CRM Switch: 5 Tips for CRM Change Management

Tips for a successful CRM switch

If you decide to switch your CRM software, the main costs you’ll face are time and internal effort. You’ll need to research and choose the best CRM for your business, import all your data, add in your customizations and integrations, and train your whole team to use it.

You can simplify the process if you have a clear idea of what you want, your data is easily accessible and you follow these steps for successful CRM change management:

1. Analyze your reasons for switching CRMs.

Before making a switch, you need to first determine what is problematic about your current solution. Sometimes, it’s not the software that’s really the problem. Businesses switch CRMs for various reasons, but the decision often comes down to poor user adoption. If it’s unclear to your staff members how – or even why – they should use the CRM, don’t expect them to be eager to do so. When CRM installations take a nosedive, they not only fail to deliver profitable growth but can also damage long-standing customer relationships.

“Companies often cite a lack of capabilities or limitations as the driver for switching CRMs, but the truth is typically different,” said Akande Davis, vice president of operations at GNW Consulting. “In my experience, the predominant reason companies switch CRMs is that the incumbent CRM was a failed implementation and the company lacked the internal training and enablement needed for success. The switch is seen as a ‘reset,’ but without a proper change management process in place, the company will run into the same issues with their new CRM.”

David Radin, CEO of Confirmed and a Salesforce ISV Partner, advised that firms should consider whether the CRM is their actual problem and try to discover whether their existing system can be customized for success first. “That may mean you have to take a hard look at yourself, because you might not hear what you expected,” he said. “The good news, though, is that if you find out that these are the problems instead of it being the wrong CRM system, your alternatives to stay with your existing system will be easier and less expensive to implement than a changeover.”

There are many reasons to switch your CRM, but you need to pick a program that promotes your customer relationships and connections instead of severing them. [Read related article: How to Make Your CRM Your Company’s Most Flexible Tool]

2. Get your team on board from the beginning.

Your goal is to find a CRM system that meets management’s needs and makes your team members’ jobs easier. Ideally, everyone should be enthusiastic about switching, and the best way to drum up excitement is to involve your employees in the process from the beginning. 

Designate a few CRM evangelists to spearhead efforts in each department. Start with higher-ups. The change will feel more official if executives and managers lead the charge. Then, in each department, explain how the switch will benefit your business and each team member.

Consider setting up a practice account first. Let your team members get creative with a demo or free trial before you initiate the switch; this way, they can see how it will impact them directly. “If users feel like the decision is happening to them rather than with them, resistance is guaranteed,” said Sunil Dua, CRM strategist and director of client success at 108 Ideaspace. “Start by involving team leads and power users early in the evaluation process.”

Paul Wnek, CEO of ExpandAP, also cautioned that much of the battle is lost if the only person who can see how the change will benefit the firm is the chief information officer. “Leaders should familiarize each decision-maker and stakeholder with how the technology works every step of the way, demonstrating a clear vision of what it will do for the business and the individual,” he said.

3. Keep the data accurate by transferring it with minimal loss.

Once your new CRM platform is ready to go, it’s time to transfer the data from your old system to the new one. The goal should be to transfer it all efficiently without losing any information, all while training your staff on the new system. The more accurate the data is, the sooner they can get up to speed.

Create a game plan that allows ample data transfer and training time. Have your CRM’s support team take the lead on exporting and importing the data, preferably before training begins. You’ll also need this team’s help setting up customizations and integrations and training your employees to use them.

If the system is ready to go with your data intact, you’ve eliminated many barriers before starting. As a result, you can focus on inputting new contacts, reporting new sales, and following new rules and policies during training.

Hagop Imasdounian, managing director of H & Co, told business.com that firms should first focus on cleaning up their data first as there’s no point “dragging old problems into a new system. Once you’ve done that, remember that most big CRMs have systems in place for data transfers. HubSpot, for example, has a whole team to help you move platforms. Zoho has tools to import from Salesforce or HubSpot. There are always CRM consultants that can help you out too if you need it.”

4. Don’t just encourage the system’s use; ensure it.

Making sure your team uses the new CRM system is crucial to the implementation process. Once everyone is on board, set a changeover date. Make it clear from the beginning how employees will be evaluated on their use of the new system. For example, if leads aren’t entered correctly or follow-ups aren’t recorded, managers won’t recognize the work, and your small business could lose sales.

