Essential tasks before CRM implementation that you need to check off

There are many ways in which a CRM system can improve your moving company. From helping you deal with difficult customers, to improving your overall marketing. But, while a CRM system can be quite useful, it can also be fairly difficult to implement. A surprising number of company managers believe that all they need to do is purchase one, and start using it. In actuality, there are certain essential tasks before CRM implementation that you need to tackle so that everything runs smoothly.

Essential tasks before CRM implementation

In order for your CRM system to yield results, you need to prepare both your company and your employees. Even a modest CRM system will bring significant changes to their everyday business practices. And if you don’t prepare for it properly, it can easily cause considerable confusion and financial harm. So, the better you prepare for CRM implementation, the more you stand to gain from it.

Outline your CRM needs

The first thing to do is to outline your CRM needs. It goes without saying that you should understand what CRM is, and what it can do for you. There are different CRM and you need to understand your needs to get the right one. Are you going to use your CRM solely for customer management, or are you also going to use it as moving leads software? If you haven’t so far, we would advise that you keep reading our blog and learn as much as you can about CRM for moving companies. That way, you will know what to expect, and how to better outline your CRM needs.

Pick the right CRM system

Once you figure out what you’ll need your CRM system for, you need to pick the right one. A quick Google search will show you that there are plenty of CRM systems to choose from. And all of them come with different functionalities and different price tags. This is why it is so important that you first outline your CRM needs. We would advise you to avoid robust CRM systems and only look for those that fulfill your basic needs. It is better to use the entirety of your CRM system, and add a couple of features on your own accord. Then to get an expensive CRM system, and only use a fraction of its functionality.

A good way to compare CRM systems is to find out which systems different companies are using, and why. The more you can outline their usage of their CRM system, the better you will understand which one is best suited for you. You will likely find top picks from companies that are similar to yours, both in terms of available services and customer base.

Create an implementation team

An important thing to understand about CRM implementation is that it is a process. It is not something that simply happens, nor is it something that can be dealt with in a day or two. You need to make a team of both your employees and the CRM personnel. They will be able to prepare your current system for CRM implementation. This will entail updating your customer database, outlining different procedures for customer management, and training all the relevant staff. So, even with a well-running team, don’t expect that CRM implementation will take less than two weeks.

When going over specific procedures it is important not to assume that anything is intuitive. Just because you find some aspects of using a CRM system easy, doesn’t mean that your employees will also find it. Ideally, through training, you will explain everything in necessary detail, and ensure that no aspect is overlooked.

Outline the change in customer management

One of the biggest changes to your everyday business will be how you manage customers. While before your employees would focus on simple tasks, now they will be more freed up to tackle CRM email marketing for moving companies and robust customer data. As such, you need to outline how their jobs will change, and what you’ll expect from them. If you portray the upcoming changes in the right way, your employees will be glad to use the modern system. But, don’t take their enthusiasm for granted, and certainly don’t expect it right off the bat.

Employees that have been dealing with customer data for years might not be as thrilled to learn new systems. If you wish your CRM implementation to go well, it is important to take this into account and make necessary accommodations. As you cannot force people to learn, you should look for different ways to motivate your less enthusiastic employees.

Plan your budget

It is a common misconception that a CRM implementation will only cost as much as it says on the company website. Yes, you will have to pay for their services. But that is only a part of the total cost. Remember that CRM is a large-scale system that stands to change how you manage your entire company. It will likely alter how you deal with marketing, customer management, and lead generation. And to make the implementation seamless, you will likely have to invest further funds in these aspects. Therefore, you’d be smart to first outline what your budget will be like before you start implementing a brand new CRM system.

Final thoughts

What we’ve outlined so far are the essential tasks before CRM implementation. But, besides them, you will likely have other, smaller tasks that you’ll have to tackle. CRM implementation is rarely as straightforward as one hopes, which is why we advise you to give it your full attention. Every CRM for movers can be made to work, and yield increased revenue within a moving company. But, it is paramount that it is properly integrated, and that you organize your company around the benefits it brings.