QGate

Tag: Microsoft Dynamics

  • What is Data Integrity and Why does it Matter?

    What is Data Integrity and Why does it Matter?

    Data integrity refers to the consistency and accuracy of the data in your organisation. Within the context of a CRM system, maintaining robust data integrity ensures your customer records are current, accurate and free from duplication. The greater the number of errors that exist within a CRM, the less effective it is as a business tool and ROI starts to decline.

    Maintaining data integrity ensures all departments has access to the same up-to-date information, allowing for better decision-making and project coordination. It makes it easier to create timely, relevant and personalised interactions between you and your audiences, fostering trust.

    Accurate data enables businesses to segment that data to better understand their audiences and create tailored solutions to meet their needs.

    Inaccurate data could mean that communications go awry or don’t get through. It could also mean that your personalised customer experience is based on a false understanding of who that customer is. Reliable data helps to get the messages to the right people at the right time. Maintaining data integrity should therefore be a focus for every business.

    illustration of a woman sat working with lots of different types of data to maintain data integrity

    Defining data integrity in a sales context

    The purpose of a CRM system like Microsoft Dynamics 365 is to record all the critical details for every customer. This includes (but is not limited to):

    • Business name
    • Contact names
    • Website
    • Email addresses
    • Phone numbers
    • Business address(es)
    • Market vertical
    • Contact history
    • Purchase history

    You might also categorise them by pain points. You could even include personal details that support your relationship with that customer. But if any of that data is inaccurate, the entire entry becomes unreliable.

    If emails bounce your ability to communicate has been significantly reduced – especially if the rapport with that contact would make a phone call unlikely.  

    Similarly, if your contact has changed position within the company you may have to start building a relationship with someone entirely different. Who, significantly, may not see your product or service as the best option.

    Small details can equally have big consequences. A single incorrect digit on a postal or zip code can mean a piece of direct mail never arrives. Or, worse still, the client refuses to pay an invoice because the details are incorrect. Cash is king and when clients refuse to pay because you’ve made mistakes with paperwork, that king is little more than a hostage.

    Fundamentally, bad data leads to bad outcomes, resulting in wasted time, effort and lost revenue. On the other hand, strong data integrity strengthens customer relationships and empowers your sellers to maximise the potential of the CRM.

    Managing data integrity

    The truth is, it’s all too easy for mistakes to be made that reduce data integrity. Especially as often fields are populated manually. Combine that with a fast-paced environment or a team member who doesn’t see the value in maintaining data integrity and your business is on a slippery slope.

    Manual errors

    If users are inputting data manually, errors will naturally start to creep in. Manually double checking will catch some mistakes but not all, and that is assuming users can be bothered. Data entry in a CRM rarely feels like an important part of the job, right up until it stops working.

    To reduce manual errors, automate as much as possible. CRMs like Microsoft Dynamics 365 have integrations allowing data to move seamlessly between tools. It also frees up time. Where integrations aren’t available or manual entry is unavoidable, dropdowns, tick boxes and other pre-populated fields can help to offset errors.

    Duplicate records

    Associated with manual errors are duplicate records. This usually occurs when a name is entered incorrectly, the wrong title is added, or they have an alternative email address. Automation can help to offset this by linking your email tools with your CRM. This can help to reduce duplications, but your CRM should have de-dupe functionality.

    Platforms like Dynamics 365 have de-duplication detection rules baked in as standard. This should catch most duplicates, but you should still practice good data discipline to minimise potential errors.

    Keeping accurate records

    If you’re fortunate enough to have the kind of rapport with your clients that they notify you of internal changes, your data becomes much easier to manage.

    However, that won’t always be the case and personnel changes can often catch team members off guard. This is understandable; however, everyone needs to be clear on the procedure when a contact moves on.

    • Confirm who the new point of contact is
    • Double-check the title and spelling
    • Capture email address
    • Capture phone number
    • Confirm if they are operating out of the same office

    This information needs to go into the CRM immediately. Both creating a new contact and ensuring it has attached to the business profile as well.

