With research from the National Computing Center (NCC) reporting that as 
many as one in three companies think their CRM training has delivered only limited benefits, organizations need to make sure their CRM training is correct to avoid underperformance.
Do you need to get your team quickly up to speed on a new software rollout or CRM? Get started by downloading our Technology User Adoption Checklist. Then call on the experts at TrainingFolks to successfully implement technology training!
With the help of a team of training consultants, we identified eight top tips that can improve your next CRM implementation. And make no mistake; CRM training is extremely critical.
Top 8 Tips for CRM Training
1. CRM training is an ongoing process
CRM training is an ongoing process and a long-term investment. Ensure you maintain the lasting value of your investment by providing refresher training courses on a regular basis. Refresh users on the importance and technicalities of the features they know and highlight new skills that can improve future performance.
Also, provide users with a go-to reference guide and encourage them to use it. This will provide comfort and security to users as they start the process of using the new system.
2. Get "buy-in" from the whole organization
One of the key factors of a successful CRM implementation is to make sure the users “buy-into” the system and understand the benefits it can deliver. Sell it! Internal marketing is sometimes underestimated, but when implementing a new CRM system you need to sell it to your organization.
Also, start the training early, with regular hints and tips emails throughout the implementation. By the time it’s live, they’ll be chomping at the bit to get started.
3. Don't overlook the importance of establishing a solid learning strategy
Prior to the CRM rollout, has your organization developed a solid learning strategy to ensure lasting value in your investment? Taking the time to develop a learning strategy can help your organization understand the spectrum of learners; i.e. in the 3,000 users that need to be trained there will be variety of learning styles. A solid learning strategy mitigates the risk of having to repeat the training and reveals barriers sooner rather than later.
4. Use the training to establish CRM training best practices
Use the opportunity of a new software rollout to establish CRM best practices right from the start – particularly around data input. This can be as simple as ensuring data is always entered in the same format; i.e. names and addresses should always be entered in Title Case, since some CRM systems read data differently if Title Case is not used.
5. Train users on what they need to know first
First things first, ensure all users are trained on how to get their job done in the system. The users will need to see how the use of the CRM software in training matches the way in which they will use it after training. For example, the sales team needs to know how to track leads and create activities to build a pipeline forecast, but explaining the multiple “stages” of opportunity records could be saved for future “refresher” training sessions.
6. Always allow enough time to train
Many organizations have a fast-paced sales environment where allowing the employee adequate time to train is frowned upon because it takes away from time they could be selling. However, if your organization is to reap the rewards of deploying a CRM, all of your users must undergo a sufficient amount of training. Training on your CRM is not a one and done activity, but should also be a process to create awareness.
7. Use gamification and make training fun
Your sales team in particular will enjoy a good game - include badges, leaderboards, public recognition, and rewards. Also, the structure in gamification helps to motivate the learner because they can see they are making progress. When training is fun, but also includes challenges, this leads to high productivity, higher retention, and will pave the way for training success.
Read more about the benefits of gamification...
8. Your CRM needs to be a one-stop shop for your sales team
It's imperative to move all of your customer data from your various systems into the CRM prior to training. By centralizing all of your information, all of your stakeholders will feel more comfortable finding the information where and when they need it. This will allow the sales process to be streamlined, and will be less daunting when it comes time to train.
There are many benefits to a CRM system, you can expect to work smarter, generate more leads, follow them up better, simplify your order management and invoicing processes, provide better customer service and grow your business. With a training outsourcing partner like TrainingFolks, you’ll find the implementation process to be smooth and pain-free with the proper support and user training.
Are you thinking about making your CRM implementation virtual with a skilled team of trainers?
If so, transitioning from the more comfortable Instructor-Led Training to Virtual Instructor- Led Training (vILT) can be overwhelming, but is doable. Here are some ideas to help ease the growing pains associated with the transition:
