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CRM System Implementation: Dos, Don’ts, and How to Get It Right

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Anyone who has ever been involved in CRM implementation is familiar with just how chaotic, siloed, and overwhelming it can be.

We’re here to tell you that CRM system implementation definitely doesn’t have to be chaotic, and that most of the common failures can be avoided entirely.

Whether you’re a founder or senior leader looking to move to a scalable system, or a business switching to HubSpot, or simply just a head of marketing about to roll out a CRM, we’re here to make CRM system implementation easy for anyone struggling through the process.

Here are some of the common pitfalls to avoid, what you should be doing, and a phased process for getting it right.

 

Why most CRM implementations fail

Well, before we get into the dos, it’s easier to cover the don'ts because they’re so common.

Most CRM failures aren’t just about bad platforms. They’re about bad expectations, missing strategy, and completely skipping over people and processes.

Here’s what usually goes wrong, and why:

1. No CRM function, strategy, or goals

Why it fails:

Most businesses treat CRM as a “tool” or “IT product”. The problem with this is that, without defining what success looks like (strategy), what it’s supposed to do (function), or where it fits in your business (alignment with revenue, ops, service), the CRM becomes an expensive contacts database.

If you don’t have anything to measure, how can it matter? 

2. Assuming people will just ‘use it’

Why it fails:

If your users weren’t part of the process, don’t understand how it benefits them, and haven’t had any training tailored to their job, they’ll ignore it. 

This approach treats CRM as “extra admin” rather than an enabler that enhances a user’s ability to do their job.

3. Trying to do everything at once

Why it fails:

Emphasising a big bang launch overwhelms teams and delays value. Every department wants their wishlist in phase one, but this isn’t realistic. The CRM becomes bloated, confusing, and unused.

Additionally, it’s the fastest way to blow your budget, time, and goodwill.

4. Too many people in the decision-making loop

Why it fails:

Consensus is important, but without a decision-making framework, too many voices often mean no decisions are made. Instead of discussing strategic goals, more time is spent debating features.

This is a massive barrier because it stalls or spirals a project, delaying any pay-off in the long term.

5. Lack of integration with other systems

Why it fails:

CRMs don’t work in isolation, and they’re the last thing that you should want to silo. If they can’t talk to your email platform, CMS, finance tools, or support system, you create silos instead of eliminating them.

Manual workarounds = guaranteed user frustration!

6. Poor vendor/partner support

Why it fails:

Trying to juggle it all in-house often means internal knowledge gaps. Similarly, opting for the wrong supplier - someone who doesn’t understand your business model or over-promises under tight budgets - sets you up to fail.

There needs to be a balanced level of support that suits your business needs and meets your goals.

7. No plans for change management or continuous improvement

Why it fails:

CRM is not “set and forget”, as much as we sometimes might want it to be. It’s a living system. No ongoing plan = no improvements, no optimisation, no return on investment.

If you’re not evolving your CRM over time, that means it’s stagnating!

 

The right way: Your CRM implementation approach 

This is where you flip the script. You don’t start with tools. You start with people, problems, and phased planning.


Phase One: Reality check + vision mapping

You can’t address any of your current CRM woes if you’re not ready to face the music — you need to be clear if you want the path ahead to be clear, too.

That means you need to:

  • Audit what’s broken now
    • Why do you need a new CRM? What are your current gaps, frustrations, and business impacts? If you don’t start with clarity, you’re not going to find it later, either!
  • Map what success looks like
    • It’s not enough to simply view your CRM as one of its functions (e.g., a place to store contacts). You need to view it under the lens of what it can do for your business, too (e.g., a platform that helps sales close faster).
  • Align expectations
    • There isn’t room for debates and discussions unless you want to derail the entire process. Leadership, managers, and users all need to agree on a shared outcome.


Phase Two: CRM strategy + embedding plan

Now that you know what your goals are and which gaps need to be filled, it’s time to move towards defining a clear strategy, including exactly how you’ll introduce the CRM to everyone.

  • Define your CRM function
    • If you don’t know what it’s for, how will you know how to measure its success or use it in the first place? Ask yourself, is this a sales-led CRM? A marketing intelligence hub? A customer experience engine? All three?
  • Prioritise use cases
    • Pain points are a key area of any marketing, and your CRM implementation should be no different. Brainstorm the problems your CRM should solve and start there.
  • Create an embedding plan
    • In the same way that you wouldn’t hire a new employee and ignore the onboarding process, you shouldn’t ignore onboarding your new CRM, either. Ask yourself, how will this CRM be introduced, supported, reviewed, and improved over time?

Phase Three: Choosing the right platform (fit first, features second)

It can be tempting to get sucked into what’s trending and an impressive list of features, but you should always prioritise aligning your CRM with your business goals and needs.

  • Avoid shiny tools
    • Focus your entire decision-making process on meeting your business needs, rather than being sidetracked by trend lists.
  • Consider usability, support, and flexibility
    • It’s all about striking the right balance to get the most out of your CRM. Tools like HubSpot are great because they centre the customer, not on internal admin.
  • Don’t marry the first system
    • Well, you wouldn’t have one date and ask for someone’s hand in marriage, would you? (We hope not!). You need to pilot, prototype, and test before you commit to a CRM in the long term.


Phase Four: Pilot groups + CRM champions

Making sure that all involved parties become familiar with the CRM to shape its use and processes is essential to make the day-to-day use of the CRM later down the line more seamless.

  • Pilot first
    • Instead of rolling out company-wide and potentially overwhelming everyone involved, roll out to a smaller team or single business unit first to stress-test.
  • Use CRM champions
    • The best way to adapt and grow is to get feedback and advocacy, which is why it’s so useful to identify cross-functional team members who can give real feedback, help train peers, and act as internal advocates.
  • Document learnings
    • Don’t just get the feedback and leave it — use the pilot to refine your processes, training, and expectations to get the best results.


Phase Five: Real, useful training

The best way to make sure that all users know how to use the CRM is to make training an ongoing, hands-on process, rather than a ‘one and done’ approach.

  • Split your training
    • Don’t try and tackle everything at once (unless you want to be overwhelmed beyond belief!). Split your training into one session for big-picture strategy and goals, and another for role-specific workflows.
  • Avoid feature dumps
    • Teach users how they will use the CRM day-to-day. Tailoring your training means that each user knows how to best shape their use of the CRM, rather than overemphasising features they may never use.
  • Ongoing help
    • Issues can crop up later down the line, and you need to be adaptable to changes. Instead of treating training as a one-off, offer refresher sessions, office hours, and FAQ guides.


Phase Six: Onboarding, feedback & continuous optimisation

Like any great system, proper CRM implementation will take time. Users need the space to become acquainted with the system so that they can give feedback and you can adjust accordingly.

  • Create a soft launch phase
    • Give users time to experiment, make mistakes, and adapt rather than launching full steam ahead.
  • Use feedback loops
    • Don’t be passive in your feedback process. Actively ask for insights from CRM users after 30, 60, and 90 days.
  • Build a roadmap
    • Just because your CRM is implemented, doesn’t mean it can’t be improved! Once your CRM is running, continually improve it by tying features and changes back to ROI, efficiency, or customer experience.

What makes the Astral approach different?

Well, we might be biased in saying we’re the best option even if we’re not the only option available, and here’s why:

  • We start with the people, not the tech
  • We phase the work and prioritise early value
  • We build CRM as a function, not a product
  • We say “no” to overbuilds and unrealistic timelines
  • We back everything with strategy, process, and real-world insight

If that all sounds like your cup of tea, we’d love to hear from you! Book a free CRM review with Beth here (or just an initial chat to see how we can help).

 

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