3 Keys to Preparing for CRM Success:Avoid the Pitfalls and Follow Best PracticesMartin van Gogh,Professional Services Manager

Learning from Pitfalls, Best Practices

- Industry as a whole has learned- Maximizer experience with hundreds of customers in various sectors

- Too much focus paid on technology alone- Not enough focus on business processes, people

Best Practice

s

Pitfalls

3 Keys in Preparation

Establish CRM

Project Leadershi

p

Manage Change

Analyze Business

Processes

#1: Establish CRM Leadership Start at the top Strong executive sponsorship will help to

make your project a success Gain broad support Seek expert assistance

“Without senior management support for your CRM project, driving necessary changes throughout the organization will prove very difficult, if not impossible”

CRM Leadership Team Responsibilities Successful Project Sponsors…

Mandate project requirements and objectives

Manage executive expectations Remove organizational barriers Define success metrics

Actions to Establish a CRM Leadership Team

•Who is impacted?•Who contributes information?List groups/dept’s

•Who can contribute positively?•Who can rally other staff?

List Individuals

•Guide and support mandate of CRM Leadership TeamGet Buy-In from Executive Sponsor

•Third-party/neutral guidance to CRM Leadership Team Speak with a

CRM Expert

#2: Analyze Business Processes How do processes work now?

Document existing customer-facing business processes

Survey potential users How can we improve?

Assign each process a value Necessary Relevant and useful Best practice And why are we wasting time on

this process?

“Performing a thorough business process review before you design new systems is essential to successful CRM.”

#2: Analyze Business Processes Cont’d

Learn about the specific CRM system’s functionality

Map features and functionality in the software to current and planned business processes

Change the software or change the process?

Identify reporting requirements What information do you need out of the

system? What are the specific business performance

indicators in each business area

Actions to align your business processes with CRM

•How are customer-facing processes handled currently?Document Existing Processes

•Survey users: are they efficient?•Are they best practices? Areas for

improvement?Review Effectiveness of

Processes

•Map lead processing, sales forecasting•Map customer service case/issue handlingMap processes to

features in CRM

•What metrics and reports are required to measure effectiveness/performance?Determine required business

metrics

#3: Manage Change

Change management can define the success or failure of a CRM project.

CRM impacts every single employee that works with customers

Without active buy-in from employees, no CRM solution will achieve its objectives

Managing Change is Critical to Success

“People and politics issues, as opposed to technology issues, are some of the biggest challenges in CRM. Creating a culture with a ‘relentless focus on the customer’ is not a quick and easy initiative.”

Gartner Group 2003 CRM Change Management: Creating Organizational Collaboration

To manage change related to CRM technology. . . Start the process at the very top

Create a formal case for change

Pay systematic attention to people issues

Involve every level of the organization

Develop an effective communication strategy

To manage change related to CRM technology. . . Plan for training

Training is not a one off exercise Train on not only how to use it but also why Relevant, ongoing training will help to prevent

failure

To manage change related to CRM technology. . . Assess performance with

quantifiable business performance metrics Greater percentage of deals won Reduced sales cycle length Increased deal size Reduced cost of marketing Decreased customer complaints Number of support calls/visits per

day Reduced transaction times Increased number of transactions More employee CRM system usage

per week

Actions to Manage Change

•Executives and leaders must be on board with change managementUnderstand

importance

•Who will be “cheerleaders” in the group?

•Find out what expectations people have

Identify key individuals to assist

•Initial and ongoing training critical•Address how and why

Train, train, train!

•What performance metrics are important?

•Measure baseline and grow from thereEstablish performance benchmarks

Summary

1. Establish CRM Project Leadership

2. Analyze Business Processes

3. Manage Change

Prevent CRM failure and drive success by taking advantage of three key planning and management practices:

About Maximizer Software

CRM pioneer (since 1987) Over 8,000 corporate customers Over 1 million licenses sold Offices in Vancouver (HQ), London

(EMEA), Sydney (ANZ), Hong Kong (Asia)

Technology Partners include:

Customer include: Siemens, HSBC, Cathay Pacific, Lockheed

Martin, plus many small and medium-sized businesses

I’d Like To Know More

Contact Maximizer @ 1-800-804-6299

Thank you for your time and consideration.

sales@maximizer.com