The Page
You know what CRM is. I am certain of it. Therefore, I don’t need to share with you what I think it is.
Our company works with strategic partners in collaboration to bring the benefits of CRM to our mutual clients. At a recent even where I was leading a session on the topic of selling CRM we were discussing this exact subject. We all know what CRM is.
More over, so do our clients. All the folks I talk to are quite certain that they understand what CRM means, thank you. So, it is certainly a waste of time to talk about the definition of this three letter acronym.
Funny thing is, ask somebody to put this in writing, and then it gets interesting. With 10 people in the room, you will get 11 answers. There are a lot of different interpretations of what we think is obvious, and, in my opinion, there are misconceptions too.
Differences of opinions make the world go round. That is fine. But when we use a term and assume that everyone follows the same interpretation, we can get caught short. I think it makes sense for us to be clear with our versions and don’t let assumptions get in the way of serving our customers who rely on our expertise.
I have some strong convictions on what this definition is and what it should mean to our customers. You are welcome to adopt what I offer below or use this as a foundation for developing your own working definition.
1) CRM does not equate to technology. This is the biggest misconception and not talking about this hurts our customers. Many are still misled by this belief. The greatest risk is that it sucks people into believing that a technical solution can solve difficult organizational problems.
2) CRM helps to manage all customer touchpoints. CRM is not just for the sales process. Rather it is a strategy for managing all interactions, plus secondary activity that supports touchpoints. Is order management an ERP function or CRM? My definition of CRM encompasses order management.
3) Further, CRM is intending to derive synergy across functions, not just touchpoints on their own. Successful CRM connects Sales with Marketing, not just between these functions and their customers.
4) At the core of CRM is the dynamic of people, process and technology. CRM brings these three elements together as effectively as possible. Good CRM focuses on all three.
5) Ultimately, CRM must be in place to achieve business results. What ever the investment, what ever the effort, CRM must be focused on outcomes.
So, this is my perspective. I would be delighted to hear what others would add or modify. Ultimately, the objective is to make sure when we discuss the pursuit of CRM with our customers that we are all singing from the same page.
