Customer relationship management (CRM) is one of those tricky solutions that can provide significant benefit to the organization, or it can cost a lot of money, sit on the server and never provide any benefit to the organization. The difference is in the approach taken from management and how the implementation is governed.

Clate Mask, President of Infusion Software (News - Alert), recently posted a blog regarding the strengths of CRM software. In this blog, Mask noted that with any good technology, there is always a hidden benefit waiting for the right entrepreneur to profit from it. The hidden benefit in CRM lies within the personal value that it creates.

Expanding upon this thought, Mask also highlighted that Infusion Software focuses on encouraging employees to truly embrace CRM. This approach is critical for any organization seeking to maximize their CRM investment. If employees do not embrace it, they will not use it and therefore the solution will fail to return any investment worth calculating.

Within the first week of being hired, Infusion Software employees – no matter what position they fill – receive training on Infusion CRM and are encouraged to explore it until they are comfortable with each of the features. Mask has taken to listening to employees share stories of how they are using the marketing software to their own benefit and the results are surprising.   

For some employees, they have found that the marketing software has helped them to sell their homes, even in a slow market. Others have found it valuable as a time management tool. Still other employees have used the marketing software to keep in contact with friends and family.

Employee blogs and other websites have been improved by using the marketing software and some employees have even found the marketing software is useful in promoting church, city and other functions.

Mask also wrote in the blog: “I will not be surprised when CRM systems have completely saturated businesses and start making their way into the homes of average consumers. Because of the extensive features CRM offers, the possibilities are endless for businesses, employees, and consumers alike.”

Mask’s words are most certainly right on target, but this widespread adoption and integrated use must start with the basics. Infusion proves this mantra by making employee training a key focus and can thus truly drive success of its CRM solutions.