Page 345 - DMGT308_CUSTOMER_RELATIONSHIP_MANAGEMENT

Customer Relationship Management

Notes 2. Identify and prioritize what functions need to be automated: A CRM automation audit
shall help create a roadmap to complete automation. There may be processes that are
inefficient and automating them without re-engineering is not a desirable solution.

3. Gain top management support and unequivocal commitment: No CRM strategy can ever
succeed unless the top management is totally committed to its success.
4. Employ technology smartly: Technological obsolescence is a real threat. A long term
vision and prudent planning is a must. As a thumb rule, look for open architectures,
scalability, and integration into existing systems, reliability, and support, etc. Evaluate
options and take an informed decision. Keep in mind that it may be too expensive to
reverse this decision.

5. Involve users early: Involve the likely users early in the process. They know their needs
best and can best help define the new system, for they are best aware of the old one. It is
important to make then participate in the process and ‘own’ the solution.
6. Prototype the solution: Deploy the solution on a smaller scale and test all the functions,
instead of jumping to the ‘big leap’.
7. Training: The paramount importance of training cannot be over emphasized. This is one
of the single most prevalent reasons for failures/incomplete success. A smart manager
would realize that training costs more than the combined hardware/software cost over
the solution lifecycle.
8. Allocate responsibility: It is important to ensure maximum uptime and reliability of the
system so that the users may not lose faith. Make one department/person responsible for
the CRM system.
9. Cross department management team: Form a committee with people from sales, marketing
and service departments apart from the information systems department to monitor the
CRM project.
10. Keep the employees motivated: Technology usually breeds fear and insecurity. It is desirable
to ‘sell’ to system internally before implementing it to avoid non-co-operation/resistance.

Enterprise managers are more obsessed with the product. However, experience shows that even
the best product fails to meet the desired end goals if the implementation is improper or the
training inadequate. Rushing to implement a CRM system without a prudent evaluation and
audit usually results in failure. The choice of an experienced and able consultancy organization
is usually very critical.



Caselet The Power of E-mail

t’s not uncommon to hear the argument, “B2B sales are done in person.” That same
sentiment is often paired with “social is for B2C,” or “email is B2C.” But, at this week’s
IConnections 2012 Conference in Indiana, another story is being told by an unlikely
source: Volvo Construction Equipment.
I’m talking excavators, pipelayers, and demolition equipment. The type of equipment
some of us played with as kids, in not-to-scale Tonka Toy versions. But these guys are
moving big equipment, and big money, and they’re doing it with integrated customer
data and email as essential parts to their internet marketing strategy.

Contd...

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