Implementation

CRM Implementation/Strategy- what you should do/know.

Organization Objectives in a Successful CRM: Clear objects should be explained and discussed amongst all whom have access and work with the CRM on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis. These objectives should be standard among all members of the team or organization. These could include what the company wants in regards to sales, performance, usage, and just overall goals of the CRM. Let your team know and understand how important the CRM is to your success, and not only tell them, but show them real time results if need be.

Solution for Objectives: A business needs to choose an appropriate CRM for their business that matches their objectives and decisions. This should never be the other way around, a business should not change their objectives or needs to match that of a CRM. This is a critcally important step in implementing the correct CRM. If your needs do not match the appropriate CRM, you could be headed down the wrong path before the implenmentation even has a chance to start. If you are a small business, choose a CRM that can be used by small business and not one that in aimed for the large coporations, and vice versa for large corporations, make sure you choose the proper CRM with the necessay requirements of running a large organization.

Departments and Business Aspect Focus: Focus on the training and involvement by all parties that will be involved in the CRM, do not leave anyone out. A successful CRM will depend on all componenets and persons involved. It is important to involve management at all levels and focus on a standard objective by all these departments. Make sure everyone is adquetly trained and understands these focuses. If everyone throughout the organization is focuses on these business aspects and objectives, the CRM will run smoothly as everyone will be on the same page. 

Business Process and Not Just CRM: Just because a company sets up and implenments these changes into their CRM. They need to understand that they still need to work the business process. This means that a company needs to still provide proper ethics, the sales process, and keeping the relationships with thier customers. A CRM is a great peice of technology that will help a company succeed and grow. It will not run a business for you, this reflects what we mentioned above, in that a company and it's  organization need to understand what they wish to get our of the CRM and it's clear objectives. 

Project Management and Managers: Sometimes because of the complexity of CRM and how to implement it, an organization needs to use skilled manager or experts in the field to help train and guide new members of a team. The use of professionals or consultants of CRMs is sometimes necessary. To make sure you are implementing your CRM correctly, a use of a consultant in the field, or the proper professional is definitly recommended. 

Implement Change: Employees within the organization tend to stick to the "old ways" of doing things. They need to understand that with this new CRM comes change. A sales person posting sticky notes around his/her office might not be required to update activities and opportunities within the CRM. They need to understand that this change and implementation is not only in effect to make their job easier, but to help the entire organization to succed. These changes should directly reflect what the organization had set up as their goals and how their organization should be run through the CRM. This might mean that sales people might update phone calls, meetings and such through the CRM, while someone in the accounting department migth send invoices directly related to these follow ups and sales - the main thing is that everyone has access to the same information in the CRM, and that everyone is on the same page in regards to organization and this implementation.