VTSL: business phone systems, hosted VoIP solutions, telecoms technology

5 Tricks to Get Staff Using the CRM System

Written by Audra Oliver | 15-Aug-2014 14:35:00

Everybody loves CRM systems.  Next to Wikipedia and the Daily Mail they are the best place to go for just about anything you need to know.  But keeping them updated and used properly is always a challenge, even if you have a company full of dropdown field-loving staff.

 

So what can you do to get your employees using the CRM System?

 

1. Connect it to your phone system

 

The absolute best way to get your staff to keep Salesforce (or whatever system you use) updated, is to make it virtually effortless.  With VTSL, the VoIP business phone provider, you can have your Salesforce account and VTSL phones instantly connected with their Salesforce Integration application.  Calls are easily logged, staff can click to dial right from a contact record, and incoming callers are recognised with all their relevant records popping up.  Learn more here.

 

2. Offer staff a carrot (the kind they like)

 

One company was so desperate for everyone to update their Sugar CRM records, they had a Champagne-Sugar evening, where everyone was supposed to stay an hour late, drink champagne and update the system.  What happened however, was a group of rebels gathered everyone up and took them to the pub.  So the carrot has to be something your employees care about.  Extra holiday days work well, but if you can’t do that, try giving a way nice dinners or a case of decent wine.  Champagne alone at your desk probably won’t cut it.

 

3. Make sure they know how

 

The biggest barrier to doing something is not knowing how, and let’s face it—as intuitive as today’s CRM systems say they are, they are all different and many are more counter-intuitive than sense-making.  Most CRM systems offer staff training packages, both in person and via webinars, which is a great place to start. What is most effective however is one-on-one, repeated, in-person training.  How you make that happen will likely require some ingenuity, but be well worth it.

 

4. Remind them regularly

 

We remember the things we care about; we have a hard time remembering the things we don’t.  And it is safe to say very few people actually care about how well Salesforce has been updated any given week.  What can you do?  Send email reminders weekly or monthly reminding staff of exactly what they need to enter and update.  Offer them help if they don’t know how.  Give them a deadline when it has to be done by.

 

5. Public humiliation

 

If all else fails, create a Salesforce Shame Shoe.  This is a manky old shoe that gets tied to the door knob or chair of the person doing the worst job of keeping their records updated.  Gross, but surprisingly effective.

 

You can read more about having your CRM system work with your phones here, or talk to a VTSL advisor today on 020 7078 3200.