Comments on: Why CRM Projects Fail To Deliver On The Promise http://www.thecrmcoach.com/why-crm-projects-fail/ Practical CRM tips for small business. Tue, 03 Aug 2010 22:47:05 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 By: Intelestream http://www.thecrmcoach.com/why-crm-projects-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-633 Intelestream Tue, 03 Aug 2010 22:47:05 +0000 http://www.thecrmcoach.com/dev/?p=1#comment-633 Any system implementation can fail if expectations are not clear for both your business needs and what the system capabilities are that you are shopping for. Focus on what the system can do and then evaluate if it is sufficient for your needs. As long as expectations are attainable, results will come easily. The Intelestream Team Any system implementation can fail if expectations are not clear for both your business needs and what the system capabilities are that you are shopping for. Focus on what the system can do and then evaluate if it is sufficient for your needs. As long as expectations are attainable, results will come easily.
The Intelestream Team

]]> By: Gloria Rubaine http://www.thecrmcoach.com/why-crm-projects-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-440 Gloria Rubaine Thu, 22 Jan 2009 11:47:12 +0000 http://www.thecrmcoach.com/dev/?p=1#comment-440 It's people that are responsible for growth, customer service and higher revenues not the software. Before implementing any CRM software, management should target which sectors of the company are going to use it, and have a clear idea of what the system specifically is going to do. Customer information and details are of course a given. However if the users are sales people, then input and consultation with the sales team is a must so that the system is relevant to them, e.g. opportunities, closed accounts and additional information that the sales team will want to tap into. If the management does not do this, and implements a CRM for sales that only drives management reports, with too many fields, then it's going to be garbage in and garbage out and no one especially management is going to get truly useful information. For larger companies, it will take years (2-5) to even get a sensible report. For operations departments, a somewhat different tactic has to be employed since the personnel are probably already using a main company operating system and they are focused on that . A lot of companies do not have stand alone Customer Service Departments, and the day to day operations provides this to clients, so in order to minimize the workload, the CRM software has to be integrated into the company system or if not, simplified and customized for specific departments so it's not seen as a burden. Again consultation with that department is recommended so the CRM is perceived as a welcome tool . How a CRM is used is going to be decided by the users in the end, and management teams really have to sell the CRM internally without using a big stick. It’s people that are responsible for growth, customer service and higher revenues not the software. Before implementing any CRM software, management should target which sectors of the company are going to use it, and have a clear idea of what the system specifically is going to do. Customer information and details are of course a given. However if the users are sales people, then input and consultation with the sales team is a must so that the system is relevant to them, e.g. opportunities, closed accounts and additional information that the sales team will want to tap into. If the management does not do this, and implements a CRM for sales that only drives management reports, with too many fields, then it’s going to be garbage in and garbage out and no one especially management is going to get truly useful information. For larger companies, it will take years (2-5) to even get a sensible report. For operations departments, a somewhat different tactic has to be employed since the personnel are probably already using a main company operating system and they are focused on that . A lot of companies do not have stand alone Customer Service Departments, and the day to day operations provides this to clients, so in order to minimize the workload, the CRM software has to be integrated into the company system or if not, simplified and customized for specific departments so it’s not seen as a burden. Again consultation with that department is recommended so the CRM is perceived as a welcome tool .

How a CRM is used is going to be decided by the users in the end, and management teams really have to sell the CRM internally without using a big stick.

]]> By: Mike Boysen - Effective CRM Consulting http://www.thecrmcoach.com/why-crm-projects-fail/comment-page-1/#comment-148 Mike Boysen - Effective CRM Consulting Sat, 02 Aug 2008 12:15:34 +0000 http://www.thecrmcoach.com/dev/?p=1#comment-148 >>Most companies only plan around buying, installing and training and fail to have a plan for production.<< I see where you are coming from. I too believe that most of my clients over the past 15 years have failed to plan for the life of the CRM initiative. CRM is not SFA. We figured out a long time ago that the sales organization should not drive the vision of the enterprise. That has to start at the top. And CRM is a customer-centric way of doing business so there is a lot of work to be done to understand your customers and how you will make the changes necessary to deliver what they want and need. This has nothing to do with software. Most software is the same and should not be purchased until the CRM strategy and business case is complete. You're right, the CRM sales folks are pretty slick with the WOW stuff. But that shiny box on your shelf certainly won't make you feel so good in a few months when you start wondering "when's this software going to kick in and change my business?" >>Most companies only plan around buying, installing and training and fail to have a plan for production.<<

I see where you are coming from. I too believe that most of my clients over the past 15 years have failed to plan for the life of the CRM initiative.

CRM is not SFA. We figured out a long time ago that the sales organization should not drive the vision of the enterprise. That has to start at the top. And CRM is a customer-centric way of doing business so there is a lot of work to be done to understand your customers and how you will make the changes necessary to deliver what they want and need.

This has nothing to do with software. Most software is the same and should not be purchased until the CRM strategy and business case is complete. You’re right, the CRM sales folks are pretty slick with the WOW stuff. But that shiny box on your shelf certainly won’t make you feel so good in a few months when you start wondering “when’s this software going to kick in and change my business?”

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