|
|
DSC Tech Library
Customer Relationship Management
This section of our technical library presents information and documentation relating to CRM Vendors and Customer relationship management software and products. Providing customer service is vital to maintaining successful business relationships. Accurate and timely information provided in a professional manner is the key to any business and service operation.
Telemation, our CRM software application, was built on this foundation. But the flexibility to change is just as important in this dynamic business environment.
Telemation call center software was designed with this concept from the very beginning.
That is why so many call center managers, with unique and changing requirements, have chosen and continue to use Telemation CRM software as their solution.
Our Telemation CRM solution is ideally suited for call center service bureaus.
The following is an article relating to the CRM industry.
CRM, Success, and Best Practices II (Results and Action)
By: Glen S. Petersen, GSP & Associates, Inc.
Interpreting the Results
This is a self-assessment. As an individual, one can score his or her organization well or poorly; however, the score is not going to help your organization achieve success. It is the learning that should be emphasized and progress against whatever milestone the organization creates for itself. The model and the rationale for each section should be the focus and it should be a reflective attitude not one of wishful thinking. All organizations have their share of warts, it is what one does to eliminate the warts that counts, not the number that exists at any given time. So in looking at the assessment, one must focus on the patterns and areas that build on one another. Start getting the right foundation so that midway up, you do not find that you are out of plumb.
The self-assessment template encourages the capture of thoughts regarding learning and observations gained during the process of completing the assessment. The scores provide insight regarding perceived compliance and the numeric evaluation of that gap. In some respects, it might be easy to simply “shore-up” the omissions and that may be the right thing to do; however, some time should be taken to reflect on the observations from the perspective of root cause analysis. Are the results reflective of more basic or systemic issues that tend to influence other areas of the company in subtle or not so subtle ways?
Taking Action
The self-assessment may be an interesting concept and raise issues but if it does not result in positive action, it has not served its purpose. As previously indicated, the self-assessment can be completed at any phase of an initiative. If the initiative is just starting, it can be used as a form of readiness, at the middle of an implementation it can be used as a calibration, and in the post implementation period, a course correction step.
Regardless of the stage, the emphasis should be on learning and action, not finger pointing or wringing of hands. The sponsor should be thoroughly briefed and ideally involved in the process. When the assessment is complete, it must be reviewed with senior management with the intention of creating understanding and cohesive approach to action items. The sponsor executive must be responsible for dealing with the likely sensitive issues either off-line or during the discussion. The exact outline for the presentation will vary depending on the stage of the initiative and the issues that need to be addressed. However, a generic outline includes
- Reason for the meeting and desired outcomes
- Status of the initiative
- What’s at stake
- The nature of the self-assessment
- The results of the self-assessment
- Key learning
- Recommended action steps and rationale
- Commitment to action
- Conclusion
Adapting a best practice assessment model can help management catch up to the fast pace of CRM technology. It can define the implementation objective and guide management in understanding CRM implementation as a business strategy. Regardless of your assessment or implementation stage, making observations and addressing sensitive issues will help you see your ROI in your investment.
Page [1]
[2]
[3]
First Page
About GSP & Associates
GSP & Associates, Inc. is a consultancy that is dedicated to helping user organizations to
leverage their investment in CRM related tools. The company provides expertise in the strategic
and operational application of CRM tools, sales tools, sales process modeling, and business case
development and ROI analysis.
About The Author
Glen S. Petersen is an internationally recognized speaker, writer,
practitioner, and thought leader in the Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) and e-Business industries. Mr. Petersen has
held senior level management positions with systems integration and
end user organizations. As a visionary and early adopter of Sales
Force Automation (SFA), in 1986 Mr. Petersen led one of the first
successful national implementations of SFA in the United States.
Realizing the tremendous future of this new technology,
Mr. Petersen joined a SFA software start-up company in 1988 and had the pleasure of working
with many of the pioneering organizations that deployed sales force automation at a time when
most organizations were unaware of its existence. In 1991, Mr. Petersen left the vendor
community to do consulting. This experience combined with his background in operational and
strategic planning places Mr. Petersen in a unique position to advise and assist clients in this
challenging area of change management and technology integration. During this period, Mr.
Petersen has developed a number of proprietary facilitation techniques, which help organizations
to better understand the potential of these technologies, and how to rally the organization around
a single threaded, phased implementation approach. Prior to founding GSP & Associates, Mr.
Petersen was Senior Vice President at ONE, Inc. and Ameridata, a $1.3B provider of hardware,
software, and services. In these positions, Mr. Petersen sold and directed operational strategy
engagements and helped major corporations articulate and justify their CRM and e-Business
initiatives.
Mr. Petersen is the author of six books:
- High-Impact Sales Force Automation: A Strategic Perspective
- CRMS: ROI & Results Measurement
- CRM Leadership and Alignment in a Customer Centric World
- ROI: Building the CRM Business Case
- CRM Best Practices: Self Assessment
- Making CRM An Operational Reality
Mr. Petersen can be reached at 505-771-1956 or gpetersen@competitiveperformance.com
|
