One of the most common challenges reported by midsized businesses is that departments within an organization operate and depend on many disparate systems. Sales may be using a sales automation system; operations may be accessing data through a proprietary tool; and, employees across the company might rely on the Microsoft® Outlook® messaging and collaboration client for e-mail communications. Functionally, individuals can complete daily tasks with relative success. However, collectively, these same individuals cannot make the best use of important information both intra- and interdepartmentally. Ultimately, the result is inconsistent or inaccurate communication with customers, which may compromise the ability to obtain repeat or new business.
Not surprisingly, since its introduction customer relationship management (CRM) has evolved to become a widely embraced tool for uniting critical business and customer information into one data source. CRM does not supersede data generated by each department; rather, it becomes a window into those departments that is accessible and usable by all parts of the organization.
Naturally, as the number of CRM implementations has grown, so has speculation about why implementations fail and what can be done to ensure a successful deployment.
While CRM software itself allows companies to establish customer management practices, two important success factors ensure the true utility and benefit of the software: methodology and training.
More than just concepts, these two factors play a significant role in whether a CRM solution is considered good or bad. Again, the technology of a CRM solution cannot be undermined; a CRM system equipped with the right balance of functionality, usability, and a true collaborative view of customers can be employed to great success.
But a poorly crafted system, with weak features, too many unnecessary features, or features that can't support an entire organization, can be the cause of its own demise. Likewise, a stable system with strong and useful features that was poorly implemented has the potential of being nothing more than a desktop icon. In these cases, users don't care to distinguish between the merits of the technology versus the merits of the implementation process; rather, users are simply disenchanted with the system and thus don't use it.
To avoid this pitfall, sound methodology and targeted training help guide implementation by enrolling an organization in the change process and by quickly empowering users to know how to use the new solution.
Not surprisingly, since its introduction customer relationship management (CRM) has evolved to become a widely embraced tool for uniting critical business and customer information into one data source. CRM does not supersede data generated by each department; rather, it becomes a window into those departments that is accessible and usable by all parts of the organization.
Naturally, as the number of CRM implementations has grown, so has speculation about why implementations fail and what can be done to ensure a successful deployment.
While CRM software itself allows companies to establish customer management practices, two important success factors ensure the true utility and benefit of the software: methodology and training.
More than just concepts, these two factors play a significant role in whether a CRM solution is considered good or bad. Again, the technology of a CRM solution cannot be undermined; a CRM system equipped with the right balance of functionality, usability, and a true collaborative view of customers can be employed to great success.
But a poorly crafted system, with weak features, too many unnecessary features, or features that can't support an entire organization, can be the cause of its own demise. Likewise, a stable system with strong and useful features that was poorly implemented has the potential of being nothing more than a desktop icon. In these cases, users don't care to distinguish between the merits of the technology versus the merits of the implementation process; rather, users are simply disenchanted with the system and thus don't use it.
To avoid this pitfall, sound methodology and targeted training help guide implementation by enrolling an organization in the change process and by quickly empowering users to know how to use the new solution.
