For years, CRM has been a hot button for me.
With my recent switch back to the Apple Mac (and its ease at installing great open source apps), I had to leave my ACT! contact manager behind. Plus, as my efforts on Throughput Press gain speed, I needed a distributed, robust, and secure app. Enter SugarCRM.
One that puts "first things first."
Ever notice how many articles exist on failed (or less than stellar) CRM implementations? I have. Am I the only one smart enough to see the problem? Or the only one dumb enough to expose it?
Failed Focus.
The very first word in CRM should be a hint. A clue. As in the point of focus: the Customer. Yes, take a few minutes to read some of the those articles, and hear what they say. They talk of failure to get all the internal players hooked up. Or the diverse technology roadblocks to overcome in house. Not a mention anywhere about the customer.
Many years ago, I was pitching a CRM solution to a client. I explained how we would use it to address customer issues. You know the ones, where the customer calls back to your office, and gets another person on the phone. A different one than the one they talked with just moments ago. And now the customer has to relate the problem all over?
Or how about when your "customer service rep" (notice the lowercase letters) calls the customer to see how your Buell motorcycle is performing, and learns (from you!) that it has been in the Service Department for over two weeks! A real story that happened to me. Want to know where NOT to buy a Harley-Davidson or Buell? Call me. But I digress...
CRM is about the customer. First. Period.
Always.
Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey, Jonah
www.ThroughputPress.com
(330) 432-3533
P.S. Need help implementing a CUSTOMER relationship management solution?
tag: CRM
(c)Copyright 2007, Jeff 'SKI' Kinsey.
All rights reserved.