A lot of things can go wrong with a CRM implementation, but rarely are they technical.
I just spoke at the Causeis Digital First conference in Kingscliff and the Associations Forum Databases and Systems Summit this week in Sydney. Both conferences were focused on Association Management Systems or CRMs for membership-based organisations.
After hearing so many other presenters talk, the clear common theme was that there are a lot of things that can go wrong with a CRM implementation, but usually they are based on non-technical causes like:
- Poor governance
- Poor decisions
- Picking the wrong implementation partner
- Poor planning
- Wrong people involved, or not involved enough
- Poor processes
- Overly complex membership model
In almost all cases, rarely have the lessons learned been around the technology itself.
In fact, here’s a list of things that can go wrong with a CRM implementation that I included in one of my presentations:
How to avoid all the things that can go wrong with a CRM implementation
So, how do you avoid these? Here’s my shortlist of recommendations:
- Recognise your need to replace your CRM early.
- Ensure ALL requirements are identified, including for other departments and cybersecurity.
- Review your operations, including the membership model (if relevant) early, to see if you can simplify it.
- Understand a CRM implementation’s full cost before requesting budget approval. Don’t forget to add contingencies!
- Choose a vendor or vendor partner that knows your industry!
- Include as many people as possible in the selection process.
- Avoid customising the system as much as possible.
- Ensure the “right” people can fully support the implementation.
- Do not forget to budget and plan for support and training post-Go-Live.
Final thoughts
There will always be things that go wrong with a CRM implementation. However, if you consider this advice, I guarantee that you’ll have a much smoother journey.
I regularly help Not for Profits with CRM and other IT system investment decisions. Let me know if you need some help.
P.S. If you found this article helpful, you might want to read these too:
Tammy Ven Dange is a former charity CEO, Association President, Not for Profit Board Member and IT Executive. Today, she helps NFPs with strategic IT decisions, especially around investments.