CRM makes or breaks a business; it’s the foundation that enables a business to grow and retain its customers, it’s the system that provides insight into the customers and what makes them tick, so why do many CRM implementations fail – or is this just a myth? I have compiled a list below that I feel enables a CRM project to be successful in a business environment. Not all points will apply to all projects, but if the principles are followed then the project stands a better chance at being successful.
- End user buy in
- Define the big picture and then break it up into manageable deliverables that focus on business value
- Identify the pain points and fix those first
- Minimise the number of 'alt tabs' in the solution
- Build in validation and review periods after go live to enable quick improvements to be made that help drive user adoption
- Plan to deliver value in 10 weeks or less
- Add something abstract into the solution to provide a wow factor, e.g. simple map integration
- Produce worthwhile documents rather than ones to fulfil a process
- Always document the process and how that process will interact with the system
- Keep it simple to start with, remove unnecessary links and functionality
To read more of Steve’s insights into getting the most from CRM, visit his blog here: http://crmbusiness.spaces.live.com/blog/