Dynamics 365 CE Solves the Problem of Poor CRM Seller Adoption

Way back when, the initial hope for CRM (customer relationship management) software was a revolution in sales brought about by those CRM systems automating processes, aiding sales professionals in prospect management, providing timely reminders for sales pursuits, and transforming a traditional Rolodex into an interactive, perpetually updated tool.

However, the reality of traditional CRM use has often not lived up to these expectations, with poor adoption hindering the full realization of CRM’s potential. Software should serve the user, and all too often, we have heard from sellers who felt like they did nothing but spend hours feeding their legacy CRM data with no leads or extra closings to show for it.

This article explores how Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) is at the forefront of modern, cloud-based CRMs for seller adoption. By leveraging the advanced capabilities of Dynamics 365 CE, businesses can not only rekindle the initial promise of CRM but propel their sales teams toward new levels of efficiency and success.

Why Should I Worry about Low Seller Adoption for Your CRM?

New CRMs are a significant investment. However, if you do not have a well-defined strategy for how a new CRM will be adopted, your sales team is poised for failure. Reliable data on this point is hard to come by, with studies over the last ten years putting the adoption failure rate at anywhere from 18 to 69 percent. That high variance is an indicator that the issue usually is not a technical one, it is a harder-to-measure human one. This is concerning, given a failed launch’s large direct and indirect costs.

Common Challenges Getting Sellers to Adopt New CRM

Implementing a CRM system provides businesses with robust tools to manage and analyze customer data, streamline operations, and enhance customer relationships. However, this process can come with many challenges if you are not prepared. Understanding these challenges is vital for successful implementation and effective utilization.

Here are some of the most common challenges from customers who’ve learned the hard way.

Implementation Costs

Deploying and customizing a CRM system can be expensive and include costs from software procurement, consultancy fees, customization, and employee training. Substantial financial investment often poses a barrier, particularly for smaller businesses or those with limited resources.

Lack of Training and Education

Inadequate training can lead to low adoption rates and reduced productivity. Employees may struggle to comprehend the system’s features, leading to data quality issues and inefficiencies.

Resistance to Change

Employee resistance to altering established workflows with a new CRM can hurt both productivity and morale. Concerns about system complexity, disruption to work, or skepticism about its value will also hurt adoption.

Integration Challenges

Complex integrations with existing systems often lead to data compatibility issues. Inadequate integration might force employees to navigate between systems, causing frustrations and errors.

Security Considerations

Safeguarding customer data against unauthorized access is paramount. Organizations might hesitate to store sensitive data in a new system they cannot see as necessary security measures, fearing breaches or data loss.

Five Steps You Can Follow to Improve CRM Seller Adoption

CRM adoption requires a coordinated effort across your HR, IT, and sales departments and your CRM partner to craft an inclusive strategy supporting users throughout their adoption journey. Here are five steps teams of any size can adapt and follow to boost CRM adoption.

1) Engage Employees During the planning process

Involve your employees, particularly your sales and customer-facing teams, as core stakeholders during your CRM adoption process. We do not mean just during deployment. We mean the entire process, from CRM research to buying, all the way through implementation and support. Gather feedback, which will help you detect resistance to change at different points in the process. And align the new CRM’s capabilities to resolve existing pain points.

2) Personalize the CRM Experience

Your organization’s legacy sales processes have lasted because the processes, terminology, and features are all familiar to your employees. Change is difficult for most people, so using the feedback you have collected from stakeholders, look for ways to preserve popular and proven effective features.

This will minimize confusion and promote quicker adoption among users. You do not want or need to migrate everything because you will just end up with a carbon copy of your legacy ways of doing business. The goal of implementing a new CRM is to encourage positive change. But you can still meet your employees where they are and tailor the best possible experience to meet your business goals.

3) Establish a Robust Onboarding & Training Plan

Invest the time in developing a comprehensive onboarding and training strategy that eases the transition and accelerates user productivity. Between your team and your CRM implementation partner, you have access to a broad range of subject matter experts on your sales process and CRM technology. Leverage them to generate training materials and conduct various training sessions.

4) Monitor CRM Adoption for Continuous Improvement

Track CRM feature usage and analyze user behavior to identify any underutilized functions. That will help you identify need for targeted training and support. This process takes time but encourages your team to think of it as an investment in the new platform’s success. Combine analytics data with survey user feedback to pinpoint areas requiring additional training and assistance.

5) Callout Early CRM Successes

Find a quick win and let everyone know. Highlight early successes and improvements attained using the new CRM. Display performance metrics, close rates, and sales figures achieved by fully adopting team members and compare them with those who haven’t embraced the new tool. Publicly share this data with the entire sales team to highlight the concrete benefits of CRM adoption and encourage wider acceptance.

Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) Makes it Easy to Improve Your Seller Adoption Rate

Dynamics 365 Customer Engagement (CE) is a leading CRM platform that offers an extensive suite of tools designed to improve customer relationships and streamline business processes for sellers and all other customer-facing teams. It combines various applications, including Dynamics 365 Sales, Marketing, Customer Service, and Field Service, all unified under one umbrella.

Dynamics 365 CE has much to offer businesses aiming to foster higher seller adoption within their sales teams. With its customer-centric features, the platform serves as a central repository for customer interactions. It provides powerful tools that assist sellers in managing leads, tracking opportunities, and maintaining effective contact management.

A robust lead management tool allows sellers to capture, qualify, and nurture leads efficiently. Opportunity tracking provides comprehensive tools for monitoring and managing various sales opportunities, allowing for accurate forecasting and improved decision-making. Additionally, contact management features enable sellers to maintain updated and organized customer profiles, ensuring personalized and informed interactions.

Drive Engagement and Improve Your CRM Adoption Rate with Dynamics 365 CE

Remember: technology is there to serve the users, not vice versa. The Dynamics 365 CE platform empowers sales organizations by reducing initial friction and expanding individuals to grow their CRM capabilities with easy-to-adopt features. By leveraging the power of Dynamics 365 CE, organizations can get their sales teams working on a modern platform faster than ever before.

Are you interested in migrating to Dynamics 365 CE? Watch our demo and see how this CRM can impact our business.