So you’ve spent the right amount of time and money to clean up your data, and have had a successful CRM implementation.
But remember: The work doesn’t stop the minute you hit Go.
After importing the data, set standards and processes to ensure that the data remains clean in your CRM system going forward. Your success with CRM is highly dependent on the quality of the data that lives in it. There is no silver bullet to the data challenge, but many CRM systems can be configured with checks and balances that prompt the user to enter the correct format for an email, for example, or will alert you when you’ve added a duplicate name.
Communicate why it’s important to have quality data in the system to everyone who uses it. Give them a reason to take care of the data beyond “because I said so.” If your team knows the contacts will be used for marketing campaigns and other efforts, they will be more apt to ensure the contact information is correct, especially email addresses.