Using customer relationship management (CRM) software has huge benefits for businesses, helping with lead generation and nurturing, conversions, and overall customer satisfaction. Research shows that businesses using CRM systems improve customer relationships, boost sales quotas, enhance productivity, and reduce labor costs.
If you’re implementing a new CRM system in your business, it’s imperative to get employees up to speed on how to use it. This article explores our top tips and tricks for training employees on CRM software usage, particularly when using Townsquare Interactive’s business management platform for all types of customer interactions — from lead tracking and email communication to online booking, estimating, and more.
1. Start With a Detailed Onboarding Plan
Onboarding employees on CRM software requires careful planning and systems to identify training goals, timelines, and individual roles. Not all employees need to use every feature the CRM offers, so it’s important to customize CRM software training to each person’s responsibilities.
For example, consider the following common scenarios when training employees on CRM software:
- Customer support and accounting personnel may need access to customer payment information, invoicing, and billing features.
- Marketing teams may need to locate purchase histories, gauge previous interactions, and set up SMS and email marketing If your business runs digital marketing campaigns using Townsquare Interactive’s tools, your marketing team will also need to know how to analyze data to optimize campaigns.
- Sales teams might need detailed training on lead tracking, follow-up, and calendar features. As we note in this article, CRM implementation can generate up to 29% higher sales, making CRM software training a worthwhile investment of time and resources.
2. Highlight Key CRM Features
Once you’ve narrowed down which team members need access and what type of training they need, it’s time to get into the feature specifics.
Most CRM platforms, including Townsquare Interactive’s, offer several key features to help with various aspects of managing customer relationships. You can break your training into the following modules to help each team understand the purpose and function of each feature as it relates to their daily responsibilities:
- Lead tracking: Employees can track incoming leads, prioritize follow-ups, and convert qualified leads into new customers.
- Online booking: With online appointment scheduling, CRM tools make it simple for customers to book services, schedule demos, and connect with your team.
- Estimating, invoicing, and billing: Easily generate estimates on the spot, send invoices, and manage billing to ensure you get paid promptly.
- Email and SMS marketing: Automated email and SMS communications let you conduct outreach, engage customers, and communicate about new products, services, and promotions.
- Marketing analytics: Digital marketers can leverage detailed insights into campaign performance to make data-driven decisions and enhance their marketing efforts.
3. Use Interactive and Hands-On Training
When training employees on CRM software, hands-on training will give them a better understanding of how each feature works in real-world scenarios. Getting practical experience using the CRM software can help solidify concepts and prepare employees to implement what they’ve learned. Recognizing their progress through employee rewards and recognitions can also boost motivation and make the learning process more engaging, showing employees that their efforts to adapt to new tools are valued.
For example, you can let sales employees practice inputting and tracking a new lead, from the initial inquiry to closing a sale. Or, walk your marketing team through sending email and SMS campaigns, using mock data to simulate the process. You can also record these training sessions to help new hires get up to speed quickly.
4. Implement a Step-by-Step Learning Approach
Introduce the CRM in stages to avoid overwhelming your employees. Start with the basics, such as logging in, creating a password, navigating the dashboard tools, and managing customer information. As team members get comfortable using the software, introduce more advanced features relevant to their roles.
Your training schedule might look something like this:
- Day 1: Introduce the CRM dashboard and basic functions that pertain to each employee’s role — for instance, customer profiles and lead tracking for your sales and marketing teams.
- Day 2: Explain the platform’s communication and promotional tools, such as email and SMS campaigns. Highlight ways to analyze campaign performance for data-driven decision-making.
- Day 3: Explore estimating, invoicing, and billing to ensure your team knows how to get paid quickly and efficiently.
5. Provide Access to Ongoing Training
Once your team understands the basics of your CRM software, provide them with supplementary training resources to further their education. Video tutorials, help guides, knowledge centers, and other online resources can help your employees make the most of your CRM software. At Townsquare Interactive, for instance, we offer robust customer support, training, and educational articles.
Ensure these resources are easily accessible on your CRM dashboard or internal company portal. You may wish to conduct periodic training sessions with individuals or teams, whether in a group setting, through peer support with tech-savvy CRM users, or one-on-one for individuals who need further upskilling.
6. Set Goals and Monitor Progress
As employees get more familiar with various CRM tools, set individual and team goals for using the software. For example, if your sales team wants to increase leads by 20%, you can establish key performance indicators that measure progress toward that goal.
These periodic check-ins not only help you track CRM system usage but also gather employee feedback. Use them as opportunities to discuss successes and areas for potential improvement, helping everyone use CRM tools efficiently.
Kick Off Your CRM Software Training With Townsquare Interactive
Training employees on CRM software is an investment in your employees, your customers, and your business’s future. By following the tips above and using an all-in-one platform like Townsquare Interactive’s business management software, you can set everyone up for success in all areas — from managing customer interactions and tracking leads to improving your overall sales performance. Giving your employees the proper training they need can help position your business for steady growth and long-term success.
At Townsquare Interactive, we offer all the features you need for managing relationships throughout the customer lifecycle, including online booking, lead tracking, invoicing, billing, automation, and marketing tools. The more efficient your employees get at using these features, the better able they will be to make the most of every customer relationship. To learn more and get started, request a free quote or schedule a demo of our platform today.