Why Your Team Isn’t Using Your CRM…

You know the benefits of a CRM. That’s why you’ve invested a pretty penny in buying a great CRM.

The only problem? Your sales team doesn’t use it.

They know that a CRM can benefit customer relationships and make their lives easier. So why haven’t they taken the leap? Here are a few reasons why your team may be resisting adoption.

# 1- They Don’t Know How

One of the biggest issues for many companies is actually an organizational one, not a technological one: teams just don’t know how to use a CRM.

Any new technology has a learning curve. It doesn’t matter what it is or how easy it is to use. Your team will still have to adjust to conducting daily processes through the CRM.

If your team doesn’t receive training (or if they don’t receive enough training) they won’t know how to use the system. And in the end, that makes their lives harder.

They know that they have productivity metrics to meet. If they don’t know how to use the system and they know that they need to get things done, they may bypass the system to do things the old way for the sake of efficiency.

How to Resolve It

This issue is resolved with two things: training and communication.

Your team needs to have sufficient training. But remember that even the best training may not be crystal clear.

This is where good communication comes into play. Your team should feel like they can come to you with questions and be heard. If they aren’t sure what’s expected of them, they should feel comfortable clarifying the issue with you.

#2 – They Think It’s a Monitoring Tool

A more insidious problem is the idea that the CRM is a monitoring tool.

Here’s the thing. You know it’s not a monitoring tool–it’s not like you’re reading their emails or watching them work. But CRMs are known for their ability to track user activities, including performance metrics, records updated, and emails sent.

In theory, your team knows that you’re not watching them. But that doesn’t change the fact that the CRM could be used as digital evidence against them if they fail to meet their production quotas.

They won’t actively try to undermine data accuracy, but they will update the system begrudgingly.

How to Resolve It

This issue comes down to trust.

If your team views the CRM as a monitoring tool, you have to address the underlying concern that their job security will be on the line if they fail to meet quotas. Check-in with your employees to ensure you’re setting realistic goals, that they have the resources they need, and that they’re handling leads that suit their skills.

The key is to make it clear that the CRM is there to help them, not judge them. Reward the quotas they meet and reward the team for mutual goals met. If a rep has concerns, actively work with them to resolve them.

#3 – They Aren’t Able to Find Usable Data

Bad data is the result of any number of factors. When it comes to your reps’ habits, this one lies with the CRM.

If employees can’t find the data they need or can’t interpret the data they find, then the CRM is fundamentally useless to them. You can’t force them to use it until you resolve the bad data problem.

After all, if they can’t find the data they need, it does no good to use the CRM. You’re forcing them to waste time using a tool that doesn’t help them, which in turn fosters frustration and resentment.

How to Resolve It

If your sales team has a data problem, you can take a few approaches to the issue.

One method is to visibly clean up the data. Make a point of conducting regular audits to determine where the data is going sour. Then, based on those audits, share your results with employees and take the steps necessary to resolve the problem.

You also need to follow through this method with training. Show your employees how the problem occurred and what steps they can take to ensure they get useful data.

If cleaning up the data doesn’t help, it’s possible that it isn’t a process problem, but rather a system problem. Your CRM may not be giving you the data you need, and that’s a design issue that’s inherent in the CRM.

Know Why Your Team Isn’t Using Your CRM?

If you’re figuring out why your team isn’t using your CRM and discover that the problem is the wrong CRM, you’ve come to the right place.

We know that management and representatives are frustrated by software that doesn’t work. We also know some of the biggest problems with existing CRMs. That’s why we’re not here to offer you another software–we’re here to offer you the solution you need to get the job done.

Want to find out more? Get in touch today to change the way your team views your CRM.

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