5 Things Everyone Gets Wrong about CRM Data Migration
A major part of any CRM implementation is migrating data. This process involves getting input from multiple departments, creating processes, and (of course) your data.
Since migration is so challenging, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. But don’t fret. You can tackle migration one step at a time.
You’ll be able to navigate your way through the successful migration of CRM data by sidestepping these common pitfalls:
Data Pulled from Multiple Sources
Before you migrate your data, you need to identify where your data lives. So check in with all customer-facing teams, and find out where they store their data. This data might be in a CRM system, Excel files, Google Drive, Desktop, Dropbox, emails, or an old-school file cabinet.
Once you find all the data, you need to determine which location has the most accurate information. If you try to cobble together data from multiple sources, it could be a difficult undertaking.
Consolidation is a major task, and it’s prone to user error. It is possible to successfully navigate migration via this route, but prepare yourself for complications and headaches. Instead, figure out which source is the most accurate, and go from there.
Additionally, don’t make the mistake of setting up the new system like the old one. Remember, you’re making a change for a reason.
No Clean Data
One of the most important goals of CRM data migration is having clean data, which involves detecting and removing any corrupt or inaccurate records from your files. Remember, your CRM migration partner is not responsible for cleaning your data; you are.
To correctly clean your data, you need to have dedicated team members who understand the process and have enough time to complete the task. It’s not just about finding the most accurate data source and transferring it over to the new system.
For instance, some team members may have logged a secondary phone number in the email address field because there was no other place to put it in the old system. If you transfer that information as is, it will end up in the wrong data field, which could lead to more confusion for your team.
So you can save yourself trouble down the road by allocating the time to qualified team members. Then you can take things one step farther by normalizing your data, which will create easier user input, easier filtering with normalized values, and generate more meaningful reports.
Lacking a Point Person
Who’s overseeing your data migration? Who’s in charge of making decisions? Sometimes, it’s the same person. Other times, a point person presents information to the decision-maker. Either way, you need to have a true CRM project manager who focuses on migration. If the CRM data migration is delegated to an undedicated employee, your timeline will keep getting pushed back. Even worse, it may never get completed.
Look for a candidate with the following attributes:
- A passion for meeting deadlines
- Appreciation for the project
- Good management skills (time and people)
- An understanding of the new system
- Knowledge about the goals of the new system
Misunderstanding Team Roles
Once you establish who your point person is, determine who else is involved in the migration process. The project manager will be working with designated stakeholders, such as sales members and members of the IT department.
Many project managers factor in every possible stakeholder, but this decision is a mistake because it weighs down the project too much. You need to put a process in place that determines who the decision-makers are, and how much of a say they have.
Not Sticking to a Timeline
While there may be small adjustments to your project timeline, too many companies get into the weeds during their CRM data migration. Instead, go through your process, migrate your data, and go from there. You can keep things moving if you set short- and long-term goals.
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