Adapt the CRM to your needs

At this point, the needs and priorities of your company should be completely clear, as the idea is for the CRM to optimize your company's processes and make it grow. Despite how complete a CRM is, the idea is to adapt it to your specific needs; for example, with the corresponding integrations.

Conduct tests before implementation

Once the integrations with applications you were already using in your company have been completed, and once the migrations that have taken place are finished, it is time to start testing in the CRM environment. Check if it meets the requirements, and try to test components such as:

• Data migration
• Contacts
• Reports and forms
• Funnels and their management
• Automations and integrations

CRM training programs for your employees

Training programs for the successful implementation of your CRM will be another key part of the process. At this stage, involving, preparing, and listening to your employees will be of vital importance. There are some roles to be performed during the implementation.

• The advocate's role. They will be responsible for communicating the importance of the CRM to the team. The idea is that they are trained to educate employees on the advantages offered by the tool and all the possibilities it offers.
• Migration specialist. This person is responsible for carrying out an effective and successful migration of data to the new platform. Ideally, both roles should work together to overcome the usual challenges that come with implementing a CRM.

At this point, you will be in full implementation of the software and all its components. And since you have involved your team from the beginning and have taken care of their training, the obstacles that may arise will be overcome more easily.

Improve CRM implementation by incorporating the power of AI

Although a CRM already implies an acceleration and optimization of your sales team's work, at the time of implementation you can also count on the power of Darwin Artificial Intelligence to complete the CRM data and enjoy automatic integrations with well-known CRMs such as Zoho, Salesforce, and Hubspot.

The option to combine all the power of a CRM with artificial intelligence can enhance, and even motivate, the adoption and successful implementation of the new software in your company; remember that it can also take customer interaction to another level of efficiency.

As you have seen, one of the aspects that hinders CRM implementation is the failures that occur during integrations. And with the help of AI, you can also automate the integration process. That is, we are talking about a CRM with superpowers.

CRM with AI, a powerful combination

In this way, by combining your Customer Relationship Management with the benefits of Darwin AI, you will be facilitating the implementation of the most advanced technology in customer interaction, and in general, you will be enhancing the entire sales process in your company.

Remember that it is one thing to interact with your potential customers following your intuition or some scarce data, and quite another to do so after receiving the results of the exhaustive analyses performed by your CRM enhanced with AI tools. With this combination, you will stand out by:

• Analyzing sales. By quickly identifying the patterns that have led to effective sales, it will be a matter of replicating the processes, and you may even be able to improve them.
• Analyzing interactions. It is not only about interaction but also about analyzing those interactions to optimize the conversation and find new business opportunities.

With this technology, you can anticipate the needs and desires of your potential and current customers, marvel at the real-time information it can provide, and automate many of your tasks; it is the technological dream come true.

Take it to the next level by combining your CRM with AI

You have seen it: using this technology and adding the powers of AI is like combining magic with steroids. However, the process of driving a CRM onboarding process with employees is key to the effective adoption of the technology by the company.

Are you ready to ride the wave of the new technological era? Every change involves challenges and the overcoming of obstacles, and in this case, it is well worth making the necessary efforts to take your company and your relationship with customers to a higher level of efficiency and quality.