How mature are you?

No, not you specifically – your CRM. More accurately, your business process as it relates to CRM and the management of your customers and prospects.

I seem to have some version of this conversation during every implementation. As I sit with the executive team we discuss business maturity and where, as an organization, they’ve been – as well as where they want to be. When I talk with Sales teams we discuss how mature their Sales process is. With marketers… you get the idea.

I tell all of my clients – Customer Relationship Management software is not really about the customer. GASP?! What? It’s about the process you design, implement, and track that helps you manage your customer relations. To grow your business and properly leverage technology to manage your relationships, you need to understand how mature your processes are.

Many of you are aware of the different Maturity Models out there.  Carnegie Mellon has their Capability Maturity Model (CMM) which lead to SEI’s Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), and a brief Google search will return millions of hits. There is a good one (big and complex) from CRM Magazine that shows the growth of CRM and Social Media.

Since this subject is an entire MBA course by itself, I always try to simplify it as much as possible while retaining the salient points. Those of you that have been around me long enough know I call this process the Big Crayon Picture (BCP since this is an industry that can’t live without acronyms). I find that if I can boil issues and concepts down to a Big Crayon Picture with the project team, then the end user will better absorb them and more easily adopt a new system. I love Big Crayon Pictures!

I wanted something I could use to explain these concepts in a way that everyone could understand. I wanted one I could use with an executive team, the sales team, or marketing professionals. I wanted a simple CRM Maturity Model. I wanted to reduce, reuse, and recycle. I needed a Big Crayon Picture.

As you can see, an organization grows through the process it generates. An organization moves from surviving on the heroic efforts of a couple key people to repeatable, measurable, consistent process.

This is not an overnight process. Clients that tell me they want their project to take them from level 1 to level 5 – in 8 weeks no less – I tell to step back, review their checkbook balance, and then let’s create the plan that will get them there, eventually.

In future posts, I will discuss the different levels of the model and key strategies to move successfully from one level to the next. For now, the Big Crayon Picture should do – that’s the point of a BCP anyway, right?

I hope you can use my Big Crayon Picture to help your project or team better understand the efforts needed. Feel free to contact me if you need help or want a larger pdf version of it. Good Luck!

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now.

Wish CRM Could Do That?

During almost every CRM implementation, at one point someone says, “I wish CRM could do ____.” The challenge for a consultant is to first decide if the request is in scope, and then decide what to do about it.

When needed functionality is not a part of an application, there are several approaches available to implementers. I subscribe to the “Configure, Add-on, Re-think, Customization” philosophy.

• Configure – Use the application’s existing tools to configure it to effectively accomplish the required process. This usually will not include new code, even when it conforms to the vendor SDK.
• Add-on – If I can’t properly configure the application to accomplish the goal, the next step is to locate an add-on ISV (Independent Software Vendor) product that will give the client what they need. Add-on products must conform to the manufacturer specs, be supported, and provide timely upgrades.
• Re-think – If the first two options are not available, it’s time to re-think the request. How important is the need? Any other options will usually add considerable costs to the implementation as well as ongoing administration and upgrade hassles.
• Customization – Finally, if it’s decided the functionality is a show stopper then we move to the customization option. This might include custom programming and\or changing underlying code or schemas (never recommended). This should never be decided upon lightly in any implementation.

Over the years (and across many implementations) I have been able to identify some very capable and well supported add-on products. These products all have a couple of key strengths that make my decision to recommend them easy – Great add-on functionality that solves a need, coupled with great ISV support and decent price points. I want to share some of my favorite Microsoft Dynamics CRM add-ons with you. I have no financial relationship with any of these ISVs, I just like their products.

Product: Email to Case (http://www.c360.com/EmailToCase.aspx)

Vendor: c360 Solutions

Why I like it: This vendor has quite a few products I have used in various implementations. This add-on provides a great way to automatically convert emails coming into the CRM Queue to a Service case. I recommend this in every Service implementation.

