Ready, fire, aim.  There’s never time to do it right, but always to time to do it over, etc..

Sure, we’ve all heard these and it is true:  getting it right the first time is easier, cheaper and more profitable than doing a half-baked job, and then doing it all over.  But implementing a CRM system is a complex undertaking and getting it right takes more than good intentions.

The first task is to manage your expectations of value.  This is where most unsuccessful CRM project begin on the path to failure.  Do you think your objective is to buy and install software?  Sorry – wrong!

Better business results require smarter business behavior and that should be your primary goal: smarter business behavior.  Your CRM system can illuminate the path and facilitate best practices in many ways, but the software by itself is only the tool box.  You need to decide how to put the tools to best use.

The second most common mistake is using better technology to be dumb faster.  If your current processes are not optimized, adding more horsepower will probably do more harm than good.  For example, if your current sales methodology fails to win customer confidence, making more sales calls will just create more distrustful prospects.  Do better – design optimized processes first.

The third, fourth and fifth critical steps in implementing a profitable CRM system are:

       3.   Win user adoption

       4.   Win user adoption

       5.   Win user adoption

If you fail to win user adoption, you will have not just wasted your money, but may have seriously harmed productivity.  While the keys to user adoption should be pretty obvious, we see them ignored quite often.  Perhaps this happens when the system architect is not also a system user.

• Make it smart and useful.  If you don’t know what your CRM team needs and wants, ask them.

• Make it easy – count the mouse clicks required for every task.  Think about a parachute manual you only get to open after you’ve jumped from the plane.

• Provide plenty of training and immediately available support.  Nothing is more frustrating than to have work to do and be roadblocked the software that’s supposed to help you. How about if that nice parachute of yours doesn’t open….

Last, think big, but start small.  Trying to do too much too fast is very risky.  Work toward a series of incremental wins.

Any other thoughts on keys to success?  Please share your own ideas.

Best – Mike Johnson