Is the current functionality of mainstream CRM systems too narrow?
CRM, which came out of contact management, is based on the customer’s details, and which campaigns, sales, projects, communications, etc. are associated with the customer.
In this hectic, 24/7, instant response world, customer relationships are judged on customer satisfaction, based on the value the products and services add to their business , and the manner in which they are delivered.
Therefore, the information on products and/or services, how they are being offered, and the benefits they bring to the business, has to be on an equal footing as the customer details and the associated transactions?
To achieve this, a product or service has to be able to have default characteristics in the same way as companies and contacts do in systems, e.g. is it an asset or perishable, what is its depreciation, what is its availability, where is it located, etc. and not, as in most existing CRM systems, a series of fields set up by the user. The problem arises when the stored information needs to be used. As it is not part of the core structure of the system it becomes harder to manipulate, calculate, and articulate the relevant information as and when it is needed. In the extreme, it might be necessary to carry out double entry of data into other systems to complete activities such as, service desk activities, stock control, resource management, etc.
Moving on to the delivery of the products and services to the client, you need to have the ability to implement, monitor, and manage best practice whether it is for marketing, sales, customer service, HR, etc. There must be the ability to implement business processes as part of the CRM system and not a separate BPM (Business Process Management) system.
Whilst using any process it is essential to run procedures that will give you the ability to monitor and manage deadlines and repetitive activities, or exceptions that occur to expected outcomes. Once again this must be part of the overall system and not another system that can be used with a CRM system.
In a series of blogs, I hope to show how profitability, efficiency, and effectiveness of a business can be managed without any massive overhead, through the optimisation of the number of disparate systems that need to be used, but more importantly focussing on processes, people, and products and services, the three key components in a business.
As an introduction, see what Streamwire is saying about this approach and how they have benefited http://www.symvolli.com/case-studies/it-support-services/streamwire