Note: Running Fridays in FromGregsHead.com, is a continuing series of tips brought to you by Greg Price. These run Saturday mornings during the BusinessMaker’s Radio Show on KPRC 950AM. Audio files can be found on the Entrepreneur’s Playbook page of the PKF Texas website.
The real challenge of successful CRM processes is not the software, but rather the people who are going to be a part of the process. Too many managers assume the software will solve all their problems and help them become the next great success story in Fortune or the Houston Business Journal.
Sadly, the most important aspect of your company, the knowledge and experience of your key employees and their managers is sometimes left to chance during the implementation of a CRM project. Leaving such a critical component to chance, means you will have no chance at success. The hard lessons learned through experience, your industry cycles, your customers buying needs can’t always be factored into the CRM application you ultimately select. The CRM software is but one tool experienced managers can draw upon to be successful.
One of my favorite management books is “The Five Dysfunctions of a Team” by Patrick Lencioni. It’s required reading for all our PKF consulting personnel. One of the key points is “…It is teamwork that remains the ultimate competitive advantage, both because it’s so powerful and so rare…” Part of the formula for success in the CRM arena is getting everyone on the same page and rowing in the right direction.