Getting a Grip on CRM

Mark Sauter, president of consulting firm GTP Associates in Midland,Mich., says he learned this in a previous job overseeing CRM projectsat Dow Corning Corp. We focused on key customers first and identifiedthings that were broken in our relationships with those customers, hesays. Once we could show visible signs of improving those things, andcustomer satisfaction improved, we could say: look, this is because ofCRM.

A phased approach to CRM is also favoured by Frank Erschen,vice-president of technology and solutions at BMO Financial Group andthe lead technology executive for what the bank calls customer valuemanagement.

I think its really critical to think big and act small when it comesto theseprograms, Erschen says. You really have to keep your eye on where youwant to be a number of years down the road, and figure out how you canprudently, effectively, efficiently get there one year at a time.

SaskTel, which is in the early stages of its CRM implementation, isalso taking a step-by-step approach. We did a discovery process, andthat was really our phase one, says Gail Lefebvre, general manager ofcustomer service development and support. We went through a process oflooking at what we want to be like and how we want to operate.

SaskTels first step is to build the foundation to provide a singleview of its customers and products. Then, it plans to roll out theability to track sales leads. After that will come pricing andconfiguration tools and the ability for front-line sales people to seeat a glance all the products and services the companys large customershave. The final stage in what Lefebvre expects to be an 18-monthimplementation will be to look at what has been done and seek ways torefine and improve it.