    Try to reach out to the new contact early on to understand what their objectives are moving forward. Or, if they’re not yet a client, if their requirements have changed. Establishing this early and giving the business time to pivot as needed will help to retain that opportunity. Because customers don’t always make you aware of a change in circumstances, it’s up to you to keep on top of them. That means making a habit of regularly checking contact details – for example, against email signatures – and having periodic conversations with the customer to ensure all the other information in your records is accurate.

    illustration of managing different data sources via a smart device

    How to sustain data integrity

    Maintaining data integrity is part of a wider philosophy around the free flow of information. It can’t be one person’s responsibility to look after the data the business runs on. It, along with any other aspect of business sustainability, is a shared responsibility.

    Culture

    Data integrity needs to be woven into the fabric of the business. The culture of your business needs to reflect the company’s attitude towards data integrity. If the senior leadership team does not take it seriously then chances are no one else will.

    The only way to maintain data integrity is for everyone to understand both the importance and need to proactively manage data. Rather than assuming it can wait or that someone else will do it.

    Without a shared ethos around data integrity the CRM can’t work properly. If the CRM isn’t working properly, sales suffer. Make data integrity part of your induction process for new starters and hold regular training sessions to ensure everyone is fully up to speed. Both in terms of the platform and what’s expected of them.

    This will also make it easier to spot anyone who is struggling with the CRM or has picked up bad habits.

    Audit and clean-up

    Task account managers with the job of auditing and cleaning up their accounts in the CRM. Depending on the state of your data integrity, you might need to do this monthly, quarterly or twice a year, but we wouldn’t recommend leaving it any longer than that. Check that the contact details are up-to-date and make sure you’ve acted on any new information that has been sent through. If the account managers are in regular contact with their clients, this information should be in a healthy state.

    Consistency is key

    Data consistency is an essential component of data management. That means standardising how fields are completed. Full country names rather than abbreviations or phone numbers with the country code or not, etc.

    Establish the status quo and enforce it. Have a process in place to fix errors as they arise, whether it’s the person who owns the relationship with the client/contact or the last person who accessed the record.

    You can also use your CRM to be specific about formatting, either using drop-down lists for things like regions or countries or insisting that mobile numbers all begin with a country code. Where customers are providing their own data, you can also take extra steps to secure data integrity by sending an email to confirm the information you hold on them is correct. You must be careful here as you can only contact an individual within an organisation about the data you hold for them, not anyone else. To do so could be a data protection breach.

    Data integrity matters because people matter

    We have established in other articles that people buy from people, and that the more personalised the customer experience, the more valued they feel. Data integrity is critical to personalisation and aids user adoption by making the CRM more reliable and more valuable to sellers. An advanced CRM system, data integrity and user adoption go hand-in-hand – just like the fire triangle, you need all three to create a flame. So, if you are in any doubt as to the integrity of your data, we would strongly advise you to audit and clean up your CRM and instil a culture of data quality as soon as possible. It’s in everyone’s interests to maximise data integrity, and with new tools and integrations, it doesn’t need to be a labour- or time-intensive task.

    If you need help implementing a new data integrity strategy, get in touch.

    Woman on a call using white headphones

    Let’s talk!

    Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we help businesses like yours navigate Microsoft Dynamics 365 recovery and deployments.

    Learn more
  • The Role of User Adoption in Maximising CRM ROI

    The Role of User Adoption in Maximising CRM ROI

    Like any tool, the CRM can only provide value when it is well used. User adoption is integral to a CRM deployment’s success or failure. Low user adoption is almost always why CRMs don’t deliver the expected return on investment (ROI). Acknowledging this risk enables you to prepare accordingly and eliminate those issues that obstruct or dilute a successful CRM deployment.

