Andrey Zagrebin: Thanks to 1C:CRM we overcame all difficulties

Andrey Zagrebin: The idea of implementation of CRM technologies arose in the company for a long time. But, as stated, "were too busy" before its implementation. Departure in full strength of managers of sales department and creation of competing firm by them became 4 years ago the catalyst of implementation of CRM. Naturally, all practices according to the customer base and suppliers left together with them in the Microsoft Excel files and daily logs. The main thing that there is no history of customer relations left and everything was necessary to recover almost manually.

TAdviser: Whether you had doubts in the choice of the specific software product? How did you select a system and why stopped the choice on a system from "1C:CRM"?

Andrey Zagrebin: When choosing a product we relied on several criteria: simplicity of work with a system and its settings, regular updates and improvements (development) of the CRM system, compatibility with accounting (and at us it is "1C: Accounting"), availability at the price to small business, presence of specialists. We analyzed everything the CRM system which were presented at the market. According to all our requirements the product "1C:CRM STANDARD" approached.

TAdviser: How difficult the implementation project was given whether you have in the company own IT specialists, or you had to trust in partners in implementation completely? How support and development of a system is performed whether you have resources for this purpose?

Andrey Zagrebin: Were engaged in implementation and setup independently, from the developer got methodical and technical support. Our IT specialist studied together with us. "1C:CRM STANDARD" works "from a box" so special difficulties in installation and setup were not. The main difficulties arose at system implementation in sales department.

TAdviser: Whether implementation process seemed to you difficult? Whether it was difficult for management and employees to master a system? How did managers apprehend the idea of automation activity, their activity became automatically transparent and completely under control?

Andrey Zagrebin: I would not tell that implementation process difficult. Most likely, it is labor-consuming. It is required by daily efforts of the management to impart skills of work with CRM.

The main resistance arose at managers of sales department. Here we faced a so-called "human factor". The main argument of managers at the time of implementation of the CRM system is "need of extra time for filling". Now work of employees is not thought without CRM any more. Easy access to the history of transactions, the history of relationship, "a funnel of sales" - seems that it was always! All this considerably saves the manager's time, so, and money of the company. New managers quickly enough master the program, and join in workflow much more quickly, than it was earlier.

We managed to overcome everything and to start the CRM system in work!

TAdviser: How many months a system are in commercial operation? Tell, please, about the main pluses from its use which you revealed for yourself?

Andrey Zagrebin: A system is in operation the 4th year. The main plus is a consolidation of information on clients in one base. Correspondence, calls, sales, finance – any information is, as stated, "on finger-tips". Managers could keep at the same time more transactions, than before implementation of "1C:CRM STANDARD". In connection with specifics of business frequency of sales and "lifecycle of the client" is accurately visible. Customer interaction is made on the basis of the history of transactions and the revealed potential.

One more of CRM system pluses for company management is a control of work of managers. The individual efficiency of the manager on the basis of which it is possible to build the correct motivation of personnel is accurately browsed.

TAdviser: Tell, please, about the further plans for development of a system or use of other IT products? What would you like to change or improve in a system?

Andrey Zagrebin: In further plans at us – integration with telephony of office. We are going to purchase "1C-Rarus: The softphone" for automation of processing of the entering and outgoing calls. Business grows and, of course, over time we plan transition to the 1C:CRM PROF version with more powerful functionality.