Can Your Phone Do This
The i-phone is becoming an irritation.
In the middle of a recent conversation, my friend stops me mid-sentence and says, “hey, can your phone do this?” He then navigates to an application that turns his screen into a mug of beer. He tilts the phone, as if quaffing the lager, the pale yellow liquid disappearing from the screen, virtually sliding down his throat. Less taste and less filling.
Why does a phone have to do that?
Please do not misunderstand. I think it is great that I can send an e-mail, get a map, and check my calendar in addition to making a call. My crackberry addiction is as bad as the next person. But, I think there is a bigger issue when the desire to have the phone is based on a bunch of gadgetry that is no longer connected to the purpose of the device – communication and productive connectedness. It does not really hurt anything when you have the ability to turn your phone into a virtual pint of ale, but at some point we cross a line and the desire for the gadgetry gets in the way.
This is a more serious issue in the world of CRM. Beginning in the late 90’s many IT functions bought CRM because of the appeal of the gadgetry. The business did not ask for it – they were happy with their spreadsheets. CRM software had such a great promise – use technology to increase efficiency and drive more business. And look at the stuff it can do - we can’t run our business successfully without this great dashboard.
Frequently I will get asked by a prospective client to help make the CRM tool do more – “what can we do to get the folks in the field to better use this great tool we bought for them?” What is really being asked is, how can we change people to fit better with what this technology can do? This is the wrong question.
If you bought a CRM package and you wish you could convince your organization to use it more effectively, you would be better served to ask the question differently: what can we do to have this tool better serve what the business needs?
This is an easy trap to fall into. You make a big investment, putting your neck on the line. You are measured on whether the investment pays off and whether it actually works or is even being used. No wonder it becomes the center of your focus. It does not make you a bad person. Just make the tool satisfy the business and not the other way around.
Hey, there is some music coming out of the pocket in my jacket! Oh, I think my phone is trying to tell me that the beer is cold now.