The best sales persons are able to identify prospects with the highest potential out of a list of leads and are expert at concentrating their efforts on these. CRM Systems attempt to suport the process and allow some kind of customer/prospect valuation, but in most cases offer little more than an estimate of potential turnover or an A/B/C-rating.
Surprisingly, one smaller german CRM supplier has approached this problem and integrated an methodology developed by Walter Zimmermann and has included a field “Potential”. This misses two essential factors. Firstly, the fact that a customer has the means to buy my product does not in any mean that I have real potential – an iPhone fan is most unlikely to buy a Blackberry. Secondly, the valuation is only true for a limited period. Things change, and who is going to keep the CRM-Date up to date? Here is some scope for improvement.
Tags: Customer Value
Choosing a CRM solution is not only a question of functionality and cost, but also of technology. This is particularly relevant when sales people are based outside the home office, which is generally the case. The company requires a central database while the sales persons need data on call from their local office or when travelling. Three alternatives are commonly presented, each with advantages and disadvantages:
- A 100% internet application
- A central application with terminal server access
- Replication between the central system and local servers or laptops
The increasing use of Smartphones and Blackberries for accessing CRM data is a new factor. In many cases, the sales person can use the phone for checking addreses, contacts, opportunities and appointments while on the road and use a laptop only when access to more data is required. Replication, which tends to be costly, is then no longer necessary.
Tags: communication, mobile, replication
Für ein Unternehmen mit 20 bis 40 Verrtriebsmitarbeiter ist die Auswahl eines CRM Systems nicht einfach. Braucht man wirklich einer der “großen” Lösungen (SAP, Oracle, Microsoft usw.) oder eine kleinere Lösung (cobra, combit, adito …)? In der Oberklasse können alle Anforderungen des Vertriebs abgedeckt werden, aber der Projekaufwand kann sehr hoch sein. Kleineren Lösungen bieten häufig die tatsächlich benutzten Funktionen zu einem Bruchteil der Kosten der großen Brüder. Wie können Interessenten aber die wirklichen Möglichkeiten und Grenzen einer Lösung beurteilen?
Hier hilft nur eine sorgfältige Analyse der Prozesse im Vertrieb. Diese Prozesse sollten dann mit unterschiedlichen Lösungen getestet werden – die Unterschiedliche Eigenschaften der Systeme werden sichtbar. Es kann durchaus vorkommen, dass eine “kleine” Lösung nicht nur kostengünstige sondern auch effizienter ist.
Mit viel Aufwand werden CRM-Lösungen bewertet und analysiert. Das ist natürlich notwendig, aber für den Projekterfolg sind die Leistungen der Projektmitarbeiter entscheidend. In der Regel haben Anwender die Wahl zwischen mehreren passenden Lösungen – das Angebot ist groß und eine wirklich falsche Auswahl eher selten, höchstens teuerer als notwendig. Die Wahl des Implentierungspartners ist relativ kritisch. Produkteigenschaften sind meß- und vergleichbar, versprochene Arbeitsqualität jedoch nicht. Eine Wand kann mit der besten Farbe gestrichen werden, wenn der Maler schlecht arbeitet, ist das Ergebnis auch nicht in Ordnung. Die Auswahl ist schwierig, bei großen bekannten Dienstleister ist unsicher wie die tatsächlich eingesetzten Mitarbeiter arbeiten, bei kleineren sind die Leistungen oft vorab nicht prüfbar. Interessent wäre mehr Transparenz in diesem Gebiet.
1984 is not only significant in the way George Orwell described but also in that Brock Control Systems was founded in Atlanta (now Firstwave), pioneered Sales Force Automation and released “Take Control”. The application was much more than an SFA-System and included about all the characteristics of todays multi-coloured hyped apps. It was fully customizable, used SQL datbases and included sales, help desk, support, marketing and call-center modules. OK, it was Unix based and was not loved for its ergonomics, but then, which applications where at that time.
Surprisingly, today’s CRM products contain very little that product did not have from the functionality point of view. This says a deal about Richard Brock’s vision but also about the state of CRM now. It is time for a change. Listening to customer requests the demand is clearly for better and less costly integration with ERP, more workflow functionality and for lighter applications which can grow and change with the company. The integration of business processes needs to be improved.
Tags: Firstwave
A discussion with a marketing agency today revived this old question. The agency proposed extensive (for extensive read expensive) market research to check public reaction to a possible new company name. Looking at recent, well researched names such as “Accenture”, “Bearingpoint” etc. it is difficult to believe that business success depends on the results of such research in any way. Company names such as “IBM”, “Deutsche Lufthansa”, “Siemens” or “Price, Waterhouse Coopers” would hardly have survived a test, but this has evidently not limited the success of name-bearers. Any comments?
For smaller companies lead generation is a major issue. Not being able to invest millions of advertising dollars or euros, they are not as visible as large companies. At the same time generating leads by telephone or personal contact is not only time consuming and costly but also increasingly ineffective. Buyers have access to all the information they require on the web and studies show that for large companies 67% of new leads are generated when buyers contact suppliers. Of course, only visible suppliers are contacted.
Many years ago (very many) it was believed that the world would beat a path to your door if you had a good product. If that were ever true, it only applies today for companies which lay an internet track to their door, which is where CRM comes in, or should come in, but does not. MarketingSherpa has some interesting ideas on what to do.
Tags: B2B, Lead Generation, SME
Die Studie ”Cross Media Publishing Studie 2009“, die das Fraunhofer Institut für Arbeitswirtschaft und Organisation zusammen mit der epro solutions GmbH im Juni und Juli dieses Jahres durchgeführt hat enthält einige interessanten Angaben. CRM-relevant ist folgendes: Mobile Systeme (Laptops) werden für Produktpräsentation (73%), für die Vorbereitung des persönlichen Kundenbesuches (67%) und für die Erstellung von Besuchsprotokollen (65%) verwendet. Daneben werden mobile Technologien für die Produktauswahl (57%), die Produktschulung (44%) sowie die Konfiguration komplexer Produkte (31%) eingesetzt.
Das ist nicht überraschend. Interessant ist das komplette Fehlen der Einbeziehung der Social-Networks.
Tags: CRM mobil, Social Networks
CRM Auswahl