How not to fail implementation of CRM. Action plan

Formulate expectations from a system and select the business processes which are subject to automation

Three large functional fields get to perimeter of CRM: customer service, sales and marketing. Thus, depending on the industry the circle of internal customers is defined. It is important not to try to include the processes which do not have relations to work with clients in the project. A problem of the CRM system – consolidation and interpretation of a certain layer of information. Attempts based on one product to implement control function by all enterprise, to automate the reporting or, for example, to build such narrow process as the credit pipeline, at best will not result in desirable result. In the worst the logic of system architecture will be broken, efforts will be sprayed, and dissatisfied will be all internal customers.

For what a system who will use it what functions will be automated is implemented? It is necessary to answer these questions accurately. Be ready that upon completion of the project it is necessary either to reduce people, or to expand their functionality as the speed of transactions will grow on average by 30%. Especially the efficiency of passing of processes between divisions will increase.

Invite the competent and strong leader capable to head the project

Services of experts which can provide implementation in the shortest possible time and minimize costs, cost much, and the choice of such specialists is small. Not to become dependent on the contractor, it is worth approaching search of the project manager (PM) carefully. There are two options of actions. The first – the specialist in CRM from the IT company. The product in which it specializes is not so important here. The bigger value has experience of implementation in your industry. Selecting the employee with a background from IT, pay attention to its capability to communicate with business customers in one language and it "is necessary" to reach compromise between and it "is possible". Work of such PM will cost from 120 to 200 thousand rubles a month. Final cost depends on the industry and the expected scale of the project. Keep in mind: specialists from large system integrators with experience of implementation in banks, telecom operators and retail – are the 1.5 times dearest than the others.

The second option – to employ the person having experience of implementation from client side. In this case risks are high to receive the inefficient manager who passes from one company into another and has no in a portfolio of the completed projects output in commercial operation. If you select this way, look for recommendations and check in details all information. The reliable candidate with a solid portfolio will request not less than 200 thousand rubles. Higher salary is caused by experience with business customers and business process reengineering.

Work staging of implementation taking into account the interests of business divisions

After the choice of the project manager it is possible to begin to think over implementation stages. It can be done even before the choice of a system and the contractor. It is necessary to select all interested divisions, to understand how they interact among themselves, in what sequence. It is good if functional managers are able to formulate the requirements to a system and to select the processes which are subject to automation. But if it does not occur, they should be helped, deeply penetrating into specifics of their activity. This process can take from 6 to 8 months. Having defined priorities and having worked project stages, it is also necessary to take care of training of groups for testing.

Select vendor and a product

Ideally it is necessary to approach the choice of a system together with competent RP which already managed to plunge into processes of the company, understood her requirements, and, eventually, will bear responsibility for a project success. In that case he will help to select vendor, optimal for you. It is no secret that the system of motivation in most the IT companies is imperfect, and sellers, understanding that it is about the serious and large project, want to sell as much as possible expensive solution which is not always optimal. And even if as a result you will be dissatisfied, implementation of CRM will drag on, and the task will be unrealizable – not sellers, but implementers at whom "it did not turn out" will pay for it. To the seller all the same - he will receive a bonus and will go to look for new clients. Thus, selecting a system, it is necessary to consider at least superficial and obvious distinctions. Globally option two: the western system of the eminent producer or development "from Russia with love".

The choice of a product first of all depends on what amount of data will go through a system and also from the number of expected users. If the company has to operate with large volumes of data, then the most probable choice – Oracle Siebel CRM. It is suitable for a system in which one or several call centers complex of the loyalty program, several thousands of users and millions of records – characteristic of banks, telecom operators, large retailers, airlines, etc. are involved.

The product Microsoft CRM will be suitable for medium business in a b2c segment rather: he is simpler and easier in implementation, perfectly works with small amounts of data, does not demand a difficult hardware platform and is easily integrated into the existing IT landscape.

