Thinking about rolling out Akoonu to your team? Or maybe you’ve already signed up and now you're staring down the long road of getting everyone to actually use it. This guide is for you. Whether you're a sales ops lead, a CRM admin, or the unlucky soul who got “volunteered” to own this project, here's how to make onboarding suck less—and actually stick.
Let’s skip the pep talk about “digital transformation” and get to what works, what doesn’t, and where most teams go wrong.
Step 1: Get Real About Why You’re Using Akoonu
Before you even send out a single invite, be honest: why are you bringing Akoonu into the mix?
- Define the core problem. Are you trying to get better pipeline visibility? Standardize deal stages? Or did someone upstairs just like the demo?
- Write it down. If you can’t summarize it in a sentence, you’re not ready.
- Share with your team. People adopt tools to solve their problems, not management’s. Tie Akoonu to how it’ll make their day easier (think: less manual updates, fewer status meetings).
Pro tip: If your main reason is “because leadership said so,” expect pushback. Find at least one real pain point Akoonu can address for the team, or adoption will be dead on arrival.
Step 2: Clean Up Your CRM Before You Add Another Layer
Akoonu sits on top of your existing CRM (usually Salesforce). If your CRM data is a mess, Akoonu will just make that mess more obvious.
- Audit your fields and stages. Delete or hide anything you aren’t using.
- Standardize naming. If your reps all use different terms for the same thing, Akoonu’s playbooks and dashboards will be confusing.
- Fix ownership issues. Make sure deals and accounts are assigned to real people, not “Sales User 1.”
What to ignore: Don’t waste a week obsessing over every last field—just fix the stuff that will trip people up when they first log in.
Step 3: Start Small—Don’t Onboard the Whole Company at Once
It’s tempting to roll Akoonu out to everyone. Resist. Start with a pilot group:
- Pick your test group. Choose 5–10 reps, a manager, and maybe someone from ops.
- Look for skeptics and fans. You want honest feedback, not just cheerleaders.
- Run a real sales cycle. Don’t “test” Akoonu with dummy data. Use it on live deals.
Why this works: You’ll catch workflow issues, missing fields, or confusing playbooks before the whole team gets frustrated.
Step 4: Build (and Test) Your Sales Playbooks in Akoonu
Akoonu’s big selling point is guided selling—structured playbooks that map to your sales process. But don’t just copy-paste your old process.
- Work with your best reps. Get their input on what actually happens in deals, not just what’s “supposed” to happen.
- Keep playbooks simple. Too many steps or required fields? Reps will click past them or ignore Akoonu entirely.
- Test edge cases. What happens when a deal skips a stage, goes cold, or gets revived?
What doesn’t work: Building a “perfect” playbook in a vacuum, then dumping it on the team. Iterate. Expect to make changes after the first month.
Step 5: Train in Short, Focused Bursts (Not a 2-Hour Zoom)
No one wants another marathon training session. Keep it practical:
- Do a 30-minute live walkthrough. Show how to update a deal, use playbooks, and what’s different from your old process.
- Record it. People will forget. Give them a link to watch later.
- Make cheat sheets. One-pagers with screenshots beat a 50-slide deck every time.
- Answer “what’s in it for me?” Show reps how Akoonu helps them close deals faster or avoid busywork.
Skip: Over-explaining every feature. Focus on what they’ll use day one.
Step 6: Set Clear Expectations and Accountability
If using Akoonu is optional, most people will opt out.
- Make it part of the process. Updating deals in Akoonu = updating the CRM.
- Managers need to use it too. If pipeline reviews happen in PowerPoint, not Akoonu, reps will follow suit.
- Set a “go-live” date. After this, all deals should be updated in Akoonu—no exceptions.
What to watch for: If managers aren’t modeling Akoonu use, adoption will stall. Coach them first.
Step 7: Get Fast Feedback and Make Changes
You’ll miss stuff. That’s normal. The trick is catching it early.
- Weekly check-ins. Ask your pilot group what’s confusing, annoying, or broken.
- Fix obvious pain points fast. If a required field is pointless, remove it.
- Share quick wins. If Akoonu helped a rep save time or spot a stuck deal, tell the team.
Don’t: Wait for a quarterly review to make changes. Iteration beats perfection.
Step 8: Roll Out to the Wider Team—But Keep Support Going
Once your pilot’s working, invite the rest of the team. But don’t disappear.
- Do another round of training. Use your refined materials and real-life success stories.
- Keep an eye on usage. Use Akoonu’s reporting to see who’s updating deals and who’s falling behind.
- Offer “office hours.” A weekly open call for questions can cut down on tickets and frustration.
- Update playbooks as you learn. Sales processes change—Akoonu should too.
What not to stress about: Not everyone will be a power user. Focus on the 80% of actions that matter most.
Step 9: Measure What Matters (and Ignore Vanity Metrics)
Leadership will want to know if Akoonu’s “working.” Don’t get distracted by login counts.
- Track deal progress and forecast accuracy. Are stages clearer? Is pipeline more reliable?
- Survey the team. Are updates easier? Meetings shorter? Are playbooks helping or just adding steps?
- Watch for shortcuts. If reps are updating fields just to get managers off their back, you’ve got a process, not adoption.
Pro tip: If Akoonu’s making life harder, not easier, don’t be afraid to adjust (or even pull back).
Step 10: Keep It Simple and Iterate
Akoonu is a tool, not a magic bullet. The teams who get the most out of it are the ones who:
- Start with a clear goal
- Clean up their process
- Roll out gradually
- Listen to feedback
- Don’t treat it as “set and forget”
Final thought: Don’t worry about launching the “perfect” onboarding. Get the basics working, help your team see the value, and adjust as you go. Adoption isn’t about features—it’s about making people’s jobs easier. Keep it simple, keep listening, and you’ll do just fine.