Identifying and Preparing Your CRM Super Users
Super users are extremely important to your CRM ecosystem and successful implementation. Don’t wait until you roll out the system to include them in the project. Super users should be scouted and identified at the start of the project as key stakeholders, and they will offer great insight along the way.
Role of the Super User
These essential individuals should be allowed to use their voice and offer to fill any gaps between the team implementing the project and the end users. Have them conduct user testing throughout the implementation which will allow you to identify areas where processes haven’t been thought through.
Super users will have a valuable understanding of end users’ pain points and can point out challenging aspects of a process the implementation team may not see. Selecting key super users that are well-respected, can explain their business processes, and are excited and willing will be crucial to rev up other users. These rock stars should be enthusiastic and able to train others to utilize the system most effectively.
Do all of your departments have a voice? Include representatives from all departments and you will gain a holistic understanding of how your processes affect other business units and set yourself up for success.
Selecting your Super Users
Often these individuals are already identified on your team. These are the top performers that take on more than their job description calls for and are willing to swoop in and offer help. At other times, you ask someone to step up, and they do.
Super users should be technically adept, comfortable troubleshooting and identifying errors, as well as extremely knowledgeable about respective processes they support. Having a can-do, positive attitude, excellent communication skills, and being solution orientated are desirable qualities in selecting the right super users for your CRM engagement.
Setting Expectations
Super users can’t sign off once the CRM goes live. As integral as they are in the beginning stages of the project, their passion and enthusiasm will have a key correlation to user adoption. They will remain vital members of the ecosystem and need to understand what they’ve signed up for.
Providing them guidance on hours they should dedicate to the project, initiatives they need to be involved in, and having a clear path to escalation will help you select those best suited for success.
It Takes a Village
We’ve all heard the saying, “it takes a village to raise a child.” In this case, your CRM is the child. You’ve invested a wealth of time and resources to implement a CRM system to assist with aligning your business to your customers, now make sure your investment pays off. With every child, you need to
Create them: Choose the best CRM system for your organization and business initiatives, and develop a project plan for implementation.
Nurture them: Ensure your users conduct meetings around what data is in the CRM, and add valuable data to drive better business decisions.
Clean them: Prioritize the quality of your data to keep it clean.
Love them: Allow users to have a voice, and review reports generated outside the system. Work on ways to incorporate that data in your CRM system to streamline it.
Grow them: As your business grows and changes, your CRM system will grow and change. Select a CRM administrator that will monitor and update the system, selecting integrations and upgrades to ensure the integrity and value of the system and the data it generates.
As essential as it is to have high-quality super users, they can’t do it alone. Ensure they have executive buy-in and support from all levels of the business. With everyone working toward a common goal and utilizing the CRM effectively, you will have valuable data to drive better business decisions.
Select capable, rock star super users early. Ensure they know your expectations, and provide them with the necessary support, and you’re one step closer to having a successful CRM implementation. They will prove to be valuable assets that will assist with user adoption, eliminating the main factor causing CRMs to fail.
