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CRM Software selection

Your Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in line with Customer experience (Cx) for engaged employees and customers.

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A CRM system and customer-centric business are inextricably linked. The CRM-system (method) as a means to an end: customer centricity (purpose). Purpose? The CRM and Cx strategy with its related employee, customer and organizational objectives. How to manage customer centricity in an effective and efficient manner. Method? The CRM system to facilitate the CRM and Cx strategy. The digitization of customer processes (marketing, sales, and service). Connecting all customer touchpoints to the CRM system for the purpose of a 360 degrees overview.

EdwinBest.org guides you with the total process: determination of vision and strategy, a supported CRM selection project, and the action plan regarding the implementation.

Reader’s guide:
* what is involved with the selection of a CRM system?
* approach
* investment
* conclusion and more information

1. What is involved in selecting a CRM-system?

The Best CRM Pakketselectie Which CRM-solution offers the best mix-up with the requirements? How do we achieve a well-supported choice for a CRM-solution and the action plan for the implementation? What technology will be used, What will be the sourcing strategy What will be the purchasing strategy for the to be selected CRM solution? Best of breed with a point solution or a best of suite? How to adapt with CRM to the changing market conditions and how to match with the CRM and Cx strategy?

There is a lot involved in selecting a new to be introduced CRM-system! From a CRM market, IT change and organizational change perspective:

CRM-market perspective

CRM providers point of view. The CRM market: which players are there, what are the market and technological developments? What solutions does the CRM market offer in general, and specifically for the CRM processes and functionalities to be implemented? What is the total cost of ownership (TCO) of the CRM solution?

CRM-organizational perspective

CRM business change. The purpose, ‘Why’ CRM. CRM vision and strategy. Creating a CRM Business case, what are the desired benefits and what resources are available. Stakeholder management, the various organizational units and employees with various interests. Optimizing the processes. The business change, the required organizational development.

CRM-IT perspective

CRM IT change. The to be implemented optimized processes with the CRM solution. Determining the target architecture, determine which customer processes with which systems? The data migration, comply with the GDPR.

2. Committed project, approach CRM package selection.

A CRM-selection process is executed in close coordination with both management as employees in order to achieve a committed choice. For this, interactive workshops are used for the various components. At the same time, the organization is being prepared for the change that will take place with the introduction of CRM.

CRM selection | The Best CRM and Cx

Next there will be an explanation of the different phases. The blue marked words: the differences in approach with tendering requirement.

2.1) Why CRM

In many cases, a CRM system is purchased without being clear what it should contribute to the business and customer objectives. Consequence, a divestment. That’s why the selection process starts with a “Why” workshop.

  • What does the company stand for and what are its objectives. What should CRM contribute to this
  • Determination of CRM vision and strategy linked to market and customer developments.

Result? Supported starting point for the selection process and subsequent implementation.

2.2) CRM perspective organization

Determining the requirements of the CRM system from an inside out, organization, point of view.

  • historical CRM initiatives and current state CRM
  • target architecture, which systems to use for which customer processes
  • determination of the non-functional requirements
  • integration, the technological requirements (e.g. the integration with finance and big data)
  • determination of the scope and sourcing strategy

Result? Supported organizational principles translated into the program of requirements for the desired CRM solution.

2.3) CRM perspective customer journey

Determination of the requirements of the CRM system from outside in, customer, perspective.

  • customer journey, determination of the functional requirements per customer process from a customer journey perspective
  • customer experience, in which parts of the customer journey does the company excel and what can CRM strengthen and contribute to this
  • voice of the customer and customer surveys, how does the customer perceive the company and what can CRM strengthen and contribute to this

Result? Supported customer principles translated into the program of requirements for the desired CRM solution.

2.4) Concrete selection

Market survey and long list

  • what does the CRM market look like, based on the defined principles?
  • determining and creating a longlist of possible CRM systems and implementation partner(s)
  • approaching the longlist with a Request For Proposal (RFP): a short questionnaire with the vision on the issue and the commitment to compete

Result? A supported longlist of possible CRM partners with an initial exploration using the RFP.

Shortlist and selection

  • based on the response of the RFP, determination of the shortlist
  • Request For Quotation (RFQ), demand of market with the programma of requirements for the shortlist
  • invite the parties with the winning offers for a presentation and Proof Of Concept (POC).

Assessment based on:

  1. Quotations
  2. Presentations
  3. Proof of concept

Selection and contracting. In accordance with the stated principles contracting the CRM vendor and implementation partner.

Result? A supported choice for the contracted CRM partner by means of the shortlist.

3) Conclusion and more information

Choosing the right technology successfully is #1. Adopting a new strategy and way of working with a new system is #2. A successful CRM process starts with a thorough CRM selection process with attention to both the right technology and adoption. Pre-sorting on business change during the CRM selection process.

Implementation.

After the phase of selection and contracting, the phase of implementation of the CRM solution follows. EdwinBest can help you with this as well. CRM implementation>>

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About EdwinBest.org

I guide entrepreneurs and institutions with the transformation to successful customer-centric business. I manage this by aligning CRM with Customer experience (Cx) for engaged employees and customers. The effect of this? A flexible organization where the employee and customer are central to all facets of the business. Depending on context and issue, the several pathways vary from total projects (from strategy to implementation) to subprojects (masterclass, selection of a CRM solution).

 

 

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