How to mend a failed CRM?

Dear Bob -

​My CEO is frustrated with the lack of progress the sales team appears to be making with the CRM system we installed two years ago. How do I help her move the effort forward? I too must have an effective CRM with current customer and prospect data to meet my needs. -- A Concerned Marketer

Dear Concerned Marketer  -
​I expect the frustration your CEO is experiencing with not achieving the expected value out of the CRM is around all ROI. The evidence I usually see includes: missed or no alignment between sales and marketing, an ineffective sales pipeline, data silos dependent on Excel files for marketing-sales-service, no one-view of the customer engagement, just to name a few.   

You, with our help, can resolve this frustration for your CEO with a four-step exercise I have developed.  

See, most CRM systems fail because management has not insisted on the establishment of clear, well-defined, measurable goals for why the organization wishes to use CRM.  Consequently, IT, marketing, sales, or customer service find it difficult, if not impossible, to determine the effectiveness of a CRM system.

An organization gets themselves trapped into this ineffectiveness by viewing CRM as a technology solution. However CRM is a really a key business process solution. Technology is only a minor part of success factors.

If your company deployed CRM without defined measurable goals or had ill-defined goals, you can help “mend” a failed investment in four simple steps.

I have provided Step 1 below, and let’s connect on how we both can help your client work through the other three steps and achieve the desired success.

Step 1 - Determine What is important to Measure
Independently have every decision maker responsible for specifying, purchasing, and using the CRM system write a list of goals which they feel should be accomplished effectively and efficiently within their company with a CRM system. 

Steps 2, 3 and 4 are just a easy but will draw out the awareness required for establishing a deployment plan and monitoring process.
 
We can talk about any situation you recognize that you are facing and I am confident that together we can help them move forward

Stay safe and healthy! If you have any questions, don't hesitate to reach out.
 
bsullivan@infogrowcorp.com or call me at 330.929.1353 x 5224.
 
-- Bob