ADVICE FROM OUR CRM SPECIALISTS

We have been implementing CRM solutions for more than 20 years. We asked a few of our CRM specialists to share their best pieces of advice for creating and managing a CRM solution that delivers true business benefit of increased productivity and profitability.

Start with the end in mind.

Think about what problems you need to solve. We call these problems ‘pain points’. They’re about identifying what is holding you back? What is causing frustration, reducing productivity or affecting profitability? By identifying the pain points you will be able to focus on what benefit your CRM solution needs to deliver. This gives the necessary focus when scoping your CRM requirements, and helps you to keep your CRM implementation on track. It also means you can measure return on investment.
Read more about how we implement Dynamics CRM.

Use CRM specialists!
Time and again we see organisations struggling to work with a Dynamics CRM solution that has been poorly set up. By using CRM specialists at the outset, your CRM solution will be properly designed and configured to your organisation’s specific needs. Microsoft Dynamics CRM is certainly a powerful tool – you’ll unlock a greater portion of its potential if you work with a CRM partner you can trust.

Take care when scoping your CRM requirements.
The scoping stage is extremely important. A properly scoped project will enable you to focus on the most important priorities for your initial CRM implementation. It will help you prevent your CRM project from getting de-railed by additional requirements which then impact the amount of time it takes to deliver your CRM solution, as well as the cost.
Read our article: How to Scope your CRM Requirements. You may also like to view our Scoping Assessment which gives you powerful questions to ask your teams at the scoping stage.

Get advice on licensing
Microsoft licensing can be rather complex, to say the least. Whilst the licenses are designed to be cost-effective, in that you obtain licenses for your number of users etc, it’s not always easy to understand how they work. This means that all-too-often, the wrong licenses are often purchased resulting in wasted money and non-compliance with Microsoft’s rules.
If you would like a review of your Microsoft licenses or need any advice on the subject, please get in touch on 01924 507 280.

Keep training your people
Your CRM solution is a powerful tool in helping your organisation grow. But it can only work effectively if the correct data is entered into the software, and if useful data can be extracted. So much comes down to training. The people using your CRM solution need to know how to use it so that it becomes second-nature. Unfortunately, because CRM implementation often accompanies process design, people resist change. That’s where a good training programme comes to the fore. We would recommend CRM training when your project is launched, but also review your requirements as new team members join the company, and as your organisation’s needs change.
Read more about Microsoft Dynamics CRM training.

Find out more
To discuss your organisation’s CRM requirements, or to ask questions about any aspect of CRM, please get in touch with our specialist CRM consultants.