Page 5 - index
P. 5
RESEARCH, ANALYSIS & TRENDS
CRM requires a comprehensive strategy
at every touchpoint
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is more ed. People feel the most competent, confident, and
than just a software. It’s a strategy that affects all em- comfortable when their expectations of control, stability,
ployees of a company and not just a question of the and predictability are being met. In a static situation,
right software for data management, data enrichment expectations are met, but when change occurs, peo-
and data analysis. Rather, CRM is the foundation for a ple’s expectations are disrupted. Studies have shown
customer-oriented corporate strategy that aims at cus- that not addressing people’s “disrupted” state has a
tomer acquisition, loyalty and development, and every cost and should not be ignored.
company must have the one and only strategy in mind
to use the CRM application successfully. IT innovations, including the introduction of CRM, might
be relatively simple changes in the eyes of the techni-
The point is that each person in a company must deal cians and just a matter of accepting and learning a new
with CRM, because today almost every unit in a compa- system, but employees know very well that changes in
ny is a touchpoint for customers and every customer the IT landscape also change processes and goals, so
experience at every touchpoint has an influence on the it should be openly communicated from the outset,
image of the company – hence, at least indirectly, also since confusion about the change process would only
on sales and marketing. Therefore, CRM is also a create resistance.
change management process that fundamentally trans-
forms a company and the behavior of its employees. Nothing should be done rashly, but well thought-out,
That’s why the implementation of CRM must be man- and answer the questions “What do we want to
aged and accompanied accordingly. achieve, why, and how do we want to achieve it?” be-
fore considering an implementation. Companies need a
Essentially, implementing a CRM system means a strategy and work hard on it, since without this analysis
change in work processes and objectives for employees and goal phase, it is almost certain they will run out of
who want to know why this is done and why the new time in the project and budgets will be significantly ex-
software is introduced. But above all, the employees ceeded.
are interested in the improvements the change brings
compared to the current state. For the company in gen- The management is a decisive success factor and
eral, but also for them personally, and what’s in for should show its leadership commitment, too. If employ-
them. These main questions drive the employees, be- ees have the impression that the corporate manage-
cause when companies introduce a new system, it is at ment is not interested in the changes, or the project has
the same time an implicit reproach, which is why it is no priority for them, their motivation is zero. Even more
the more important to speak openly about the changes important is to show what it brings, how it makes each
and the related objectives. Not to mention that a new IT individual employee more efficient and successful. In a
system usually must be learned and understood and nutshell, a targeted project alignment is indispensable,
employees need time to become familiar with it. which needs the collaboration of all.◊
As the management consultant Scott Madden gets to By Daniela La Marca
the point: “Human beings are inherently control orient-
MediaBUZZ Pte Ltd - Independant ePublisher for Asia
CRM requires a comprehensive strategy
at every touchpoint
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is more ed. People feel the most competent, confident, and
than just a software. It’s a strategy that affects all em- comfortable when their expectations of control, stability,
ployees of a company and not just a question of the and predictability are being met. In a static situation,
right software for data management, data enrichment expectations are met, but when change occurs, peo-
and data analysis. Rather, CRM is the foundation for a ple’s expectations are disrupted. Studies have shown
customer-oriented corporate strategy that aims at cus- that not addressing people’s “disrupted” state has a
tomer acquisition, loyalty and development, and every cost and should not be ignored.
company must have the one and only strategy in mind
to use the CRM application successfully. IT innovations, including the introduction of CRM, might
be relatively simple changes in the eyes of the techni-
The point is that each person in a company must deal cians and just a matter of accepting and learning a new
with CRM, because today almost every unit in a compa- system, but employees know very well that changes in
ny is a touchpoint for customers and every customer the IT landscape also change processes and goals, so
experience at every touchpoint has an influence on the it should be openly communicated from the outset,
image of the company – hence, at least indirectly, also since confusion about the change process would only
on sales and marketing. Therefore, CRM is also a create resistance.
change management process that fundamentally trans-
forms a company and the behavior of its employees. Nothing should be done rashly, but well thought-out,
That’s why the implementation of CRM must be man- and answer the questions “What do we want to
aged and accompanied accordingly. achieve, why, and how do we want to achieve it?” be-
fore considering an implementation. Companies need a
Essentially, implementing a CRM system means a strategy and work hard on it, since without this analysis
change in work processes and objectives for employees and goal phase, it is almost certain they will run out of
who want to know why this is done and why the new time in the project and budgets will be significantly ex-
software is introduced. But above all, the employees ceeded.
are interested in the improvements the change brings
compared to the current state. For the company in gen- The management is a decisive success factor and
eral, but also for them personally, and what’s in for should show its leadership commitment, too. If employ-
them. These main questions drive the employees, be- ees have the impression that the corporate manage-
cause when companies introduce a new system, it is at ment is not interested in the changes, or the project has
the same time an implicit reproach, which is why it is no priority for them, their motivation is zero. Even more
the more important to speak openly about the changes important is to show what it brings, how it makes each
and the related objectives. Not to mention that a new IT individual employee more efficient and successful. In a
system usually must be learned and understood and nutshell, a targeted project alignment is indispensable,
employees need time to become familiar with it. which needs the collaboration of all.◊
As the management consultant Scott Madden gets to By Daniela La Marca
the point: “Human beings are inherently control orient-
MediaBUZZ Pte Ltd - Independant ePublisher for Asia
