| In the last few months there has been quite a lot | | | | If he doesn't like computers, all the better. If he |
| of discussionon CRM (customer relationship | | | | later likesthe results, you can be sure everyone |
| management) solutions in the forumsand ezines. | | | | else will. Assign him fulltime as a liaison, and let him |
| Although it is extremely positive that people | | | | guide the implementation. Haveeveryone know all |
| finallystarted to talk about the one concept that | | | | the doors must be kept open for him. |
| will make the futureof a business successful or | | | | Remember, |
| unsuccessful, there are quite a fewmisconceptions | | | | CRM implementation is about KNOWLEDGE of |
| about the term. Those misconceptions make | | | | how your companyfunctions. It is about how |
| peoplelose time and energy finding solutions in | | | | EXISTING customer care procedures |
| areas they should notbe even searching, instead in | | | | (remember misconception number one?) are |
| concentrating on the reallyimportant things. | | | | automated (complemented,modified) by |
| First, the simplest and the least obvious: | | | | computers. And if there is no such person(s) |
| Customer Relationship | | | | withinyour company? Well, that leaves YOU. I bet |
| Management is about RELATIONS between | | | | you didn't want tohear this, but remember that |
| people (yes, business isdone by people, not | | | | everyday customer relationprocedures will be |
| companies). It is NOT technology. Businessdid | | | | done by your people, not the SW vendor. |
| exist before computers, so relations between | | | | Which brings us to misconception number four. |
| business peopleexisted before computers, i.e. CRM | | | | CRM is sales automation. No, no, no, it is customer |
| was not invented with theinvention of computers | | | | support. No,no, no, it's the lady who says hello |
| (just the name CRM was). The goodpractices of | | | | answering the phone on thehelpdesk. No, no, no, |
| relating with your customer did not become | | | | it's the operator who chats with thepotential |
| obsoletewith the introduction of computers, | | | | customer on the web site. Actually, it is all of |
| though the TOOLS changed. Sowe use the same | | | | theabove. In a company, sales people seldom talk |
| practices, but we take advantage of | | | | with the supportpeople. And vice versa. As if |
| thepossibilities that technology gives. It certainly is | | | | those were two differentnon competing |
| a differentexperience for the buyer if he is met | | | | companies so they have little to talk about. |
| on the web site by a humanvoice or keyboard | | | | Lastfew months everybody talks about customer |
| chat (LivePerson, FireTalk, HumanClick) whichis | | | | retention. Which isnormal as it is much easier and |
| what technology now makes possible. The | | | | cheaper to sell again to anexisting customer, than |
| technology enables usto see how the customer is | | | | to get a new one. But only if hereceived good |
| navigating through the site, and, ifwe want to, | | | | customer support and service, that is. So a good |
| interrupt him and offer assistance. But I | | | | CRM SW solution would have some data common |
| wonderwhether the customer will welcome that. | | | | to everybody (name,address, phone, etc), but |
| If you are a salesman ina brick and mortar store, | | | | also data needed by sales,procurement, helpdesk |
| you would watch the expression of thecustomer | | | | and support. This does not mean you haveto |
| and, based on that, decide to approach him or | | | | have an ERP system, it just means that you |
| not. | | | | need some extrafields which are specific to each |
| On the net you cannot see his face (it's | | | | department. Ideally, youyourself would be able to |
| questionable ifhe'll let you even if possible). In any | | | | add some extra fields as needed,without |
| case, CRM is NOTtechnology, so you will not find | | | | becoming a programmer. Which brings us to |
| your CRM solution among SWvendors. Which | | | | misconceptionnumber five. |
| brings us to the misconception number two. | | | | After the first year of coughing and hiccuping, |
| Business people tend to search for a CRM solution | | | | your CRMsolution is finally in place and humming |
| among SWdevelopers and vendors. "They know | | | | nicely. You are gettingall that nice data you |
| the technology, which I (thebusiness manager) | | | | needed, and you are finally able to watchand build |
| don't know, so they will know my needs andhow | | | | your customer relations. So you are home and |
| to implement it". If a business manager would | | | | free. Ifyou need an extra report, or an extra |
| object to sucha suggestion he would be labeled | | | | field, you'll call the SWvendor and he will make the |
| "old" and "overdue". In todayfast business lane, | | | | necessary changes. Well, that's notentirely true. |
| fortunes are made fast, and young managerstend | | | | The life of your company is not static. Itchanges |
| to "buy" a CRM software solution. CRM should | | | | daily. The same way, your CRM solution cannot |