 

Product: Advanced Quote and Order Processing (http://www.c360.com/AdvancedQuoteProcessing.aspx)

Vendor: c360 Solutions

Why I like it: The stock CRM quoting process is pretty basic and clunky. I found this product several years ago, when it was first built for CRM v1 by a partner back east. They have licensed it to c360 but are still strongly supporting it. I just implemented it for a client and love what they have done with it since that first version.

 

Product: Scribe Insight (http://www.scribesoft.com/)

Vendor: Scribe Software

Why I like it: When Microsoft first came out with integration between CRM v1 and Dynamics GP, it was based on early versions of BizTalk Server. What a mess. After using it once, we switched to using the Scribe Insight product. This is a versatile product with many licensing options. Integration or migration, this is a great tool.

 

Product: Exact Target (http://email.exacttarget.com/)  

Vendor: Exact Target

Why I like it: To really get the most bang for your buck using email marketing, you need to be able to integrate it with your CRM. Compose and send HTML emails, tracking email opens, recording click-throughs, AND have that information fed back into your CRM system – that really provides you with the proper metrics about your marketing efforts.  

 

I am always on the look out for additional products to recommend to my clients. I am currently testing Bridge2CRM (http://www.softbridgeinc.com/products.aspx) now. It provides a great hosted mobile solution that is device\OS agnostic. Since I haven’t implemented it – yet – I can’t recommend it but I like it so far.

Enjoy!

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now.

Dynamics CRM updates

Hi folks. I know it’s been awhile since my last post but it’s been nice to be too busy to blog! Let’s get caught up on some recent Dynamics CRM related updates.

First update – the team at Microsoft has really gotten it together in regards to the Dynamics CRM Accelerators.  They had some initial problems getting these out of the gate last year but have really caught up. Not only are the original accelerators released and stable, they have updated the Analytics to R2 and are releasing two new ones next week.

The download site for these is http://www.codeplex.com/crmaccelerators and they are free. Companies currently using Microsoft Dynamics CRM would benefit from reviewing these and contacting their partner about them. Microsoft says these have been downloaded over 50,000 times to date. Not sure how many of those are in production though – did I mention you should call your Microsoft Partner for help?

Here is the press release on the two new accelerators http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2009/jul09/07-08MSDynamicsCRMAcceleratorsPR.mspx

Second update – just today, Microsoft released the Dynamics CRM Mobile Express tool for version 4. I haven’t had a chance to work with it yet but had several clients express interest. It is installed at the server to allow mobile devices to log in and view their CRM data on their mobile browser. Nothing gets installed on the mobile device to allow for greater device flexibility.

Third update – Microsoft is now up to CRM Rollup 5 for version 4. Think of rollups as service packs and you get the idea. I am amazed at the number of folks still without any of the rollups. Just do it.

Finally, some well deserved props to some Twitter friends. I follow a bunch of folks that are Microsoft, CRM, or Sales\Marketing related and am amazed at the amount of usable information they impart. I am still on the fence about Twitter as a whole (that’s a blog post by itself) but these people truly make it workable for me. If you twitter and work with Dynamics CRM, or Sales follow these folks.

@tekoppele   @MSDynamicsCRM   @TheCRMGuy   @partnerchannel   @adriannemachina

Thanks tweeple!  

 Think Big, Start Small, Act Now.

Microsoft CRM Accelerators – part deux

The Microsoft team have done themselves proud with the current crop of CRM Accelerators. They struggled a bit last year but have made up for it since with quality, stable product. They are even releasing two new accelerators, as well as having just updated the Analytics accelerator.

CRM Accelerators are a range of free-of-charge add-on solutions which have been developed for Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 customers and partners. Each accelerator showcases how the Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0 platform can be configured and extended to broaden marketing, sales and service capabilities. CRM accelerators provide additional functionality for deployments of Microsoft Dynamics CRM 4.0. Microsoft Dynamics CRM customers are encouraged to further configure these accelerators to meet their specific business needs.