    Equally, so is understanding the human factor behind low user adoption. Some team members may fear the technology, and others may fear for their jobs. In most cases, the reluctance to adopt any new solution usually comes from a lack of understanding.

    This is entirely forgivable considering how broad the term CRM has become and how complex a platform like Dynamics 365 can be.

    While it may seem straightforward to state the benefits of a CRM, the reality is getting to grips with Dynamics CRM takes time, support and training.

    However, before you can consider training you first need to establish what you hope to gain from deploying a CRM. Defining what success from your CRM project is fundamental to its success from the perspectives of user adoption and ROI.

    How to calculate the ROI of a CRM

    Return on investment, or ROI, is a simple measurement to evaluate how well an investment has performed. For something like an ad campaign, this is straightforward: the cost of the campaign versus the revenue it generated. Calculating the value of your CRM can be harder to quantify. It’s not easy to put a price on better customer service. Similarly, it’s not always apparent how many opportunities would be lost by team members not being able to collaborate via a single platform.

    As with other SaaS platforms, establishing a means of measuring performance will indicate how your CRM is performing.  For example:

    • Time to close – With a stronger customer relationship and a better-informed approach, it should be easier to close deals, reducing the time spent on each sale.
    • Increased deal size – As above, a CRM supports sales and should help increase the value of every deal.
    • More sales – With a smarter sales approach, you should also be able to increase the number of deals closed.
    • More repeat customers – Happy customers return for more, so if you’re using the CRM to strengthen the customer relationship you should see customers returning and referring.

    There are, of course, additional benefits that may be harder to monitor. Closer collaboration across departments results in an improved work environment. Happier staff stay in their jobs for longer, meaning your team gains experience. It must be said, though, that a good CRM tool alone cannot achieve all these things. It’s just a tool – designed to make the job easier, not to replace people or the relationships they form. So, the number one key to CRM success is user adoption.

    an isometric illustration of the evolution of business and product adoption with people interacting at the different stages.

    User adoption – the make or breaker

    The success of any software deployment hinges on both the rate and duration of user adoption. The faster your team picks it up and the longer they use it, the more successful that deployment is.

    In our experience, low user adoption is the main reason CRM systems fail to deliver the expected ROI.

    Despite the sophisticated capabilities of modern CRM systems, you have to think of them as a tool, just like any other. Any tool used incorrectly will, over time, degrade or even break.

    This is true whether you’re using a hammer, machinery or sophisticated software. But rather than blame our poor adoption or lack of training, we usually blame the tool, replace it and the whole thing starts again. The frequency and severity of the misuse will directly correlate to the speed at which it becomes unusable.  

    User adoption is a journey; it cannot be forced, although many try. In WalkMe’s annual report State of Digital Adoption 2022, 60% of decision-makers are concerned about whether digital projects will provide the expected ROI because end-users aren’t adopting the technology quickly enough.

    Low user uptake results in poor performance and poor performance results in lower user uptake. It becomes a vicious cycle that’s hard to break.  The key, therefore, is understanding what obstacles exist in your organisation that could hamper adoption.

    This is something of a hard look-in-the-mirror conversation, as those obstacles can be anything from capacity to budget to individuals.

    Failure to Adopt

    There are many reasons why users don’t engage with new software. The first and most obvious is resistance to change. People may not be entirely happy with the status quo, but at least they know where they stand. Introducing new software, especially something as vast as a CRM, can be intimidating. Not least because it can often mean a change in process, or a formalisation of processes when historically team members have been free to operate as they saw fit. Some may perceive the CRM deployment as an unnecessary change – especially if they haven’t understood the benefits.

    Be under no illusions, you need to get your deployment right. Bad software deployment can cost time and money to remedy or replace. In extreme cases, they can be an existential threat when you factor in the potential data loss that can ensue.

    To make your deployment successful, you must treat your team like customers. Take them on a journey of the new CRM and get their buy-in.