| already be inplace, functioning, BEFORE starting IT | | | | be static. |
| implementation (who hasto forward which info to | | | | If your sales person needs to call an IT liaison, |
| whom to be ready for who, when? Who hasto | | | | explain to himthe change he needs, then to the |
| respond to what in how much time?). CRM | | | | SW developer, then wait forimplementation, you |
| Software solution isonly a TOOL for procedures | | | | can be sure that he will not do it. He willrather |
| already in place. Let me draw aparallel. | | | | scribble it into his note book or the Excel sheet |
| With the invention of cars, the way we conduct | | | | onhis notebook. He should be able to do just that |
| business changed. | | | | in your CRMsolution. Which means you should |
| We could do much more business and do it | | | | have a modifiable solution, onein which you can |
| better. But never once,it occurred to us to let | | | | add fields and tell the system how to handlethem. |
| auto designers lead and ENFORCE the waywe are | | | | But that means you will have to invest time to |
| building relations with our customers. So why | | | | learn howto do it. Or leave it for later when you |
| doeseverybody think that software designers are | | | | will have more time. |
| capable of that? | | | | Which is misconception number six. |
| They might be brilliant SW developers, but still | | | | People tend to search for a CRM software |
| they wouldn'tknow how to better customer | | | | solution when theycannot cope any more with |
| retention in a company manufacturingfurniture. So | | | | the traffic. By then, it is too late. |
| why do we try to do that? Because it is easier | | | | It is late in the sense that you have to implement |
| notto lose time over enforcement of customer | | | | a solution inwhich you have to invests time, and |
| retention rules in ourown company, when we can | | | | time you don't have. Thatmeans that the |
| pay someone to do it. Because we havethe | | | | implementation will be much longer, it will |
| money, but we don't have TIME. Well, we can't | | | | costmuch more in hours, lost business, poor |
| do that. Wecannot avoid our involvement in the | | | | customer service, whichmeans you will spend |
| process (and our hours, ofcourse), although I | | | | more hours dealing with a customer, youwill have |
| know most of you didn't want to hear this. | | | | less hours in sales, you will have to hire |
| Which brings us to the misconception number | | | | morepeople... There is no nice way to tell you, so |
| three. | | | | I will say itstraight out: You should start |
| You search for an SW solution for your CRM, buy | | | | implementing a CRM system, themoment you |
| it, and letthose people do their job. As good | | | | start using PC in promotion and sales. And that |
| manager, you organize weeklymeetings to have | | | | isnow, isn't it? |
| your finger on things. Because you selected a | | | | So what really is the difference between a CRM |
| SW vendor which is a respectable company, the | | | | software systemand old, traditional relations with |
| first thing thosepeople do, is to organize internal | | | | your customers? Documentationand analysis. With |
| audit. They pass out forms topeople in different | | | | a CRM software system you have historical |
| departments, to find out exactly what arethe | | | | datawhich you can analyze. Analyzing our |
| needs of different parts of your company. | | | | customer support data wefound out that about |
| Alternatively,they conduct interviews. And that is | | | | 60% of our helpdesk activity was done withnew |
| good. That is much betterthen them trying to | | | | customers (within 2 months of purchase) which is |
| force their "proven" flow of documentationupon | | | | normal, butabout 90% of those incidents were |
| your company. But what they are actually doing is | | | | trivial questions about simpleuse of functions. |
| LEARNINGthe way your company functions. And | | | | Although we were issuing three manuals andgiving |
| the teaching is done bypeople who work in each | | | | a six day course to our customers, we decided |
| department, that most probably, don'thave the | | | | to issue aspecial cookbook for novices, based on |
| whole picture. So the integration of the whole | | | | the most common questions. |
| pictureis done by the SW vendor. Can they learn | | | | The style was light, simple and straightforward, |
| in a fortnight or amonth? | | | | one page max perfunction. It was a double |
| I would suggest another approach. Find an "oldie" | | | | jeopardy. Novice interventions droppedto about |
| within yourcompany, preferably one year from | | | | 30% and the customers had a feeling they were |
| retirement. The one that doesknow how your | | | | drivingthe system, not the other way around. So |
| company lives, who preferably worked a bit | | | | we were both happy. Andthat's called customer |
| insales, a bit in procurement and a bit in support | | | | satisfaction, right? |
| or reclamation. | | | | |