The full press release on the two new accelerators is here: http://www.microsoft.com/Presspass/press/2009/jul09/07-08MSDynamicsCRMAcceleratorsPR.mspx

You can download all the CRM accelerators here: http://www.codeplex.com/crmaccelerators

These accelerators are currently available for download with the two new ones available next week:

• Notifications
• Event Management
• Extended Sales Forecasting
• eService
• Analytics R2 – Updated 22-Jun-2009
• Enterprise Search R1
• Business Productivity Newsfeed
• Business Productivity Workflow Tools
• Business Data Auditing

Each download package is a self-extracting exe or ZIP file containing a setup routine and all the necessary installation bits, documentation and source code.

If you have Microsoft Dynamics CRM – or are wisely thinking of making the switch to it – you should check these out and then contact a Microsoft Partner to help you implement them.

You forgot about me, didn’t you?

Do you ever get customer letters? How do you respond? Should you respond?

The following letter is one that I wrote and sent to the San Diego Padres. Since I have had no positive experiences with the Front Office I am not expecting anything back beyond a form letter or email. I share this here as an example of an unhappy customer. And it’s my blog…

Think about being a business owner and receiving a letter like this – how would\should you react?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear Padres Front Office,

I am your target market.

The stats – Baseball and Padres fan (since mid-nineties), taught my wife the game and got her hooked, comfortable 2 career household with disposable income (yes, even in this market), own my home in Carlsbad, in my late-forties, like to take the train and trolley to games, enjoy spending time and money in the Gaslamp Quarter, love to watch the younger players that were just called up play their hearts out, understand that baseball is a business, respect and revere the iconic symbols of the game, buy new hats and jerseys every year, try to get to spring training every couple years, and finally became a season ticket holder when the new stadium was built.

You forgot about me, didn’t you?

In the crazy rush of running a multi-million dollar business and the growing internal office mess you created over the last couple years, you forgot about me. Me and the thousands of others like me in San Diego.

I kept the faith. I believed. I even caught the excitement. I was sad when Tony Gwynn retired and burst with pride when he was inducted. I cried when Cami died. I stood and cheered every time for Hell’s Bells even when watching on TV. I stood in the stadium with awe and respect for save number 479 and yelled myself hoarse with the crowd for an hour afterward. I laughed with the Chicken, got angry about steroids, made excuses for the losses, understood (but didn’t always agree) when favorite players were let go or traded, stayed until the end for 14+ inning games, and kept coming back.

You forgot about me, didn’t you?

This year I didn’t renew my season tickets, I was angry about being forgotten. I was disappointed that in spite of my loyalty and money over the years you forgot what was important to me and the thousands like me.

I have not been to a game this year. My friends and family can’t believe it but it’s true. I still pay attention and am still a fan. I agonize over the win\loss record but am not surprised. I get a thrill every time Adrian hits a dinger. I feel bad for Jake with 5 losses already (in early May!) that he doesn’t deserve. I have new favorite players named Jody, Scott, and David knowing they may not be around long. I know it’s a long season – a marathon, not a sprint.

You forgot about me, didn’t you?

I actually got a call from a junior sales guy a couple months after my season tickets weren’t renewed – first call from the Padres in 5 years. He wanted to know why I wasn’t renewing. I was honest and gave him 5 or 6 reasons including lack of ownership commitment, bad and expensive food, poorly run concessions, and feeling that what is important to the fans has been forgotten.

He said, “You can bring food in to the park” and “looks like we may have a new owner soon”. I kid you not, that was his entire response. His response only confirmed that I made the right decision.

I was ready to be persuaded to renew. Heck, I was already beginning to regret not renewing. I was actually happy to get the call so I could reconcile my being a fan with a team that cared about me. But during the call it became painfully clear that I was right all along.

You forgot about me didn’t you?

~~~~~~~~~~~

Think Big, Start Small, Act Now.

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