Change management: Smooth transition to new CRM system | Gedys

As a sales manager, CRM manager or manager, you can guarantee the successful and efficient introduction of CRM software that keeps employees motivated and supports your project.

Develop your own change management plan

Every company is different. That is why there is no simple template that fits all. What's more, the introduction of CRM software can take several months, depending on the scope of the programme, the customisations and the number of users.

Don't just tailor your individual change process plan to the specific needs of the company and its stakeholders. Also consider the specific problems and factors that could arise during the implementation process in your organisation and have a negative impact on it. This will enable you to develop and plan appropriate countermeasures at an early stage. In addition to employee resistance to innovations, negative factors include budget cuts, a shortage of skilled labour or a change in management.

Use one of the popular change management models as a guide

Use a model to outline your change management plan, even if not all of the points in the model are applicable to your organisation.

A recognised approach for implementing change in organisations is, for example, the 8-step model by John Paul Kotter, former professor at Harvard Business School in Cambridge (USA). Wilfried Krüger, former professor of organisation, corporate management and human resources management at the University of Giessen, later summarised this model in 5 phases.

Its streamlining is beneficial because the focus on preparation, knowledge and training ensures that those involved are better equipped to use the system and are therefore more likely to adopt it. The flexibility of the model also allows you to tailor the plan to your specific needs and requirements and adapt it in the event of unforeseen changes.

In our CRM projects, we go one step beyond the Krüger model and apply agile principles to large-scale projects and roll-outs:

1. Development of a target image
2. Selection of a sub-area or department of the company in which the CRM system will be implemented and tested
3. Gaining knowledge
4. Adaptation of the approach
5. Selection of the next sub-area, implementation and testing of the new approach
6. Gaining new knowledge for the approach in the next sub-area of the company, etc.

Put together a competent change management team

Avoid these mistakes in your change management process

Example 1: Stakeholders are not involved

If there are no regular meetings with those involved during the entire implementation process, your change management team will not receive any feedback and you will recognise any problems too late. If you do not regulate communication within the company, there will be a lack of transparency, which is crucial for motivation and a positive attitude towards the new CRM software.

It is therefore essential to create a clear communication plan that outlines goals, expectations and timelines. To reduce uncertainty on the employee side, you should make a statement on these points at the start of the project, but also convey that you will take your colleagues' concerns into account. Anchor the vision with guiding principles that you put up on posters throughout the company. After the opening, make sure that all employees are regularly informed about all steps. For example, via regular newsletters. Create an environment for regular dialogue in which your employees feel comfortable asking questions or giving feedback.

Example 2: Announced changes are not honoured

Without support and the provision of resources from the management level of your organisation, employees will lack confidence in the planned changes. If managers do not stand behind your change mission and do not honour announcements, change management becomes untrustworthy and undermines the motivation of those involved. Change needs a credible sponsor!
As a change management leader, you should therefore lead the way and encourage employees to be open to change. Your active commitment will help to ensure that everyone remains motivated during the process and identifies with, accepts and utilises the new system.

Example 3: Training for the new system is saved

If you don't provide training on the new CRM system (for cost reasons, for example), employees won't find their way around the software. No matter how intuitive the programme may be. This not only leads to cumbersome searches and long processing times, but also to frustration and reluctance. Due to a lack of knowledge, data is processed incorrectly, not retrieved, supposedly deleted, cannot be analysed correctly or shared with colleagues. Workarounds are devised and make utilisation ineffective.

Training on the new software during the entire implementation process and regularly afterwards ensures understanding, acceptance and efficiency. The training should be tailored to the roles and responsibilities of the individual employees in the company as well as their technical knowledge.

"You can't successfully introduce CRM in SMEs without change management. I have experienced this time and again in 25 years of CRM practice. The lack of transparency and knowledge almost always means that a newly acquired system is hardly ever used."

Lars Bolender,
Change management strategist
at Gedys Intraware

Example 4: No measurable targets that are regularly reviewed

Without formulating targets in the form of measurable figures for topics such as filing emails, creating visit reports or creating quotations for sales opportunities, you cannot monitor the utilisation of the CRM system. Employees may become less motivated because they have not established a routine.

In the first three months, regularly review the use of the system based on the previously defined goals. Motivate your employees to persevere and keep going by publicising achieved targets and thus maintaining discipline. Also publicise smaller milestones such as: ‘80% of emails have already been documented in CRM!’ or: ‘A visit report has been created for every appointment since the CRM was introduced!’.