Want long-term success when you’re implementing Dynamics 365 for Sales, or any CRM for that matter? Get buy-in from your Sales team up front. I’ve seen organizations discount or outright dismiss the need to have input from the Sales team, particularly in a scenario where IT drives the project. The risks are many: poor design, failure in adoption, wasted time, wasted money. In other words – frowns all around.
Left Brain vs. Right Brain
Not to get all Dr. Drew on you, but IT people and Salespeople think and perceive the world very differently. IT people tend to be the left brainers and Salespeople right brainers. There’s often a credibility gap between these departments. Sales feels hemmed in by IT’s buying decisions and policies. IT gets tired of Sales ignoring the rules and their general lack of “getting it” when it comes to technology. In most cases this culture clash remains below the surface where it amounts to little more than mutual annoyance.
Kumbaya Moment
When it comes to implementing your sales automation platform you want to have a Kumbaya moment and get these groups on the same page. Pull in 1 or 2 representatives from Sales that understand sales best practice and are adept with technology. They’ll provide invaluable insight into the functional aspects of the system, and start developing a sense of ownership in the project. The ownership part is important. Without it they will look at the system as an imposition, not an asset. It would be wise to elect these Sales representative as the system champions, helping explain the design to their colleagues and helping with how-to questions after you go live.
IT still has a big part to play in managing the technical areas that need to be addressed. Things like data migration, client software and hardware compatibility, and project management. These are just 3 areas where the IT department will be better suited to contributing to the success of the project.
With communication, respect, teamwork and the proper leadership, implementing Dynamics 365 for Sales will be a successful venture. If you’d like some help and guidance contact us. We’re here to help.
By Mark Abes, Vice-President Sales and Marketing, Dyn365Pros, Microsoft Dynamics 365 Partner, San Diego, Southern California.
