A few key points…

April 30, 2007 Richard Boardman

The following are notes from a presentation I gave last week which boil down a lot of my thinking on implementing CRM systems:

The challenges of implementing a successful CRM system are more numerous and complex than might appear to be the case. In this respect there are a number of key points we would raise about implementing CRM technology:

CRM technology on its own can not produce results.

The project should have clearly defined business goals.

The processes required to achieve those goals should be embedded in the technology in a way that is intuitive and ergonomic for the user.

Projects generally benefit from being broken down into bite-size pieces.

Training should be given to all users in the context of the organizations processes and that substantial training resource is put in place to ensure initial user take up.

While critical to success, the challenge of achieving consistent and structured usage over time is generally significantly underestimated.

On the other hand the returns on investment of running a successful system are frequently underestimated, and can become a very significant source of competitive advantage.

Reporting should be delivered from the system and will become a key means of validating that usage is occurring in a structured and consistent manner.

There should be an active administrative resource monitoring that defined processes are being followed and that the quality of data being entered into the system is high.

There needs to be active executive sponsorship particularly in respect to addressing resistance to usage. If the management are not using the technology as a tool to manage the business the system is unlikely to provide any material return on investment.

Training is provided to new staff joining the organization in a timely manner and in context to the business processes they will be undertaking.

There is an effective change management programme designed to ensure the system is enhanced over time and adapts to the changing needs of the business.

It should be noted that this approach will involve a higher overhead than currently incurred and will be more demanding on management time, however we believe that the benefits of the additional investment will, if successfully executed, significantly outweigh the additional costs involved.