Schedule regular meetings to review CRM reports, and make sure everyone is developing good data-entry habits. Ask your team members how they feel about the new system now that they’re using it every day, and brainstorm ways to use the CRM to make their lives even easier. Most importantly, make sure users in each department have a designated expert they can go to if they have questions or need help navigating the system. “Get team leads involved early and make them accountable for getting their teams up to speed,” said Aboli Gangreddiwar, marketing leader at Credible.

Start by moving the most critical processes over first so people are actually using the new system right away, Gangreddiwar advised. “Also, set a firm deadline for shutting down the old CRM, ideally tied to the end of your contract,” she said. “Make it clear that month-to-month extensions aren’t on the table. They get expensive fast, and running two systems at once can cause more confusion than it’s worth.”

5. Trade up for a system with features you’ll actually use.

Avoid getting a program with too many tools, as that can make it harder to navigate. When you’re looking at new CRMs, remember quantity is not quality. Extensive options can be overkill. Ensure your CRM has just the right features to fulfil your business needs.

“When choosing a new CRM, you can go into this one knowing what you actually need or don’t need based on your use so far,” Eric Sachs, CEO of Sachs Marketing Group, told business.com. “Don’t feel pressured to get one that does the absolute most. You just need the one that does everything you currently need.”

If your current CRM system isn’t performing as expected, you must first determine why. If retraining and more customizations don’t help, switching to a better system may be the best solution. This will be challenging, but with a renewed focus and by following these tips for getting everyone on board, it can be a smooth transition that’s well worth the effort.

What to consider when changing CRMs

The main job of a CRM is to organize leads and keep communication flowing. If leads are slipping through the cracks and miscommunication is constant, you’re not getting your money’s worth out of the software.

Considerations

• Before trashing your existing CRM, investigate the source of the issue. Audit the CRM software and setup. Then, before you switch, take the time to understand your current system’s problems and what it lacks so you can find one that helps your business’s customer relationships. Sometimes, there is room to make changes to your old CRM before switching to a new one, but if you can’t, it may be time to find something more user-friendly and affordable.
• Is the issue user adoption or lack of standards for data entry? Perhaps the system is missing key features your company needs, which is a common reason companies switch CRMs.
• After identifying the problem, you can decide whether you need to retrain your team, tweak the system’s setup or look for a new platform. For example, if you’ve already tried every onboarding technique you can think of and your staff members are still struggling to use the CRM, it’s probably time to start over.
• Involve your end users in the CRM selection and implementation process to help you find something user-friendly. Salesforce found that 72 percent of CRM users say they would trade complex functionality for usability.
• If you can’t afford your current system or are paying for features that you don’t need, it might be a good idea to cut your losses and find a system more suitable for your team and budget. Leaving your current CRM provider can be expensive, but the switch is worth it if you’re paying more for a system you don’t use.

Questions

Andrei Vasilescu, digital marketing expert and co-founder of DontPayFull, suggested finding out these things from your potential CRM provider to ensure you’re getting the program you need for your business:

• Can the new CRM fulfill all your needs for this type of program?
• Is the new CRM efficient and easy to customize according to your requirements?
• Will the new CRM be easy for your team to use?
• Can the new CRM be updated?
• Does your budget allow the investment for this new CRM?

Costs of switching CRMs

The costs associated with switching CRMs can depend on various factors, such as your company’s size, the pricing structure of your new CRM versus your current one and the length of time it will take to complete the onboarding process.

Although there are free CRM options, growing businesses should think twice about using them. A little money saved today can cost a lot down the road when you need to switch to a paid CRM with advanced features and adequate data storage.

Small businesses can expect to pay an average of about $18 per user per month for a starter CRM system. Midrange systems average $60 per user per month, and advanced enterprise packages average $145 or more per user per month.

* Pricing is based on a per-person-per-month pricing structure. Additional charges may apply for various contract lengths, add-ons, integrations, etc.

There are other costs associated with switching CRMs. Gangreddiwar advised that firms look out for “one-time onboarding fee — and support often comes in tiers, which can get pricey. Make sure you know exactly what’s included in the base plan and what’s considered an add-on. Something that was bundled in your old CRM might come at an extra cost in the new one.”

Mark Fairlie and Julie Thompson contributed to the reporting and writing in this article. Some source interviews were conducted for a previous version of this article.