In today’s increasingly digital world, implementing a new Constituent Relationship Advancement (CRM) platform with a remote team has become more common. This approach offers flexibility and access to a broader talent pool but also presents unique challenges.
We’ve created a comprehensive guide highlighting critical aspects of successful remote CRM implementation. From creating a detailed project scope to developing a comprehensive plan, here’s what to consider.
Create a Clear and Detailed Advancement CRM Project Scope
A clear and detailed project scope is vital when working with a remote team. Often, remote teams allot more time for team members to contemplate independently. This can lead to varied interpretations of the project scope if it hasn’t been properly defined.
An unclear project scope causes a chaotic CRM implementation process.
You can avoid this challenge by creating a project scope with as much detail as possible.
Here are questions to consider as you define the key areas in your project scope.
- Software platform: What software platform will you use, and what tasks will it perform? Itemize all functional areas that will be included in the CRM implementation.
- Configuration and customization: What customizations (if any) will you integrate into your CRM platform? Determine the extent of configuration or customization allowed within the platform.
- Data migration: Will you migrate data? If so, specify data sources, the level of data transformation required, and the extent of data clean-up needed.
- Data integrations: Are you planning to integrate data? If so, define what data integrations will be addressed and their order of priority. Data integration is usually completed in phases, so it’s crucial to establish priorities.
- Process optimization and workflow: What processes will be critical to your workflow? Identify the essential processes that are within and out of scope. For out-of-scope processes, choose whether to follow the prescribed workflows by the product platform or retain the current process flow.
- Documentation: How much documentation will be created and what will be prioritized? Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) are often overlooked but are essential for CRM implementation user adoption. Pro tip: documenting everything at once is rarely a good strategy.
- Training: How will you train users? Define how your CRM training will be delivered and who will be trained. Will you include custom role-based courses and materials or offer standard training on software features and functionality?
- Dashboards and reporting: What dashboards will you use, and how will you complete reporting? Prioritization for dashboards and reporting is crucial because these areas can quickly become a rabbit hole. Clearly outline what reports and dashboards will be developed for the initial CRM implementation.
Addressing these areas in detail creates a solid foundation for your remote CRM implementation—reducing misunderstandings and scope creep.
Consider Iterative Planning
The iterative planning approach breaks down the project planning process into small, manageable work efforts. Iterative planning complements shorter attention spans, a reality today, especially in remote work environments.
The iterative planning approach allows for regular check-ins and adjustments and ensures the entire CRM implementation team remains aligned throughout the implementation process.
This method differs from the traditional approach of long-hours in-person planning and may not necessarily be better or worse. Instead, it’s an adaptation to our changing world and work environments. Iterative planning recognizes the unique challenges of remote work and provides a structure to overcome them.
Develop a Comprehensive Plan
After you’ve clearly defined your project scope, you can develop a comprehensive plan. Your plan should answer three key questions.
- What needs to be done?
- Who needs to do it?
- When does it need to happen?
Your comprehensive plan should also identify potential risks that could derail your CRM implementation efforts. An agile project management methodology is highly recommended for remote CRM implementations. Here’s an example of an agile project management structure.
- Prototype: Releases 1–5
- Refinement: Releases 1–3
- Production: Final Release
Organize a series of working sessions for the prototype releases to develop the comprehensive plan further.
Level 1 Working Sessions
Level one working sessions are small group discussions (maximum of three people for effective remote communication) facilitated by team leads. The goal during the level one working session is to document the following.
- What needs to be done?
- Who needs to do it?
- Assign a level of effort (initially using general categories like a day, week, or month)
- Identify potential risks that could derail the project
The outcome from these working sessions should be a task list ordered by the start date, with each task assigned to an individual with primary responsibility. Level 1 working session task duration should not exceed one week.
Level 2 Working Sessions
Project team leads present their approaches and task lists in level two working session.
The main objective during level two working sessions is to identify all dependencies between the tasks of corresponding teams. The outcome should address the following.
- Task dependencies
- Mitigation plans identifying high likelihood and high impact risks
Level 3 Working Sessions
During the level three working sessions, the project manager organizes the input from previous sessions and creates a comprehensive plan. This process must be completed for each project stage far in advance of its start date.
Create Space for Feedback and Engagement
A clear project scope and comprehensive plan are crucial. The success of your remote CRM implementation is heavily dependent on continuous feedback and engagement from stakeholders.
In a remote atmosphere, it’s easy to miss informal conversations that often lead to valuable insights. It’s critical to create spaces for these interactions intentionally.
The Virtual Water Cooler
In an office setting, it may be cliché, but many important conversations happen organically by the water cooler or in the hallway. And in a remote environment, you must create the virtual equivalent. Examples are as follows.
- Regular, informal video chat sessions where team members can drop in
- A dedicated Slack channel for casual conversation
- Virtual coffee breaks or lunch sessions
These virtual water cooler spaces allow users and subject matter experts (SMEs) to share their experiences with the project in a low-pressure environment. Often, the casual conversations reveal valuable insights about the CRM implementation progress and possible improvements.
Structured Feedback Sessions
In addition to creating informal virtual spaces, it’s important to have structured feedback sessions throughout the CRM implementation project. Structured feedback sessions should include end-users and the project team.
- User feedback: Regular check-ins with end-users provide invaluable information about how the new CRM is being received. Are there features they’re struggling with? Or functionalities they love? What about pain points you hadn’t anticipated? This feedback allows you to adjust your CRM implementation strategy in real time.
- Project team retrospectives: The traditional “lessons learned” session at the end of a CRM implementation project is no longer sufficient. Instead, implement short project team retrospectives at the end of each CRM implementation project stage. This allows the team to reflect on what’s working well and what needs improvement and immediately apply these learnings to the next stage.
Implement Feedback
Collecting feedback is only valuable if you act on it. Create a process for reviewing and implementing feedback. Practice transparency about how you’re using the feedback to improve the CRM implementation process. This will increase CRM adoption success and stakeholder buy-in because they see their input valued and acted upon.
Implementing a new advancement CRM platform with a remote team requires careful planning, clear communication, and continuous engagement. While remote CRM implementation may present unique challenges, with the right approach, it can lead to a successful CRM platform launch that meets your advancement needs.