When you’re planning CRM training, it’s essential to consider who your audience is. You’ll probably be training various types of users, and each user type will have unique training requirements. By adapting your training plans to your audiences, you can deliver focused options that keep users engaged and prioritize the right content for their needs.  In this post, we’ll highlight the types of CRM training and explain the correct audience for each.  

End User Training

One of your largest training audiences are end users. Most of your employees will fall into this category. These are the people who will use CRM day-to-day as they complete their job functions. Managers, sales reps, marketing teams, customer service reps, and field service technicians are all examples of end users.

Depending on the scope of your CRM implementation, you may want to further narrow this audience by functional areas such as sales versus service, or even outside sales versus inside sales.

It’s important that your training for this audience focuses only on the functions they’ll need for their roles and covers company policies around how they’re expected to use the CRM according to data standards and security requirements.  

Power User Training

Some businesses also identify power users. These are end users who are more highly engaged with the CRM system, either because of their job function or because of their interest or background.

Power users often become ‘go to’ resources for other users, answering questions about system functions and helping build reports or dashboards for them. They can also help with testing upgrades and new features before they’re rolled out to all users.

In smaller businesses, the CRM system administrator may also fill this role. Power users typically need deeper training on base system functions, especially around reporting and dashboards.  

System Administrator Training

Your CRM system administrators must be trained on how to manage users and how to use all of the system configuration tools.

They should also understand how your CRM system has already been customized so they are comfortable building on top of previous configurations. Finally, they need to understand your change management procedures and how changes should be rolled out in your production CRM environment.  

Developer Training

Some companies employ developers to write custom code for their CRM. This isn’t necessary for most businesses, but if you have a highly customized CRM system, it may be worthwhile to have an in-house developer manage updates and build new functions. In this scenario, your developer(s) need to fully understand the core capabilities of the CRM platform and how to customize it in the safest ways.

In-house developers may also be responsible for configuring integrations with the CRM, so it’s crucial they understand the technical capabilities of the system in all its forms.   

Effective CRM training is segmented by the audience. Your CRM consultant will help you organize your training schedule to prioritize which teams are trained first and how courses are spaced out.

It’s a good idea to maintain some momentum with your training by scheduling a particular audience’s classes over consecutive days and weeks. This keeps the material fresh in their minds and helps them quickly build upon what they’re learning. If you’d like help planning your CRM training, check out our Training Services page for details on how we can assist.