Creating something called a “workflow” will help make your CRM processes more manageable and less time-consuming. A workflow is essentially a series of steps you put in place to help complete a process of some kind. It can help minimize human error and keep communications consistent across departments. Workflows often involve specific actions too, like logging a customer service call and flagging to a team member to follow up. The really great news is that CRM workflows can be automated and programmed to carry out a set of tasks in response to specific triggers and circumstances.

Imagine your brand has a premium membership for its most dedicated consumers. Your CRM notices that one consumer’s membership is about to run out, so, following the workflow that you set up, it sends them a friendly reminder email to renew their membership with a personalized discount based on their buying behavior. The CRM also notices that another consumer is close to achieving the next tier of loyalty, so the CRM sends them a discounted upgrade.

Automated workflows can use artificial intelligence to complete lots of actions at once, which makes them very effective in many areas of a business. That said, not all workflows and processes should be automated. After all, many consumers expect a human touch when interacting with a brand, so when developing your workflows, consider how they’ll impact the customer experience before rolling them out.

Speaking of ‘human touch’ - when it comes to designing these CRM workflows and optimizing the implementation process, it’s important to involve teams from across your organization. Encourage them to give their two cents, whether it’s at the planning, migration or testing stages.

To keep things on track, there should also be a dedicated CRM team, or at the very least a CRM coordinator or project manager. They’ll oversee the implementation process at each stage, and they’ll be responsible for granting data access and ensuring proper data security.

Implementing a CRM is often a major digital transformation, impacting many teams across the business. It really is an ‘all-hands-on-deck’ kind of project. So, it’s also crucial to have some kind of change management plan in place. The CRM team should hold regular meetings with relevant teams, keep them informed, provide guidance and seek out valuable feedback consistently.

One way of getting everyone familiar with the new system in a manageable way is through beta testing.

Beta testing is where you give relevant users access to specific functionalities of a CRM system before the big release. It allows key players to test out the usability, reliability and compatibility of the system, and report back on their findings. This will help to identify and iron out any issues, and it gives people who will actually be using the CRM the chance to have some input.

It’s best to conduct beta testing when specific areas of the CRM are around 90% finished. After all, the testers can only give actionable feedback if they’re getting a good idea of the finished product!

As you can imagine, team training is a crucial part of CRM implementation. The CRM team or project manager will need to provide regular training sessions throughout the implementation process. The users of your CRM will need to know exactly how they’re going to be working with the new system, and people can be resistant to change, so training sessions, videos and in-person workshops will help put any reservations or confusion to rest.

This is where your business should lead with the benefits that your CRM system will bring to their roles. And, the senior leadership team should be a part of this push, too. They should also be involved throughout the implementation process - setting goals and timelines, providing management and supplying resources. They can even sign-off on competitions and incentives to encourage teams to give honest feedback and highlight areas of the new system that might benefit from some extra attention.

Workflows & Beta Testing

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