Tourist In Paradise
There was an ad in one of the airline magazines placed by a resort that claimed it was a destination for travelers, implying that it was not a place for tourists. They were touting themselves as a haven for the elite. This is an interesting distinction that I have not seen articulated quite so explicitly. As someone who is on the road (in the air) 30 or more weeks out of 52, I do recognize this distinction. Encountering too many tourists while traveling can make a trip a bit less rewarding.
It is currently spring break time and the influx of unseasoned travelers is menacing. The folks in line at security are not efficient with emptying their bags of liquids and electronics, nor are they quick to remove the shoes, coats and other metal objects that so upset the security personnel. This part of the airport experience is less pleasant than usual. The planes have more seats occupied by travelers who are not aware that the thing they are kicking in front of them is actually intended to be your tiny haven of comfort.
Tourists also dress a bit differently, stick out a bit more, and in general don’t blend in to the hustle and bustle of the getting-from-point-A-to-point-B world that us regulars have as part of our work week. So, yes, there is a distinction, and I try not to be a snob, but I prefer to think of myself as a traveler and not a tourist, even when I travel for pleasure.
So, at this point you are wondering what this could possibly have to do with CRM. Here it goes.
There are many folks in organizations today that are responsible for making sure that the CRM tools that are in place, often with great investment, are working to serve their purpose. This may be a role that you play within your company. I meet a lot of these folks and they go by a wide ranging set of titles. But, when I get introduced to them or when I hear them referenced, the role is commonly described as being the person in charge of the tool.
I hope that you don’t get upset with me on this, but think this is a mistake. Folks in these positions are very important and I have recommended to plenty of my clients that they invest in this type of role. However, being a steward for a sales or marketing automation system on the one hand is valuable, but on the other hand, it is not sufficient.
This role should be responsible for supporting the effectiveness of the function that it supports, of which the tool responsibility is merely a subset. By the way, the distinction between the two roles is the only portion of the traveler/tourist analogy that I am raising. I am not suggesting that tool managers are like tourists. But, I do think that those who focus on functional effectiveness rather than tool effectiveness have a greater chance of providing value to the organization. You will be focused on the outcome to which the tool contributes rather than on the tool itself, which might sound trivial in print, but I find that the difference in orientation causes a huge difference in output.
So, what happens if you find yourself in this situation? I propose that you reframe your role – declare that your charter is on functional effectiveness and push others to expect that from you. Do you manage someone that looks like this? Re-orient your expectations and re-define the outcomes of that role. They should be focused on business results such as staff productivity and performance. Do you consult to someone in this position? Counsel them to redefine their mission to reach for greater contribution. I believe you will see an impact almost immediately.
Getting back to travel and tourism - elite travelers are allowed to have fun while they are on the road - they can even wear that favorite Hawaiian shirt now and then, but they do have to do it with just a bit more dignity.
