HIRED! The Podcast (Ft. Brian Gardner) | Ep. #60
Why CRM Fails—And What CEOs Must Do About It
In an industry known for physical grit and long-standing processes, the digital tools meant to support sales often get treated like an afterthought. Manufacturing companies are investing in CRMs, but few are using them well and even fewer are seeing the ROI.
CRM is supposed to be the backbone of modern sales. So why does it so often fall short? In Episode 60 of HIRED! The Podcast, host Travis Miller sits down with Brian Gardner, founder of SalesProcess360 and author of CEO for CRM, to unpack why CRM success is so elusive — and what leaders may be missing. From misalignment with sales culture to lack of leadership ownership, Gardner reveals what needs to change. He also discusses the roadblocks that industrial companies face as they move toward AI and automation, and why modern tech demands more than just good intentions.
If CRM Is Just a Tool, You’re Already Losing
At first glance, CRM feels like a digital tool — a place to log activities, track opportunities, pull reports. But as Gardner explains, that’s a shallow interpretation. When CRM is treated like a database, it becomes one more box to check. When it’s treated like infrastructure, it changes the way teams sell.
In the industrial space, where inside sales, outside reps, and customer support often work the same account, alignment is everything. A well-implemented CRM isn’t just helping management see the numbers, it’s helping teams act as one. And when that alignment breaks down, the software starts collecting dust.
Everyone Uses CRM. No One Owns It.
Leadership often assumes CRM is someone else’s job. IT launches it. Operations maintains it. Sales fills it out. But no one really owns it. And that, Gardner argues, is the heart of the problem.
He introduces the concept of a “CEO for CRM” — not a new title, but a critical mindset. It’s about designating someone inside the sales organization to drive strategy, adoption, and consistency. Someone who can make sure CRM isn’t just implemented, but actually used in service of how the company sells.
Without that kind of ownership, CRM tends to drift. Processes fragment. Data gets messy. Reports lose meaning. Gardner isn’t anti-software. He’s pro-leadership. And for CRM to succeed, someone has to steer.
Stop Blaming the Reps
There’s a pattern in failed CRM rollouts: blame the reps. They’re not using it. They’re not updating records. They’re not “bought in.” But as Gardner points out, resistance usually isn’t laziness. It’s logic. If reps don’t see personal value in CRM, why would they embrace it?
One story he shares says more than any slide deck. A top-performing salesperson, initially resistant, ended up using CRM to prove his role in a major account. That data didn’t just boost his commission, it gave him leverage and recognition. After that, he didn’t need convincing.
The lesson: CRM has to work for the rep, not just the company. When reps can use it to protect and promote their work, it becomes less of a burden and more of a tool.
Don’t Automate the Mess
As buzz builds around AI and automation, many industrial companies are eager to modernize. But Gardner warns that without foundational systems in place, those ambitions are premature. CRM, at its best, lays the groundwork for more intelligent tools. But only if the data is consistent, the process is clear, and the culture is ready.
“You’ve got to put in the work first,” he says. AI can’t fix chaos. It can only scale what’s already there.
This is where the conversation widens. CRM is no longer just about deals and dashboards. It’s about building the digital muscle needed for whatever comes next.
CRM Isn’t the Answer. It’s the Mirror.
Whether you’re running a sales org, managing a team, or just tired of watching CRM initiatives go nowhere, this episode offers more than critique. It offers clarity. Gardner doesn’t talk about features. He talks about behaviors. About alignment. About what actually drives ROI.
Because at the end of the day, CRM isn’t just a system. It’s a reflection of how your company sells.
Brian Gardner is the founder of SalesProcess360, a CRM consulting firm that helps industrial distributors, reps, and manufacturers align technology with sales strategy. He began his career in process control and instrumentation, rose through the ranks to executive sales leadership, and later founded and sold a CRM company. Today, he works with teams across the industrial sector to improve adoption, collaboration, and results. He is the author of ROI from CRM and CEO for CRM, and holds a degree in Industrial Technology from LSU.
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