Switching to a new CRM system is a significant step forward, but many companies overlook the value of a CRM training program. Training your staff is well worth the time investment.
Here are some areas to consider when formulating your training plans.
CRM Training Program Recommendations
Hire an Educational Company
CRM vendors, consultants, and educational companies variously offer onsite training programs, offsite classroom training, virtual classroom training, one-on-one training sessions, or self-paced online courses.
Choose the training methods that you think are optimal for the departmental members of your company who need training. Try to use real world use cases in training so that employees can truly understand the new CRM system’s value.
Produce User Documentation
Many CRM systems come with user guides, but you may want to write an additional guide specific to your company’s practices and roles. The employees who will need training are administrators of the new software and possibly your IT staff.
Sell the Benefits
Be sure to inform your employees of the benefits of your new CRM system, so they understand how their usage of the software plays into company goals and the bigger picture. To ensure your staff understands the new CRM system, you may want to conduct a CRM exam at the end of your training.
Don’t Rely on Organic Adoption
Although some CRM systems may describe their software as being simple and easy to use, you should not use their confidence as an excuse to bypass training.
If you do, your staff is likely to develop unanswered questions, become frustrated and inefficient, and lose out on CRM features that can optimize your business. Isn’t this the reason you purchased the software in the first place?
Reinforce Training
CRM training should not be a “one-and-done” event. Ongoing training should be available for existing users and a CRM training program should be in place for new hires.
Switching to a new CRM system can vastly improve your business’s marketing, sales, and customer service processes and efficiency. With a well-directed training program, you can create and nurture long-lasting relationships with customers, study purchasing patterns, and stay ahead of your competition.
