Why Is CRM Implementation So Complex?

Source: Äri-IT Spring 2025

Author: Marek Maido, Marketing Manager, BCS Itera

Managing Change in the Company.

Implementing a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system can be a real headache for many companies. It’s not just about installing new software; it’s about managing significant organizational change.

CRM isn’t just a customer management tool; it’s a valuable information asset for your entire company. It centralizes data on both current and potential clients, showing you their location and providing crucial insights into sales opportunities.

Having worked with business solutions for nearly 15 years, I’ve consistently seen that salespeople are often the most challenging group when it comes to managing change. There are several reasons for this, but their resistance frequently becomes a major stumbling block for successful CRM implementations.

A 2018 Harvard Business Review article (Scott Edinger (2018). ”Why CRM Projects Fail and How to Make Them More Successful.” – Harvard Business Review) stated that approximately 70% of CRM projects fail, with some estimates even higher. The reasons for failure vary, including budget and schedule overruns, data quality issues, and, critically, difficulties with change management.

It’s important to understand that ”failure” doesn’t always mean a project is abandoned or an investment is written off. Sometimes, it simply means project deadlines need to be extended or data management processes have to be redesigned.

Successful CRM Project Launch Starts with Change Management

Before choosing the right solution or partner, it’s essential to thoroughly plan the project’s initiation. This includes involving the entire sales team from the earliest stages. The internationally recognized ADKAR change management model suggests breaking the process into five stages:

Awareness > Desire > Knowledge > Ability > Reinforce.

Resistance to change often stems from fear and uncertainty, which are natural and common human reactions to new situations. Salespeople might ask:

• Does this mean I’ll lose my job?
• Will my workload significantly increase?
• Will I be able to use these new tools?

In today’s challenging economic climate, sales teams are already pushing their limits to achieve results. This can lead to an unwillingness to take on additional tasks.

While data analysis can provide valuable insights into sales performance and help identify opportunities for process improvement, we shouldn’t underestimate its potential to create fear:

• Will my work now be monitored daily and compared to others?
• Will poor results lead to penalties?

To successfully manage change, it’s crucial to understand and address these fears through clear communication, comprehensive training, and continuous support.

Information Magic: Data-Driven Management

One of the biggest hurdles in CRM implementation is often the clash between expectations and fears. For example, there’s the fear of increased workload, losing client relationships, or constant monitoring. The company hopes that all customer communication, history, and future plans will be accessible in the system. Salespeople, however, worry that this will mean a lot of extra work. CRM typically requires more structured data entry than before, which can lead to resistance.

There’s a common misconception that implementing an IT system always means less data entry. This isn’t the case with CRM; data entry is a prerequisite for the expected benefits.

Here are some typical examples of data recorded in a CRM for a sales opportunity or client:

• Source (web, client initiative, campaign, etc.)
• Responsible sales manager
• Deal probability and budget
• Next activity and its deadline
• Planned sales closing date
• Proposals and entire communication history (including memos and notes)

If a company hasn’t used a customer management system before, getting the team accustomed to data entry is often one of the biggest challenges. Therefore, it’s essential to provide training and explain how accurate and up-to-date data will ultimately simplify their work and help them better utilize sales opportunities.

Slice the Bread!

For larger organizations, we’ve often recommended phasing in CRM implementation. For example, you could differentiate between managing existing customer data and potential sales opportunities (leads). Another option is to start with a limited scope, such as one or two sales regions, and then expand to the entire organization. If you have a large sales team, it’s smart to start with a smaller target group to shape and test processes and the solution.

Every new solution requires a period of user interface refinement – some fields might be hidden, others highlighted. Initially, there’s often a plan to input more information than is actually needed, but later it’s realized that not everything is necessary. Also, during implementation, company processes often need to be changed, making it sensible to test these with a smaller group first.

Breaking the project into stages helps reduce the burden on the entire organization – the first test group tackles the initial difficulties, and other departments can then adopt the system more quickly.

Fundamentals of Sales Team Change Management

One of the most critical factors for a new program’s success is the early involvement of leaders, especially sales managers. Engage leaders from the outset: explain the upcoming changes and win them over early as change champions. It’s crucial to involve both managers and salespeople in shaping the solution and processes, and to provide a clear overview of decisions made and their reasoning.

CRM implementation isn’t just about technology or filling out reports, as sales teams often mistakenly perceive it. This misconception frequently arises because CRM is associated solely with data entry and oversight, rather than with streamlining the sales process and expanding sales opportunities. It’s a tool that helps sell better, supports the sales process, and enables more efficient management of the customer base and territories. When the team grasps the true value of CRM, the project’s success rate significantly increases.

After implementation, it’s vital to show managers how they can use the data entered by salespeople to make better management decisions. Highlight success stories and recognize those who set a good example to reinforce agreed-upon system usage. If salespeople don’t see their entered data being actively used, they might question the necessity of data entry and lose motivation. It’s also beneficial to identify top performers within the team who can serve as role models and encourage others to use the solution.

Key factors for sales team change management:

• Early involvement of leaders – ensures processes are managed and well-thought-out from the start.
• Thorough training and continuous support – gives the team confidence and knowledge to use the new solution.
• Regular and open communication with the team – keeps everyone informed about changes and progress.
• Consistent monitoring and validation of solution usage – helps identify and resolve potential bottlenecks.
• Celebrating progress and wins – motivates the team and reinforces achievements.
• Setting clear goals – provides everyone with a unified target and metrics for evaluating progress.
• Implementing and embedding a new work culture – ensures changes become a permanent part of daily work.

The Critical Phase Begins After Implementation: The Counter-Pressure Method

The biggest challenge in CRM implementation isn’t installing the software; it’s embedding its daily use. It’s often assumed that after training, employees will automatically start using the new solution, but in reality, the organization and its leaders are often unwittingly tested. Employees test how consistently managers demand and support the use of the new system.

This is where the counter-pressure method comes in. Leaders must consciously and persistently guide employees to abandon old habits and use the new system. For example, at least once a week, sales managers could review sales projects and new client contact details with the team in the CRM, filling in any missing fields. Modern CRM solutions often come with comprehensive reporting that highlights potential deficiencies, such as uncompleted activities, overdue deadlines, or missing budgets.

For instance, in our company, a sales project cannot exist without a planned next activity. If there’s no activity, it means the sales opportunity isn’t being actively pursued.

CRM: An Essential Tool for Maintaining Competitiveness

CRM isn’t just useful; it’s an essential tool for maintaining and increasing a company’s competitiveness. Beyond the software investment, it requires targeted development of the sales organization. Software alone doesn’t perform miracles – achieving success requires a concerted effort from both leaders and the entire team.

The primary reason CRM implementation fails is when the system is treated as a control mechanism rather than a tool for improving the sales process. Improving processes, however, is precisely the key to increasing competitiveness.