Three CRM implementation case studies you can learn from

CRM implementation is not always straightforward, nor do users always get it right straight away.  Just like any new skill, the best way to guarantee success is to look at how someone else has done it prior to you.  That way you know what negatives to avoid and which direction to go in to get it right.  By looking at three CRM implementation case studies, we can look at what went wrong, what went well and lessons to be learned.

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Covering the key issues faced by businesses selecting and implementing CRM.

UK Hotel Chain

In this case study, ensuring staff involvement, consistency and adaptability was key to the implementation of the hotel’s CRM.   Let’s break it down into sections:

Adaptability – you need to include room for growth and transformation as failure to do this may result in your CRM not expanding as your brand and customers do.  This hotel chain did it right so as they grew, the CRM enlarged with them.

Consistency – this issue reared its head when it was found that the sales team and customer service department were not entering data in the same way; this can result in duplicate and inaccurate records. Everyone needs to sing to the same hymn sheet so it is a good idea to have an official process documented for data entry, ensuring that everyone is briefed.

Staff involvement – failure to involve staff from day one meant that some staff were averse to using the new CRM.  Everyone should be included in the collaboration from the beginning and included in the de-brief once the new system is in place.  You will be assured of everyone knowing what to do and staff will feel included and involved.

International Bank

Here the bank had to quickly learn that they focused on technology at their peril and that customer relations should always be a priority. By becoming too absorbed with technical aspects and not thinking about how the CRM would impact upon customers, processes had to be revised and changed.  

You can learn from their mistakes by making sure that your CRM strategy is influenced by all of your customers, current and new.  Maintaining a strong relationship between your sales and customer service team and consumers is one of the biggest assets that CRM technology can influence.  By ensuring that your CRM tactics enhance your image and do not dilute it, your company will be seen to be far more approachable.

Retail Outlet

Does your CRM system provide you customers with a great level of satisfaction?  If not, you may fall into the same trap that this retail outlet did. Because they did not set the CRM up correctly when the system was implemented, customer surveys soon revealed that many were being left feeling less than happy.  Once the information from all outlets had been analyzed, the CRM had to be tweaked so that customer service staff could respond quickly to customer complaints or product questions.  

Don’t expect your CRM vendor to tell you what to do; analyze your own data and analytics and take notes of any issues that crop up.  If you find the same hurdles cropping up frequently, then you need to make a change quickly or risk customer relationships being damaged.

So as you can see, not everyone gets it right first time but by learning from their mistakes you can improve your own success rate and increase sales accordingly.