Customer relationship management (CRM) software has since evolved from a tool to help sales teams store customer data into an intricate hub that drives the technology suite of any business. When implemented right, it adds immense value to your company. Marketing expert Jordan Beier shares an article on Business News Daily about the powerful impact a CRM platform can bring to your business when utilized correctly. According to Beier, these six key concepts clarify the required investment and strategies that businesses can follow for a successful CRM implementation process.

1. Set realistic, actionable goals. You should have a clear and simple vision for your CRM directly related to your most essential business functions.
2. Do your research to find the right CRM solution. The most important factors in your decision could include pricing, the relevancy of the CRM’s tools to your process, ease of use and available integrations.
3. Select a CRM team, with department champions. Once you have selected the CRM platform that most closely aligns with your company vision, you can mobilize the creation unit. This requires a specialized team to complete daily tasks and steer progress.
4. Forecast the costs and benefits. Work with your various teams to forecast the specific effects this CRM will have on your business during the implementation process, the initial six months after launch as your team acclimates, and the following 12 months once the CRM is a fixed part of their daily use.
5. Migrate and integrate data. Cleaning your data and migrating it into the new CRM platform will be the longest element of the implementation. Consequently, missing or incorrect data needs to be acquired and fixed, or it will reduce the effectiveness of your CRM.
6. Train the team and test the system. Most CRM offerings include training and consulting programs to enable businesses to get the most out of their platforms. During this testing phase, assign your IT team to perform quality assurance tests. Some bugs are inevitable, but you don’t want the opening launch to be marred by many urgent IT fixes while the system is live.

Beier mentions some common CRM implementation mistakes to avoid such as doing too much too soon or losing team support during the initial implementation period. Take the time to implement the necessary software and programs and invest in training your staff, which includes addressing any concerns early on. Lastly, don’t forget the purpose of a CRM once it’s implemented. A CRM platform helps your team solve problems; it doesn’t solve problems itself. When utilized right, the power of CRM can introduce your business to many opportunities.

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1. Enhanced CX Through Digital Tech. “We will see an acceleration of digital’s role in creating superior customer experiences. More companies will continue to invest in the cloud, data and digital technologies that make their customers’ lives easier.” – Eugene Khazin, Prime TSR
2. Aggressive Infrastructure Modernization. “In 2021, we will see budgets shift to support aggressive modernization initiatives, starting with foundational infrastructure, to make business elastic, available, reliable and secure—in a word, resilient.” – Kris Beevers, NS1
3. New Customer Data Privacy Laws. “Consumers want to know their privacy is being protected, especially now that using more digital services is a necessity. Because legislators have a template to draw upon using legislation enacted in California, Nevada and other states, we’ll see many new data privacy laws introduced in the next year in regions that otherwise might have taken a decade or more to enact similar protections.” – Stephen Ritter, Mitek Systems
4. Increased Focus On Secure Voting. “This election proved that there is terrible security around applications and accounting for individuals. The solutions on the market are hackable and have a security layer that needs to be worked on to allow all voters to vote once and do it remotely.” – Christopher Carter, Approyo
5. Expansion Of Smart Spaces. “Smart spaces, with an emphasis on smart cities, have been exploding due to our intense interest in monitoring and optimizing human behavior patterns. We can expect that smart spaces initiatives will evolve in 2021 to match these changes, with particular emphasis on smart homes and home-work spaces.” – Jeff MacMillan, StorMagic
6. Combination Of Artificial Intelligence And Machine Learning With Human Ingenuity. “The collaboration between people, data and artificial intelligence will usher in a massive transformation in how we work and live.” – Heidi Messer, Collective
7. Growing Acceptance Of Online Payments. “One trend that will continue into 2021 is the need for people and merchants to accept online payments.” – Adi Ekshtain, Amaryllis Payment Solutions
8. More Creative Uses Of Automation. “We are going to see more tech companies find creative uses for automation, while core teams will focus more on the “human” aspects of the business.”- Thomas Griffin, OptinMonster
9. Expanded Use Of Autonomous Vehicles. “Autonomous vehicles—specifically robotic delivery—will have a huge impact on the tech industry in 2021. Self-driving technology brings safe, accessible transportation to millions of people in need.” – Ashwini Choudhary, Recogni
10. Growing Use Of AI In Healthcare. “Artificial intelligence will continue to deepen its footprint in healthcare, especially post-pandemic. Understanding and closing the gaps related to the social determinants of health will lead the population-wide health strategies of the future.” – Trisha Swift, ZeOmega Population Health Solutions
11. Formalization Of 2020 Stopgap Tech. “The big technology trend for 2021 will be making permanent solutions out of the reactive fixes 2020 required. While many technology implementations were simple stopgap measures, others, such as remote work, will be here for the long haul.” – Joe Onisick, transformationCONTINUUM
12. Emergence Of New Job Roles. “New trends bring new possibilities, which lead to new job roles to shape tech experiences. For example, the emergence of hybrid events means every event will need an event technologist to design experiences with tech. The integration of AI into work processes and most projects means an AI business strategist’s role will emerge. And there will be a need for a role focused on the integration of inclusion policies in all digital transformation projects.” – Chaitra Vedullapalli, Women in Cloud

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