Microsoft CRM Customer Relationship Management

12 Key Steps to Becoming More Customer Focused

If you know how to listen, you'll hear your customers trying to tell you something. They'll tell you how to secure their loyalty, attract new customers, increase sales and drive more revenue. But you won't hear them if your customer data is inaccessible, buried in a system that prevents your employees from getting customer information to improve processes. Here are 12 steps to changing that, from Peppers and Rogers Group:

1. Don’t be put off by the CRM hype of recent years.
Many businesses are realizing measurable productivity, sales, customer acquisition and retention gains from a strategic decision to become more customer focused.

2. A good out-of-the-box CRM solution probably exists to solve your problem.
One-dimensional views of the customer, disparate databases and the inability to mine customer data are common challenges. Tried and true solutions are available in the market today.

3. There’s no need to break the bank.
Many highly functional front and back-office systems can and have been implemented for under $100,000. In some circumstances, systems can be up and running for five figures.

4. Avoid automating chaos.
Automating a flawed business process does not improve the process. It just speeds up or makes a bad process more transparent. Map out the current business process you are trying to fix before you invest in any CRM application.

5. Establish clear benchmarks for success.
This can mean up-front work to obtain clear baseline measures.

6. Designate a person or department to head up and manage the CRM project.
It doesn’t have to be an IT person, but it should be someone of authority with an excellent understanding of your business.

7. Consider working with a Value-Added Reseller (VAR).
Select one with the care you use in selecting any other trusted business partner such as an attorney or a CPA.

8. Develop a detailed project plan for the implementation.
Revisit it periodically to make sure it is still on track.

9. Bring front and back-office staff in early.
These people have the most insight into how you can improve your operations.

10. Plain vanilla is good.
Training will be easier, more effective and less costly if you keep it simple.

11. Train initially and on a continuing basis.
Factor training costs into the total project budget.

12. Implement in stages.
Early, visible wins will engender support, build enthusiasm and momentum. Look for solutions that are integrated, modular and customizable.

Microsoft Customer Relationship Management

MS CRM Overview MS CRM Sales MS CRM Customer Service Demos & Screenshots Downloads FAQs Industry customization MS CRM integration Support MS CRM home	12 Key Steps to Becoming More Customer Focused If you know how to listen, you'll hear your customers trying to tell you something. They'll tell you how to secure their loyalty, attract new customers, increase sales and drive more revenue. But you won't hear them if your customer data is inaccessible, buried in a system that prevents your employees from getting customer information to improve processes. Here are 12 steps to changing that, from Peppers and Rogers Group: 1. Don’t be put off by the CRM hype of recent years. Many businesses are realizing measurable productivity, sales, customer acquisition and retention gains from a strategic decision to become more customer focused. 2. A good out-of-the-box CRM solution probably exists to solve your problem. One-dimensional views of the customer, disparate databases and the inability to mine customer data are common challenges. Tried and true solutions are available in the market today. 3. There’s no need to break the bank. Many highly functional front and back-office systems can and have been implemented for under $100,000. In some circumstances, systems can be up and running for five figures. 4. Avoid automating chaos. Automating a flawed business process does not improve the process. It just speeds up or makes a bad process more transparent. Map out the current business process you are trying to fix before you invest in any CRM application. 5. Establish clear benchmarks for success. This can mean up-front work to obtain clear baseline measures. 6. Designate a person or department to head up and manage the CRM project. It doesn’t have to be an IT person, but it should be someone of authority with an excellent understanding of your business. 7. Consider working with a Value-Added Reseller (VAR). Select one with the care you use in selecting any other trusted business partner such as an attorney or a CPA. 8. Develop a detailed project plan for the implementation. Revisit it periodically to make sure it is still on track. 9. Bring front and back-office staff in early. These people have the most insight into how you can improve your operations. 10. Plain vanilla is good. Training will be easier, more effective and less costly if you keep it simple. 11. Train initially and on a continuing basis. Factor training costs into the total project budget. 12. Implement in stages. Early, visible wins will engender support, build enthusiasm and momentum. Look for solutions that are integrated, modular and customizable.
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