Who is responsible for the processes? Who has veto power within the company? Processes never stop at departmental boundaries. Therefore, the head of e-commerce cannot proclaim that they have full control over all online activities. In customer relationship management, the target group manager suddenly has control over the processes. The solution to the problem is to change the goals, the organization, and leadership tasks. At the risk of repeating myself: Everything is focused on the customer’s well-being and value creation with the customer.
Software-as-a-Service and data exchange – turning data into information
Not all systems have been switched to Software-as-a-Service yet. This will take many years. This new type of CRM in a cloud solution presents challenges for data exchange. If there is no modern Customer Data Platform or Data Management Platform (formerly Data Warehouse) acting as middleware between ERP software (resource planning) and CRM, the enjoyment of the CRM application suffers. The required or complete data is usually missing. That is no fun. Employees show no enthusiasm in using it. Everyone talks about 360 degrees, an information about the customer that is accessible to all. But many companies are far from this. This advantage must first be achieved.
Preparing the data and continuously working on the data (within the framework of address and data quality measures) is time-consuming. Often, companies must first clean up addresses and data for 6 to 9 months at the start. This is an unimaginable effort at first. But those who have put in this effort will be rewarded. When initial successes in personalization, individualization, and cross-selling are achieved, the joy is great. When sales staff work with their customers, enter data, and use it for sales conversations, the CRM tool becomes highly beneficial. When transaction emails can be sent in a targeted manner in e-commerce, everyone benefits. And the happy customer shares their positive customer experience on social media.
Customer Relationship Management is more than a CRM system
The CRM tool becomes enjoyable when all involved employees use it similarly. Not one employee using it only 5% and another 85%. In a department or within a process, the skills and performance levels must be similar. This needs to be controlled and trained. Only then is the investment worthwhile.
Customer Relationship Management is not a simple task. Once consistently established in the company, the CRM application influences the new culture. But merely hoping for the CRM application is a misconception.
Many software companies invest in usability and user acceptance
However, all attempts to create a good design for all users with a single design are doomed to fail. No user is the same as another. Even within one company, departments and processes are so different that certain interfaces, screens, or user stories are very different. The look and feel are also usually judged very differently. So, it is very difficult for a software manufacturer to create a universal design.
In the past, open-source product providers were criticized for looking boring and unattractive. But times have changed. The important information that users value this has long been understood.
Hence, in recent times, customization options for software interfaces are always found. The terms tiles or dashlets are very common here. The terms User Interface (UI) and Graphical User Interface (GUI) often appear. All these keywords have one task: to organize and design the desktop, user screen, and mobile screen so that a product or app can be used as intuitively as possible. But what is intuitive for whom?
Test everything! The result is important information.
Certainly, some sums are spent on testing by manufacturers and vendors. Various methods help to gain insight and continuously refine and improve. Which user experience (UX) is ultimately the best will never have a correct answer. It is, like all things in design, a matter of taste. And taste is very individual. Even from one user story to another, there are differences. A test with participants, an observation during normal operation, recordings with an eye camera – these and other methods help gain insight. Nevertheless, every developer follows their own design line. This group wants to leave their own signature. Whether modern, playful, or old-fashioned, we have heard arguments and counterarguments for everything. Especially when transitioning from one design to the supposedly modern design. Some find it appealing. Others say: Oh, now I have to get used to it.
User acceptance is crucial for training and education
There will never be a perfect solution for all users. General acceptance or user acceptance is always very different. Through training and education, however, the company achieves an average level of usage and capability. The software is used according to the areas of application, whether it meets all desires or not. Most employees gradually adapt. But without training and ongoing practice, nothing works. That is just human. Humans are creatures of habit. Therefore, old habits must be unlearned, and new ones learned. That is perfectly normal.
Interested in a benchmark?
What is the usage or utilization rate of your CRM?
Which screws could you turn to quickly amortize the investment? Which adjustment leads to a great user experience?
Or are you interested in our training program? How can one benefit from the training and practice lessons of professional athletes and musicians in CRM?
Therefore, we offer this important part of CRM implementation to our customers as a comprehensive package. Contact us! You can get more information from us at mailto:info@1a-relations.com or through our accounts on social media (Twitter) and social networks on Facebook, LinkedIn, and XING. We also use Social CRM to regularly inform about news on www.crm-tech.world.
In the past, open-source product providers were criticized for looking boring and unattractive. But times have changed. The important information that users value this has long been understood.
Hence, in recent times, customization options for software interfaces are always found. The terms tiles or dashlets are very common here. The terms User Interface (UI) and Graphical User Interface (GUI) often appear. All these keywords have one task: to organize and design the desktop, user screen, and mobile screen so that a product or app can be used as intuitively as possible. But what is intuitive for whom?