“It’s like a treadmill. It doesn’t do anyone any good by itself. You actually have to use it.” This was the comment made by a software representative at lunch the other day.

What a perfect way to describe Customer Relationship Management software, most commonly referred to by the acronym CRM. In order for it to yield the benefits it was designed to deliver, it must be utilized regularly.

So what is CRM anyway? As defined by Wikipedia, “CRM consists of the processes a company uses to track and organize its contacts with its current and prospective customers.”

At LBMC we have spent time and resources on our CRM system to keep it functioning efficiently and effectively, but it still must have the ‘human’ factor to make it the tool it was truly meant to be! It is a challenge, but with continuous reinforcement and training, utilization of the tool continues to grow. After all, it can do the work of many-- and keeping track of clients and prospects is the lifeblood of our business.

I wonder how much time and money other companies have spent on software or systems. Perhaps hundreds and millions of dollars are spent to adjust or purchase software or systems to fit a company’s need. In reality, many of these systems fail and they fail more often than not because nobody uses them regularly. Sure, you can get on the treadmill once a month, but how much good does it really do you?

In a tough economy where money is tight, efficiency and effectiveness are of most importance. As you make adjustments at your company in the coming months, you might think about which treadmills you might throw out or update; and which ones should be getting more use to drive your business’ bottom line.

How many treadmills (systems) are gathering dust in your office?