Pipedrive deployment - how to avoid common pitfalls?

Pipedrive is an easy CRM system: anyone can sign up for it, pay for it with a credit card and start using it straight away. Deployment can be done independently, and it does not take more than ten minutes for an initial set up.

If Pipedrive is so easy to deploy, why don’t we recommend the ten-minute set up? It is because it usually means headaches later on. We have found that companies that do not invest sufficient time and effort in deploying the CRM system are missing out on crucial properties and other benefits Pipedrive has got to offer. With the help of Zimple deployment we guarantee a better service experience for your clients, a crisply outlined sales pipeline and the receiving of meaningful data in the form of reports.

At Zimple, we have helped dozens and dozens of clients from different industries to start using Pipedrive. We have also helped them to clean their Pipedrive as well as to make the use of their current CRM way more effective. Our experience has brought great perspective on the dos and don’ts during the deployment process to get the most out of Pipedrive. Here are some thoughts on the subject.

Setting up basic settings

It is tempting to set up straight away all the fancy features and tools to see what you could possibly accomplish. But from our experience, it is an easy way to lose focus on the most important features that help your team in their day-to-day work.

The most important thing to figure out at first is what you want to do with Pipedrive. The basic principles of Pipedrive are handling of sales processes, data structure (meaning when and where the information is recorded into the data fields) and workflows (how your deals are progressing, how they are moving to production, what automations and activities are needed).

These things need to be in order before we can even start thinking about anything else. If the sales pipeline and information details are not set up systematically and with care, you will most likely be in trouble later on. By focusing on your sales process and gathering the right type of data about your prospects and clients, Pipedrive can be made to meet the needs of your team or organisation. That leads us to the next topic:

The system needs to serve to you, not the other way round

Whichever CRM system you use, the system needs to support your processes and needs. It is not efficient to adapt your way of working to the requirements of the system or software, but rather to set up the software in a way that helps you to reach your goals.

In that sense Pipedrive is an outstanding system. It is flexible and adaptive and a degree in computer science is not required in order to be able to modify it. But a flexible system does also have a downside: if you do not work systematically and consistently with Pipedrive, your data might become disorganised.

The foundation, meaning the sales processes and data structure, needs to be solid to prevent us from having to make changes to the software every second minute. By making modifications continuously, we might end up with a confusing platform which is not pleasant for its users. That leads to data not being recorded, which means you cannot trust the data, and therefore cannot make the right assumptions about what is happening.

Think carefully what kind of features are crucial for your business – and which features are in the category of ‘nice to have’. Move on to the ‘nice to have’ features after the foundation is set up with care to avoid taking on too much at once and confusing the users. If the users consider the CRM system as an annoying thing which is hard to use, there is a risk of the system being not used at all.

The motto for the implementation should be ‘get it right at once’ – by planning a system that is set up to serve the user, not vice versa.

Read more about Zimple Deployment.

Learn to use the system

One thing an implementation professional cannot do for a user is to learn how to use the system. Pipedrive is not hard to use, in fact it has been awarded for being the easiest CRM to use on the market. However easy it is to use, you first have to get to know the software and understand its logic. If every user uses a day or two to get to know different features for themselves, a considerable amount of resources are wasted.

The same applies to the administrator, who often is the sales manager or sales director. There is a lot to do: reading instructions, learning to use the system, finding best practices, learning workflows and being able to create, implement and figure out what is important and the list goes on. Implementation takes time and you cannot be certain whether you have missed something.

It is not a bad idea to bring in a partner who can help you by letting you know what should be considered at first and which tasks can be put aside for a later set up. A partner who can teach both the user and administrator to use the system in an efficient way from the very start.

Reporting enables analysing and planning for the future

When the foundation and data structure are set up correctly and the users are taught to use the system as it is set up to be used, we can reap the benefits of a well-functioning CRM. In this case we are talking about reports that tell you exactly what you are selling, in what time, who you are selling to, and most importantly what you are not selling, why and in which phase of your process are your deals lost. This data is usually not accessible through Excel sheets or ERP systems, and by identifying challenges in your sales process you can take steps forward and develop as a sales organisation.

With the correct use of Pipedrive, reporting is easy and provides vital information about the status of your sales and can even give you realistic forecasts. And by the way, letting a professional help you out setting up your reports will probably save you a lot of hassle. 

Summary

The technical simplicity of the implementation does not mean that it should be done hastily. Setting up your system carefully to match the needs of your organisation is the only way to ensure that the use of your CRM is worthwhile and motivating for your salespeople and ultimately shows as a better experience for your customers. With the help of an experienced partner, you will be able to easily find the right way of setting up your system and keeping the salespeople and sales managers happy.

At its best a CRM system is not only a powerful tool for salespeople, but also gathers invaluable information about your customers to help you with marketing and production. Every organisation and industry have different needs that need to be taken into account when implementing the system to serve your organisation. Here is where we really can help you, since we have experience having set up the system for a large array of companies working in different industries. Do not hesitate to contact us if you are thinking about deploying Pipedrive for your company. Let’s discuss how we can put Pipedrive into work for you! 

Have you taken advantage of our Pipedrive Playbook? If not, you can download it here.