How to Get Your Accounting Team to Use CRM

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Some helpful tips for encouraging your team of accounting professionals to adopt a CRM system.

One of the questions we often field is, “How do I get my team to commit to using our accounting CRM?” User adoption is certainly a common snag for firms that employ a CRM system. It can be a huge source of frustration for the system administrator. On top of that, it is frustrating for firm leaders to watch a significant investment go to waste.

 

Teach Your Team to Adopt a CRM

So how do you get your accounting team to adopt a CRM? Read on for some helpful tips.

Communicate Thoroughly

You will fail at getting your team to adopt a CRM if they don’t understand the “why” behind the system. The best way to do this is to hold an office-wide meeting where you explain what the system is for, how using it is beneficial, and what implementation will look like. Make sure you open up the floor for questions so that you can clarify any misgivings.

In addition to explaining why using the CRM system is important, you should clearly communicate your expectations. That is, tell your team that using CRM is part of their job now, and that you expect them to adopt the new system.

Lead by Example

It is not enough just to tell your team to use the CRM—firm leaders need to set an example by adopting the system themselves. If you choose a system that offers accountability tools, such as a firm dashboard, it will be easy for your team to see that their leaders are actively participating. Encourage your leaders to send out a firm-wide email when they have a notable success due to using the CRM. Tell them to share what they accomplished and how the CRM system was integral in the process. Encourage team members at all levels to share their stories, too!

Offer Training

If you don’t teach your team how to use the CRM properly, then you are setting them up for failure. Try out these tips for training your team thoroughly:

  • Be sure to take advantage of any training sessions that your CRM provider offers.
  • Make sure that any resources your CRM provider shares with you get passed along to the team.
  • Take note of your team’s most skilled CRM adopters and direct teammates who require help to them.

Incentivize Your Team

Some firms have found success in developing an incentive program to inspire their team to adopt a new CRM. Check out this video to learn what ABLE user firm BMSS did to motivate their team:

If you’d rather not watch a video, check out this blog entry.

Adopt a CRM Today

When you choose ABLE for your accounting firm, our team is prepared to assist you along every step of implementation. From initial training sessions, to free refresher webinars, to facilitated pipeline meetings, we are here to help. We are invested in the success of your firm. Let us help you teach your team to adopt a CRM.

To learn more, sign up for a free, no-obligations demo today.