4 questions for healthcare organization before implementing CRM

At Redpath we’re seeing more and more healthcare companies adopting CRM technologies every day and realizing the very real value these systems offer. We’re also fielding questions from companies that tried their own self-implementation and were left with a system that hasn’t lived up to their expectations. That’s why we’re using our blog today to help you get your relationship with your Salesforce CRM off on the right foot.

Ask yourself these four questions and your implementation will benefit from the added direction.

1. Who’s on your team? In some ways a CRM system is like a new medical device — it isn’t enough to bring it in the door; you need to have someone in-house who knows how to work it. For your CRM, that means having an executive sponsor who will champion the use of the system in the company, a person(s) responsible for getting the system up and running and someone to maintain it. These may not be the same people. You’ll also need to enlist the help of a handful of people who truly understand your company’s business so they can guide the CRM toward the best possible impact.

2. What are your goals? Your Salesforce system should be an investment made not because you feel you need to but to accomplish some very real goals. So what are they? Is it to make your marketing teams more agile and unified on one platform? Is it to provide a single source of truth for all materials? To create enhanced visibility of your sales efforts? To reduce administrative work? All of the above? Whatever your goals are, they should be determined before implementation to make sure your system is geared to meet your needs from day one.

3. What are your processes? One of the great things about a CRM system is its ability to be tailored to your needs. Use that to create a process that works best for you. Salesforce operates under basic terms such as lead, contact, opportunity and account. Defining each of those roles and how they fit into the process for your business will help you make the most out of your Salesforce system. Once you’ve decided on the process that works best for you, map it out in Salesforce and be sure your entire team is on board before moving forward.

4. What reports do you need? Salesforce can give you a report on anything — we mean anything. So one of the first things you’ll want to do is determine which reports are right for you. Active Accounts, Account Owners, Opportunity Pipeline and Quarterly Forecast Summary are among the most often used reports, but you should go through them all and determine which ones are most important for you. Be choosy, because the fewer reports you have, the more time you can give to each one.

We hope this has answered a few questions and given you some direction as you begin your research. And, as always, if you have a question about Salesforce implementation, please don’t hesitate to contact us.