2. When a business makes the decision to
purchase a new CRM solution, or upgrade an
existing one, that decision almost always
comes from executive management.
It may come as the result of feedback and requests from
employees, but ultimately it’s up to the company’s
leadership team to take action.
3. Where things sometimes get snagged is what happens
after that initial decision has been made.
The end goal of implementing a CRM solution
is to have company employees actually use it,
and ensuring high CRM user adoption has a lot
to do with good executive leadership.
4. A 2009 study* by The Ken Blanchard
Companies found that there are 3 key
elements to being a good executive leader:
1) Fostering a supportive and encouraging workplace
2) Creating a work environment that is interactive & engaging
3) Showing genuine appreciation for employees
* Creating A Motivating Work Environment
5. Highly engaged leaders almost always equals highly
engaged employees. Leaders that exhibit the qualities
previously mentioned are far more likely to earn their
employee’s trust ...
… And employees that feel like their feedback
is being solicited, heard, and valued are more
likely to be engaged in the workplace and more
receptive to new initiatives.
6. So, exactly how does good executive
leadership translate to increased CRM
user adoption?
Let’s assume two companies of equal size
separately implement the exact same CRM solution.
We’ll call them Company A and Company B.
7. Company A has very committed leadership.
Let’s assume management is highly engaged
throughout the CRM selection,
implementation, and training process:
COMPANY A
8. ● During the selection phase, feedback about needs and
use cases is solicited from a cross section of employees,
and a strong effort is made to get buy-in throughout the
organization.
● After implementation, managers are using the system
themselves for administrative functions and “big picture”
analysis, while at the same time encouraging (and
enforcing, if necessary) system use for the teams they
oversee.
COMPANY A
9. ● Managers in Company A are also all participating in
ongoing CRM training and are comfortable answering
common questions about features and use from their
employees.
● A dedicated system administrator is assigned to manage
system security, maintenance, and keep up with
functional updates to the system.
COMPANY A
10. For Company A, it’s not hard to imagine that
user adoption throughout the entire business
will be high and is likely to stay that way.
While this may sound like an unattainable, somewhat
utopian scenario for many businesses, it’s common
practice in many others.
COMPANY A
11. Company B has very fractured leadership.
Let’s assume management is divided over
which CRM solution to implement, and the
selection and implementation process happen
with minimal-to-zero input from outside the
executive team:
COMPANY B
12. ● During the selection phase, the sales team’s needs are
given priority over all other departments, creating
resentment and leaving managers of non-sales staff
feeling marginalized.
● After implementation, the CRM system is used primarily
by sales staff. Marketing, IT, and customer service staff
find using the system unintuitive and difficult.
COMPANY B
13. ● Managers do not use the system regularly, but are
insisting that their teams use it exclusively.
● After the initial round of training, no ongoing training
program is implemented, and no one takes clear
ownership of the system or is responsible for it’s
maintenance or administration.
COMPANY B
14. For Company B, user adoption among sales
staff may be high, but will probably be low
through the rest of the organization.
This will likely limit the system’s effectiveness and
possibly even foster continued resentment among other
departments.
COMPANY B
15. Unfortunately, for many businesses that go through the
CRM selection and implementation process without any
prior experience or third-party assistance, the Company
B scenario is where they end up.
No company wants to go through the process
of selecting and implementing an expensive
enterprise CRM solution only to have no one
use it.
16. Avoiding that mistake is why it’s critical that a
company’s leaders be engaged in and
committed to the “process and the promise”
from the outset of the decision to buy a CRM
system.
A company with high CRM adoption among employees
and management is not a mythical idea that exists only in
the imaginations of CEO’s. It’s a reality that can be
achieved through careful planning, execution, and
dedication from the entire organization.
17. We hope you enjoyed this presentation.
You can find additional CRM articles,
comparison reports, buying guides, and more
in our CRM Resource Center.