1. Starting with choosing a system, not with the process
Comparing CRM features before the sales process is documented is like buying furniture before planning the flat. First the deal stages, the criteria for moving between them and the roles — then the system.
2. Automating chaos
If every sales rep sells their own way, the CRM will just record that chaos. You need a single pipeline and a minimum standard for working with customers. Optimising the sales process before implementation helps.
3. Too many required fields
Twenty fields in a deal card guarantee that reps will start filling them in “just to have something”. Keep only the data actually used in decisions and reports.
4. Nobody owns the system
A CRM needs an owner — a person responsible for configuration, data quality and development. Without one, the system becomes outdated within months.
5. No training
One presentation at the start isn’t training. You need short instructions, videos, testing and support in the first weeks. It’s handy when courses live in the same system — for example, in a corporate LMS.
6. The CRM lives apart from the rest of the company
Sales depend on approvals of discounts and contracts, on the warehouse and accounting. If these processes bypass the CRM, the sales rep is back to running between chats. That’s why we recommend seeing the CRM as part of a company portal where sales are linked to processes and tasks.
7. Reports aren’t used in management
If the manager runs the meeting off a spreadsheet someone put together by hand, reps quickly realise the CRM is a formality. The meeting should run off the system’s dashboard.
8. A “big bang” rollout
Launching everything at once for all departments is the maximum risk. Better a pilot with one team, refinement — and then scaling.
9. No motivation to use it
Working in the CRM must pay off for the sales rep: less routine, reminders, a transparent bonus. Sales gamification works well — points and leaderboards for actions in the system.
Checklist before launching a CRM
- The sales process and pipeline stages are documented.
- A minimum set of fields and reports is defined.
- There’s a system owner and a training plan.
- The CRM is linked to approvals, contracts and tasks.
- A pilot and success metrics are planned.
We do CRM implementation around your process — on Folck or integrated with your current system.