A sales tool is only valuable if it’s utilized. It may have all the capabilities in the world, but if no one uses it then you’re not obtaining that value. Salesforce.com is no different. Salesforce can drive significant improvements in workflow, but it’s also a relatively expensive tool. When widely adopted though, the ROI from Salesforce can be astronomical. However, when Salesforce adoption doesn’t completely take hold, ROI remains stagnant.
Adoption of any technology is typically a function of ease-of-use and value. A technology that’s easy to use but doesn’t have much value isn’t worth adopting because it’s a waste of time. A technology that’s valuable but hard to use may be worth adopting if its value exceeds the time it takes to make it work.
Some people will categorize Salesforce.com in the second category, being extremely valuable but a bit difficult to adopt. The best case scenario is a technology with a lot of value and is easy to use — maximum value for minimum time investment. We built Cirrus Insight with that goal in mind — provide a high ROI for customers by delivering an enterprise-grade app that is as easy to use as a consumer app. We’re hoping to help you fit Salesforce into the best-case-scenario category as well.
That’s why we’ve teamed up with WalkMe to present a webinar on how to make Salesforce easy for the end user. They are ultimately the ones who determine the how effective implementation will be, so their buy in is essential.
Take a look at these 4 simple steps for a more efficient Salesforce adoption as an appetizer for the webinar, How to Use Gmail and Onscreen Guidance to Instantly Boost Salesforce Adoption and Increase User Productivity on February 3rd at 1:00 PM EST.
Communicate and Train Employees Effectively
In order for Salesforce adoption to go smoothly, the benefits of using the platform must be communicated efficiently to the entire team. It’s easy for Salesforce admins to get passionate about the advantages of widespread CRM adoption, but your passion may not always translate over to sales reps. That’s why it’s critical to…
Have a Salesforce Champion in Your Office
A Salesforce Champion can be the Salesforce admin, a C-level executive, or really any manager in the office. If management buys whole-heartedly into the adoption of Salesforce, others will follow the example. When employees see their boss using Chatter or referencing reports in SFDC, they will see the importance of using this new platform firsthand.
In addition to management adopting Salesforce, also look for sales reps who are enthusiastic about the new system. Those positive individuals who adopt the new technology early on can have a substantial influence on adoption, especially if reporting a lot of great success using it.
Introduce Gamification
Once you have communicated the importance of Salesforce, trained employees effectively, and have your Salesforce champion(s), it’s time to introduce Gamification. Gamification aims to keep users engaged throughout the roll-out of a Salesforce CRM solution. Measuring and rewarding those reps who not only adopt the application but excel in adoption is imperative to the success of Salesforce implementation. Gamification feeds off the natural competition that exists among employees who want to succeed. When competitive juices begin to flow, the benefits of Salesforce’s CRM becomes evident. Users no longer need to be told why to adopt Salesforce. They can now see the results.
Tie Compensation to Usage
It isn’t just enough to introduce some friendly competition into the workplace, sometimes employees need some skin in the game. You might be amazed at how quickly people will embrace something when their payment depends on putting opportunities and customer information into Salesforce. Adopt the mantra, “If it’s not in Salesforce CRM, then it doesn’t exist.” It’s an easy way to ensure user behavior aligns with the business objectives.
What now?
Very few organizations (if any) achieve 100% Salesforce adoption. However, it’s not ideal to strive for perfection. Using these four techniques and more that will be discussed in the webinar Tuesday, you can begin to realize a higher adoption which will certainly lead to a higher ROI.
Colin Carson works as an Inbound Marketing Specialist at Cirrus Insight. He has had significant experience managing their social media presence as well as creating meaningful content to improve SEO and lead generation. Colin just graduated from the University of Tennessee with a degree in Supply Chain Management.