Everyone in the office is talking about it. Excitement, nervousness – when is it going to happen?

"I heard next week."

"No, it's going to be after the holiday."

You enjoy the buzz. After all, it's all about your project: you're bringing the firm from that old, crummy, quirky database program to the shiny, brand new Customer Relationship Management (CRM) application.

Unfortunately, all that buzz comes with additional pressure. Pressure to quickly deliver a new CRM system and provide the perfect marketing and sales machine. Magically, once everyone begins to use the new CRM application, all of the current troubles will be gone. Right?

Wrong. Only through careful planning will you be able to execute the new CRM tool to match expectations.

The Approach

Six basic steps need to be taken if your new solution is to avoid the pitfalls and disappointments of its predecessor:

1. Develop an understanding of who is going to use it and how. Not merely a surface level understanding but a true comprehension of how it is going to be used day in and day out.
   
   Meet with management. Meet with the sales team. Meet with marketing. Ask pointed questions. What reports are desired? How is the pipeline tracked? Where is the sales team going to be when they need to enter or view information? How many users do you need?
   
   
2. Map it out.This may seem unnecessary, but even the simplest process can have unexpected steps that become clear when you map it out, step by step.
   
   Look at what happens to a prospect from the first moment they get on the radar to when they sign the deal. Who touches them along the way? What reports will they be on? What campaigns might they be added to? Who is going to make sure they are contacted?
   
   Then, step back and ask, does the process make sense? Now work with management, sales, and marketing to discuss how the process can be improved.
   
   Make sure the process flows with how your firm works and not how the application you are using is set up. This assumes strong familiarity with the application you are transitioning to.
   
   
3. Clean data.
   Same list as before
   Export. Upload. All to use
   New! Disappointment...
   
   Firms eager to start using their new technology dump all their old data in. Don't do it! Uploading your old data into your new system carries old problems into the new technology.
   
   Take the time it takes to really clean your data. (Note: It always takes longer than you think.) Invest in de-duplication software, which will allow you to clean your data as quickly and effectively as possible. Meet with consultants and sales to go over records they "own" to verify the data. Make calls one by one if you have to.
   
   Data cleaning is time consuming. It is painful and boring. But it is important to CRM success. Inaccurate and incomplete data results in low user adoption and ultimately, a dysfunctional CRM.
   
   
4. Test. Follow the maps you've set up for your process. Set them up and pretend you are the various future users. Log a new lead, set up a proposal, log activities, etc.
   
   Use a small batch of test data to make sure everything is working correctly.
   
   
5. Import data. Now see your new CRM application come to life! Having all this information in the system now is not a problem, everything is set up and working as planned.
   
   
6. Train users. While this point is last, it is very important. Don't expect users to use the CRM just because you launched it. You're the expert on how your firm will use the new application.  Provide custom documentation and a help line to help them figure it out (correctly).
   
   Create a short presentation around how each job function in your firm will use the new technology. Base training around actually doing the common functions with everyone there.
   
   Write documentation that defines custom fields, procedures, and reports. This will go a long way to ensure data quality and user adoption.

Successful, complete adoption, now that you've launched the perfect CRM is your next immediate challenge. It takes time and requires management support. Future article? Maybe.

The Summary

Launching your new CRM application is exciting. It's also the perfect, and necessary, time to review how your sales process works and your data quality.

Remember

1. Meet with management and users
2. Map out the process
3. Clean data
4. Test
5. Import data
6. Train users

Follow these 6 steps, be patient, launch the new technology when you're ready, and you'll find yourself writing CRM haikus like this one:

Process, list: Perfect
Marketing, sales teams on board
Success. Big cheers. Yay!