The representatives of the sphere of business services getting to a b2b segment can work effectively at a product of the Russian development, for example, of Terrasoft (Terrasoft, CU-Consulting). It covers necessary amounts of data, automates internal interaction, is rather quickly developed.

Clients from a segment of small and medium business should look narrowly at 1C CRM attentively. The product will give all necessary and nothing superfluous, is implemented cheap and quickly.

All others of the CRM system, such as FreshOffice CRM, ASoft CRM and others, more or less successfully compete in the segments and represent worthy alternatives.

It is correct to select the contractor

On each product there will be no more than 5-7 contractors capable to make the project at the high level. If the western supplier is selected, then it is worth paying attention to the subsidiary companies of large integrators specializing in implementation of business applications. If it is about the Russian software, then it is more reasonable to address directly the developer. The exception will be made, perhaps, only by 1C Company. In this case you should deal with network of fraynchayzingovy firms. Select that which specializes in CRM and has the modifed and approved product.

Also it is worth paying attention to level of proficiency in narrow industry processes. Work with the company which performed several implementations in your segment will be much more effective. And one more important factor - among the companies having the confirmed examination on the selected product is the best of all to be guided by those which are comparable in terms of the scope of with the client. If you the client from large business, then trust implementation only to integrators from Top-20, they have an opportunity to select a serious project team for the entire period of work and to accept payment upon completion of the project. However, if you are the representative of medium business, there is a risk to be included in the list not of high-priority customers, and instead of a pilot command to receive group of "yesterday's students". In this case it is possible to address safely to the small IT company and to expect individual approach. It is necessary to pay, most likely, upon completion of each stage of implementation.

Study possibilities of 'vanilla' processes of a product and correct the business processes

Implementations in the Russian market on the whole differ in the high level of customization of a system under needs of the customer. However the majority of products have very solid internal functionality. It makes sense to study attentively basic functionality and to make the decision that it is more profitable – "dopilivat" gradually a system and finish it under the needs, or at once to rebuild all processes under a system. It is possible that the second option will cost much cheaper and in the long term will bring to the company big benefit. Especially it is relevant in case of implementation of the western systems. Wide functionality was developed based on pedantically the fulfilled processes, is checked for years of operation and in thousands of the companies worldwide. The start of the project on implementation of CRM – an excellent opportunity to think of efficiency of internal business processes and to eliminate weak points.

System implementation releases a time resource of employees, and in this case many companies go the way adding of processes. I.e. after studying of "vanilla" functionality process which is built completely according to internal logic of a system is selected. For example, one large retailer completely built in a card system of loyalty after implementation of CRM.

In advance to think over motivation for employees users of the implemented system

CRM is necessary to top management which is aimed at profit and efficiency in the long term. For non-management employees it is only additional loading here and now: time for introduction and updating of information, additional instrument of control of their work, loss of the status of the owner of unique information. And if employees of call center it is possible just to oblige to use a system, then it is more difficult to check sales managers.

The best option here – to change the system of motivation, relying on a chance which the automated system gives. For example, the average IT company with client base about 20 thousand records at implementation of CRM accepted several provisions. The marketing service was given term 4 months on migration and a vychistka of data. After that the regulated time for preparation of a targeted marketing campaign was reduced, and its intensity increased. Thus, to the employees it was necessary to transfer quickly and qualitatively data to have an opportunity quickly to do segmentation and to unload target groups on the set parameters. Automation of such transactions as mailings of letters and the SMS, allowed to achieve the set KPI at the end of year. The service of service maintenance was presented with a fait accompli – in the absence of fully filled client's card on it document flow is blocked. The service of sales was motivated with the following tools: the manager who is not updating data on the pool of clients was excluded from a chain of distribution of new leads. Of course, it is necessary to use such tools accurately, without releasing business processes from under control. But a system will not make the desired profit without the tough system of motivation for work with it.

And the most important for the successful project – not to lose passion and not to throw halfway.

Author: Olesya Lachugina