    Another common reason for low user adoption is poor communication around the new system. This encompasses both the ‘why’ – the reason for bringing in a new CRM – and the ‘how’. If users aren’t properly trained to use the CRM, they won’t understand how to maximise the benefits. It’s unreasonable to expect users to ‘have a play’ and ‘come back to us if you have any questions’. Especially with something so complex and feature-rich as a CRM like Microsoft Dynamics 365.  Take a user-centric approach to both CRM design and rollout to ensure maximum adoption.

    Anything that stands between your CRM and user adoption also stands between your CRM and ROI.

    It’s critical to think about CRM rollout and onboarding while you’re choosing which CRM to go with. Not only the functionality and how quickly it can be deployed but how quickly it can be adopted.

    How to improve user adoption

    The best way to improve CRM user adoption is to help users understand the WIIFM (what’s in it for me). Communication is key, and it must start before you introduce the new system.

    Involve users in the selection process

    Talk to users about what they like or don’t like about the current way of working. This will allow you to build a picture of what they need from a new CRM system. Make sure they understand the change is to benefit them, so you need their feedback on what ‘better’ looks like. Of course, they won’t necessarily know all the capabilities a CRM can offer and what those benefits could be. Take the time to introduce the options fully before making a decision.

    Talk up the benefits

    You know the pain points from both a business and user perspective. Use this information to communicate the benefits of the chosen CRM – and communicate them widely. Don’t rely on sporadic updates to get the message across. Think about what channels are available to you and how they can be used to get your message out. Put posters on the wall if that’s what it takes.

    Build a pilot team

    Often when new software is rolled out across a business, you start with a core team who are committed to the project and willing to be the guinea pigs. Starting small doesn’t enable you to get the full benefit of the CRM, but you can hope to develop an evangelical group of ‘experts’ who have familiarised themselves with the system enough to help communicate those benefits to the wider team. These evangelists will help boost adoption.

    Streamline and customise the CRM to meet user needs

    As a result of that earlier work liaising with and seeking feedback from users, you should have a good idea of what you want to achieve with your CRM and how you can tailor the system to meet your usage. Customising the interface to directly align with those needs demonstrates that you’ve listened to and understood your users’ WIIFM and ensures they can get maximum use out of the CRM.

    Provide comprehensive training and support

    If people don’t know how to use the CRM, they won’t use it. Or they’ll use it poorly, which amounts to the same thing – a low ROI. We would suggest training is offered on both a mandated, regular basis during rollout and on-demand long term. Easy-to-access resources allow users to solve issues as they arise. Long, information-heavy, webinars are unlikely to inspire anyone; you’re better off with a little-and-often approach, such as weekly ‘lunch and learns’ that break down the CRM’s capabilities piece by piece.

    Establish clear expectations The less people use a CRM, the less effective it is. Make it clear from the outset that this tool is not optional; it is mandatory – not just for the individual user’s benefit, but for the entire business. Be strategic about the rollout and set clear goals. Your CRM provider should be able to help define those with you and set out ways to measure progress so that you can assess how successful your rollout has been.

    Illustration of a user accessing support resources.

    Pulling the Trigger

    An advanced, customised CRM system can transform your business through effective management of customer relationships throughout the sales and after-sales process. But this is only made possible by people using it properly and often. Low user adoption is the number one reason CRM implementation fails, so getting users onboard from the outset is critical.

    Think about this as a sale – you’re selling users on the concept of CRM, so you need to pull out all the same tools you would ordinarily deploy to close a deal. Understanding their pain points; refining the solution; talking up the benefits and supporting them once the deal is done to ensure you end up with a happy customer. This is how you guarantee a good ROI.


    If you want to ensure a successful CRM implementation, talk to us about how we can help you maximise your ROI.

    Woman on a call using white headphones

    Let’s Talk

    Get in touch with us today to learn more about how we help businesses like yours navigate Microsoft Dynamics 365 recovery and deployments.

    Learn more