Necessity of Training in an CRM Initiative

Here are some comments concerning the necessity of Training in an CRM initiative:

The combination of training, an effective help desk, and comprehensive systems administration all play key roles in ensuring that CRM system users are happy and determine the long-term success for the system.  Based on actual customer data that I have compiled over the past 24 years, I have concluded that for every $1 spent on CRM automation technology (e.g., hardware, software, communications equipment), $1.50 should be budgeted for training over the life of the project (typically five years). These training costs are spread over the life of the project. In other words, if you have $1 million in technology costs, you can allocate $1.5 million for training costs, which can be spread over five years (or about $300,000 per year). A greater percentage of this funding needs to be allocated to the first year of the project for application training. Other consulting firms like Gartner have over the years published a cost ratio of up to $15 of training for every $1 of equipment. While the latter ratio may be high, the message is the same: Never underestimate the importance of training for your project’s overall success.