CRM Sins
Sin of Strategy: Talking in terms of the definition of Customer Relationship Management with respect to the company without understanding its relevance with respect to business objectives is often the first flaw in the strategy. Misunderstanding of business objectives being a common flaw, this implies that the complexity of the CRM solution is rarely understood well enough, thereby leading to problems later on.
Sin of Expectation: Staff often equate automation of processes as having a detrimental effect on their current role in the organization. Thereby, the procedure through which the staff is informed suddenly of a decision to purchase a CRM solution is doomed even before the start. This is because companies focus more on the rigor in the installation procedure rather than educating the affected and concerned employees as to how the CRM solution adds value to the organization and allows for effective customer interaction.
Sin of Definition: Very often, customer executives do not set quantifiable and achievable metrics against which to measure the success of the CRM solution. For example, customer loyalty, customer profitability and customer value are all mentioned in the same breath when questions about the objectives of the CRM solution are raised. It is very rare to achieve all 3 specially when dealing with a first time solution.
Sin of Speed: Organisations still haven’t sorted out the benefits and drawbacks of the ASP model. It works something like this. The small firms think ASP is too costly, despite it being proven that ASP often leads to cost savings. Large companies think that the ASP model is meant only for smaller companies that typically lack any significant infrastructure. Companies also often make the mistake of incorrectly estimating their resources and skill sets before jumping onto an ASP model which is why it would be best to perform a thorough analysis before making any decisions.
Sin of Stagnation: Like any building with its masonry on a rickety foundation that’s a disaster waiting to happen, a CRM solution that is used to overlay old and redundant procedures and business practices is of no use and performs no value addition. Ideally, the CRM solution should be used as a catalyst to modify the existing structure to make it efficient. Here, one very important thought would help. Business processes should always be defined from the customer’s perspective, not from that of the technology used to serve the customer.
Sin of Integration: Data about a customer exists at various points. It is collected from varying entry points at a company’s interface to the customer. It is then stored on a variety of platforms depending on the entry point and the nature of the information. Therefore, there is huge difficulty in co-relating and integrating all this data into a single cohesive and intelligible block which allows the company to understand the customer’s needs better.
Sin of Communication: CRM is an ongoing process. A huge and important part of any CRM solution is the ability of the organization to recognize its evolving requirement profile as it interacts with diverse clients. This requires that an efficient channel be set up throughout the entire organization allowing for modifications/improvement suggestions to be communicated even all the way to the highest levels. Bottom line being that: One should never hesitate to tell everyone within the company about the merits of the CRM solution.
eSpecial Softech is a niche CRM solutions company. They are a UK SugarCRM partner who with a team of a highly qualified professionals, excel in providing clients with the best CRM solution backed by exceptional service.
Their extensive experience with leading software vendors, the performing mindset and focus on state-of-the art technologies enables them to attract and retain world-class professionals who thrive on helping their clients succeed.
Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - CRM Sins