With a fresh approach, and by helping the team take ownership of the changes to be implemented, CRM turn-around projects can not only succeed, but thrive.
Many organisations will blame the software for failed implementations. However, our experience shows that a particular implementation failure is more likely to come as a result of poor implementation practices than as a result of poor software. There are many suitable software systems on the market – each with their own strengths and weaknesses.
When an organisation embarks upon Elysium’s CRM Revival Programme, they are able to benefit from our many years of experience ensuring that the CRM projects are successful. When our eLIFT ™ implementation methodology is used in conjunction with Elysium’s 5 principals of successful CRM revival projects, the best possibility of achieving successful outcomes is ensured.
Throughout the failed implementation, Senior Management may have had a vision for the system. They may have even communicated the vision to the team.
However, for a CRM turnaround initiative to be truly successful, it is important that the team truly SHARES the vision!
In order to fully share the vision, the entire team needs to understand why the system is needed, how it will benefit the organisation, and, most importantly, how it will benefit them. Yes – its the classic “Whats in it for Me?” that can be the difference between robust adoption of the system and lackluster attempt to use the system once or twice.
Its management that should build the strategy and drive the CRM project. In fact, without senior management buy-in and participation successful adoption of a CRM strategy is very difficult indeed.
However, it’s the comprehensive adoption by the team that brings all the measurement benefits to the organisation.
And it is only when the team takes ownership that our 100% user adoption becomes a realistic goal.
Involving the team in the design of the system and its associated processes helps to underpin this ownership perception and ensure the aligned efforts of all involved.
Its essential that we only bite off what we can chew! Many systems have failed in the past by trying to implement too much, too soon. During the early stages of the CRM Revival Programme we take a small steps approach to the implementation of system functionality.
What we’ve found from experience is that this approach ensures that each step is understood by the team, implemented and adopted before moving onto the next.
Although the information being collected and analysed is likely to be complicated and insightful, the method for the team entering the information should be simple. Considerable effort should be expended to make each process logical and clear – without the ambiguity that often leads to confusion and a failure to make effective decisions.
Doing this will ensure that senior management has the right information at their fingertips to make clear and effective decisions faster. And when the process is also aligned to the objectives of the specific team members, we really have a winning combination.
As Michael Gerber loves to say – “You can’t manage what you don’t measure”. CRM systems are fantastic tools for collecting and quantifying information.
This quantification then becomes an invaluable tool to assist management to make more informed and educated decisions.
When it comes to CRM turn-around projects, measuring user adoption and making it transparent is key to strong system uptake. In the earliest stages of Elysium’s CRM Revival Programme, we work with you to identify several means of measuring adoption, and ensure they are implemented within the very foundation of your business practices.