These days there’s a lot of technology that can make your job easier and your company more successful. Whatever your reasons for not fully jumping on the technology train, we want to help you overcome the obstacles and use modern CRM to build better customer relationships. Explore the excuses below.
EXCUSE #1
We don’t have a sales team.
We’re all in sales, whether sales is in your title or not, we’re all directly involved in our company’s overall goal to build healthy, mutually beneficial relationships with customers.
CRM, which stands for customer relationship management, lacks sales in its “title” too. That’s because, CRM is far more than a tool for your sales team; it’s the control center for all kinds of customer relationships. You can use it to track, manage, and build stronger ties across the life of a customer, from lead to purchase and beyond. Whether your business is service-driven, sells to a handful of “accounts,” or asks employees to wear multiple hats, there’s huge upside in technology to take care of busy work and manage your relationships.
There’s a downside, and cost, to the status quo, too. Without the right tools, everyday business processes can take up too much time, money, file-cabinet space, and headspace. Modern CRM — no matter your business model can help you automate and manage all those processes more fluidly so you have more time to build relationships.
EXCUSE #2
We already have something in place to manage our customer relationships.
Perhaps your existing solution is working well for you today. We just have one question: what about tomorrow? Outdated or poorly suited systems will make it hard to adapt and grow. They can lead you to miss opportunities, leave money on the table, lose customers, and waste time on inefficiencies. You may be tempted to blame people and behaviors, but systems and technology play a big role.
Here’s a breakdown of the most common, non-modern solutions that companies might be using to manage customer relationships — and the obstacles to growth they present.
- Spreadsheets, Sticky Notes, and Bubblegum
- Homegrown Systems
- The Hodgepodge
Using a unified, purpose-built customer relationship platform is a night-and-day difference.
EXCUSE #3
Our business isn’t mature enough to need a CRM.
That’s some really negative talk. You need a warm chocolate chip cookie and glass of milk. We’ll go get some too, and meet you right back here…
Feeling better? Good. We understand the urge to keep things simple, but not at the expense of growth — and you do want to continue to grow right? The sooner you put effective systems in place, the sooner your business can really take off.
At the same time, we know that every business is at a different point in its maturity. That’s why it’s important to use a flexible and customizable customer success platform that keeps the basics simple to use, while effortlessly scaling to meet any demands.
Of course, technology is not a panacea. Moving to a modern CRM will likely require a change in mindset and behavior as well. By championing new processes and practices you can help everyone in your company be more successful. Look for a vendor who will be a true partner in leading change.
EXCUSE #4
Our business is unique.
Of course your business is unique. You probably wouldn’t be doing so well if you didn’t offer an exclusive benefit. But it’s nearly impossible to be so unique that modern technology can’t help. In fact, we’d propose that modern CRM can make your business even more unique (and competitive) than it is now.
Modern CRM can be customized to fit your unique needs in ways that you might not have dreamed of even five short years ago. It rests on a completely flexible platform with tools to build and personalize your own apps, extensions, and integrations for whatever use case you need. This means better customer experiences, more productive teams, and more revenue to help you focus on building your business’s unique strengths no matter what they are.
EXCUSE #5
Change is hard.
Of course, it’s always easier to maintain the status quo, address immediate problems, and try not to rock the boat. But what if the waters are choppier than ever and there’s a huge leak in the hull? The longer you wait to fix things, the more underwater you’ll be.
Renowned management expert Peter Drucker once warned:
“Unless an organization sees that its task is to lead change, that organization — whether a business, a university, or a hospital — will not survive.”
The best way to approach a difficult change is with a partner who has the resources, experience, and patience to help you thrive as you change. Look for a CRM provider who will help you become a “change leader” who helps shape the future.
EXCUSE #6
We don’t want to spend the money.
As Salesforce Chairman and CEO Marc Benioff likes to say, every CEO is in the business of growth. The mix of art and science you apply to the sales process depends largely on your growth goals. But there’s a massive difference between growing revenue (happy face) and growing costs (sad face).
Reflexively hiring round after round of salespeople to push product is an example of growing costs, especially healthcare costs. Better to make a focused investment in the reps you have. Giving reps modern CRM removes impediments to growth, unleashing the full potential of your current team. Here are some key ways CRM can drive revenue:
- Escape inefficient processes.
- Satisfy unsatisfied employees.
- More innovation. Less effort.
EXCUSE #7
We tried a CRM once and it didn’t work out.
Maybe you bought a CRM but the technology didn’t fit or adoption was low. Then it’s easy to understand why you might be hesitant to go down the CRM path again.
But technology leaps ahead, and it’s likely time to reconsider what modern CRM has to offer now. This time go into it with a focus on adoption, and you’ll get all the new, game-changing benefits. These tips from long-time IT and business leader Brett Colbert should help.
#1. The sales executive team must use the same tool as the sales team.
#2. The more you use the tool, the better the data gets.
#3. Rewards-based competition can go a long way in driving adoption.
EXCUSE #8
I have concerns about “the cloud” and security.
At this point in history, the cloud is both old and new. It’s extremely innovative technology that’s also very mature, especially when it comes to security. The initial concerns and gaps have been tested and addressed, though not everyone realizes this or just how many safeguards surround your data in modern CRM.
We can’t speak for other CRM providers, but at Salesforce trust is our #1 value. Trust means doing everything to make you feel secure about how your data is stored and kept safe — and a few more things beyond that, too.
EXCUSE #9
It’s going to take too much of IT’s resources to implement the solution.
Making a change can take a fair amount of resources (time, energy, and money). But it’s never too much if it produces greater returns (see Reason #5). Besides, the best modern CRM providers will apply their own resources to lighten your IT burden and change the equation even more in your favor.
Consider also that your CIO, CTO, or whoever heads the IT department probably has a new strategic imperative to innovate and help the company improve key functions. In a recent report, we found three strategic trends that will help you convince IT of the value of modern CRM:
1. Budget Shift from Maintenance to Innovation
2. Proliferation of SaaS
3. Data and Analytics
OUT OF EXCUSES?
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