Want stronger Salesforce adoption? All sorts of solutions exist. But you won’t get full value from any of them if you don’t remember to do this: Stay in touch with the people who use the CRM from day to day.
We know — “stay in touch” is a broad phrase. Here’s what it means to us…
1. Getting started as soon as you can
Management typically makes the decision to bring on Salesforce, but implementation – beginning with development – needs to involve the entire team. And that involvement should start with some simple conversations between you and the individuals who will be using the platform.
You need to get a pulse on where they stand, so try questions like this:
- What would you want to get out of a platform like this?
- What fears do you have about us moving forward with Salesforce?
- What tools do you think would be helpful?
Chances are, those you talk to won’t stand alone in their opinions – make sure to consider that. Also make sure not to stop after these three questions. Gather as much insight as you possibly can. Take the time to assess your organization. Then, of course, develop your Salesforce org based on the needs you uncover.
In the meantime, here’s what you’ll really be doing:
1. Ensuring that you’re actually developing a Salesforce org that will be useful to your end user
2. Helping to set up strong Salesforce adoption, since you’ll be showing your team from the start that the purpose of the platform is to bring them, and the organization, value
2. Making sure it continues
Getting in these initial conversations is huge, but the key is to keep them going. Once Salesforce is up and running, check in with your team regularly to understand how it’s all working. Ask questions like:
- What does Salesforce offer that helps you most?
- Is there anything that you’re unhappy with when it comes to the platform?
- Is there anything you feel like you need to learn more about to better use Salesforce?
- How could we modify the platform to make your job easier?
Implement changes based on what you learn as often as you can. Then, as soon as you do, clearly communicate to the entire team that those changes came from them.
Just don’t forget this as you move forward: Your company’s leaders are end users, too. (In fact, it’s crucial to to your team’s Salesforce adoption that they are.) That means you need to involve them in these conversations. Adoption truly comes when you can show your entire team the value the platform has to offer. So make sure things are working well for management, too.
Eventually, once you get this down, you’ll get to a point where users actually appreciate the changes you make to your org. It may not be all the time, and it may not be as direct as a flat-out “thanks” — but you’ll certainly see gratitude when your team knows that you’re acting based on their suggestions and needs.
Moving forward, use that appreciation as your litmus. In other words, if your team resists new Salesforce features or fights you on changes to your org, you’re just not there yet. Keep the conversations going, though, and you’ll be on your way.
