Best Practices approach to CRM

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a tough application to successfully implement. It requires a very disciplined and process driven approach. When we say successfully implement we are referring to much more than simply getting it installed and being able to launch the application. Our definition of success means that 100% of the users have adopted the application and are using it because they see value in it and are more efficient because of it. Furthermore, success means that all success criteria were achieved and executive management has better data to make decisions and run the business. Regardless of the software publisher, there are many critical components to making CRM work for your business. While each deployment is unique, we believe there are best practices that if adhered to up front, will greatly increase your chances of CRM success. The following is a short list of some of the more important practices/questions you should answer:

• Educate yourself. Start with a thorough due diligence process. Ask a lot of questions, and get a lot of answers.
• Understand what CRM is and how it can help your business.
• Know what processes you want to automate for your business.
• Understand the power of workflow and process automation.
• Understand the security and roles you want to adhere to with your data as this will affect your users.
• Know about the network that runs your business and what server applications you are running your business on or plan to leverage in the future: Windows Server, Microsoft Exchange, SQL, SharePoint, etc. What are these and do you use them?
• Understand your users. Know the primary applications they spend all of their time working in. Ask them what tools they are missing to be more productive.
• Know what handheld devices your people use and understand what the mobile requirements for data will be.
• Try it free without any commitments. Make sure you and your users like the interface you will be working in – before you buy it.
• Have a vision for where you want to go with CRM and what expectations you have of the application.
• Select a software publisher that has options for you. Businesses are dynamic and what is the best model for your business today will most likely not be the best model for your business two years from today. Therefore make sure you have the ability to change models as your business requirements change.
• Mitigate your risk and pain. Find a solution and a partner that has a logical approach to CRM.

The above short list applies to any company considering CRM. To learn more about the Streamline recommended approach and how we can mitigate your risk and pain, click here.

• Mitigate your risk and pain by starting in the hosted model. There will be some setup fees and a higher cost per user for a month to month contract. Still, that is okay when you consider that 80% of CRM implementations fail. Leverage the hosted environment to mitigate this risk!
• Start with a small number of users, say 10. Have a user acceptance group or decision making group that has agreed to use and test the solution.
• Start with out of box CRM (maybe some slight field structure customizations to flow with your business) and get comfortable with the product. Focus on the out of the box features and see if it does the basics well for you. Do users like the look and feel or do they find it cumbersome? Will it synchronize data to their handheld so that they can be productive on the road? Does the product work the way they do? These are pretty straight forward tasks and questions that can relatively quickly be answered by leveraging the hosted model, before making any large investments in hardware/software. And, don’t forget – time is money! We can have you up and running in our hosted model within hours.
• If things are going well then add some more customizations and create a few workflow rules so that you can really appreciate the value of a CRM application. Contact managers remind you to perform activities and a CRM application will handle all of this for you. If things continue to progress, the next step might be expanding the number of users or sitting down with your consultant to find out what value they can offer and what their approach is.
• Place a hard time limit on the Proof of Concept (POC) phase. We recommend three months as a minimum.
• If the POC does not go well, you have just saved yourself a lot of money and frustration and you can simply shut down the hosted model. Conversely, if things do go well, you are in a good position to move forward. Businesses are more dynamic than ever in this age of technology. CRM is a dynamic application that merits a strategic and long term plan. At this stage of the game if you have not already done so we would strongly recommend investing in our strategic analysis. We will educate you and ensure that you are asking all the right questions and know where the pitfalls are. Additionally, we will help you establish a strategic vision for your CRM deployment. Going forward, you can stay hosted in the Software as a Service (SaaS) model, purchase CRM software licenses and stay hosted, or purchase licenses and move the entire solution in house to the on-premise model. Last but not least, you can go with a hybrid model and use the best of the hosted and on premise models to create the perfect fit for your business. Either way, at this stage, you already know your users like the product and are going to actually use it.
• As you start customizing CRM, or going through the implementation phases, make sure that you plan out your approach and document it. Each phase should be able to stand alone. Regarding custom development and business process optimization, the same concepts and rules apply. Your workflow rules and processes should be able to stand alone and at the same time you should be able to combine two or three independent rules to form a much larger one.
• Since business is so dynamic, it is important to not get stuck working on any one process or customization for an extended period of time. If you are working on something that is taking months of time to complete, by the time you finish, the process may no longer be applicable to the business.
• Make sure your users see the value in the solution and can't wait to get into the office and use it. The users of the system will be the evangelists. The initial beta group is critical.
• Don't force it on the users. Provide them with a product that will make them more efficient and they will use it.

Do not rush into any CRM solution. Doing so is fraught with danger and will most likely be a painful, costly, and miserable experience. Most companies only get one shot at making CRM work for them. Take your time, ask the right questions, mitigate your risk, and find a partner that you trust.

From all of us at Streamline, thank you for the opportunity. We look forward to being of service. Please don't hesitate to ask questions. Contact Us

Value Proposition | Consulting Approach | Implementation Methodology
Best Practices Approach | Engagement | 10 Reasons Why | Pricing | Try Microsoft CRM 4.0

Choice Model

• On Premise
  The traditional CRM model whereby a company purchases all necessary software licenses and hardware and installs everything on their local area network. Learn More
• Partner Hosted
  This is when a Microsoft Partner who is a member of the Service Provider License Agreement (SPLA) offers hosted Microsoft CRM. Learn More
• CRM Online
  This is the hosted offering of Microsoft CRM that is hosted and managed by Microsoft. Learn More
• Hybrid
  This is the hosted offering of Microsoft CRM that is hosted and managed by Microsoft. Learn More