Recent Articles and News
For Process, It's Customer, Customer, Customer Every Step of the Way
07/19/2004--It is the businesses that are recognizing that they do have to be customer-centered that are the newer success stories of the 21st century. Including how they see their business processes.
What's The Best Way To Approach Process?: A Panel Discussion
07/19/2004--When you're seeking to improve your company, you look at the process. But that's when the really big questions start. Are you focusing on information? People? Technology? Which methodology do you use? CRMGuru founder Bob Thompson joins CRMGuru's Dick Lee, of High-Yield Methods, process specialist Mike Webb and Roxanne Sopchak,of AmeriCU Credit Union of New York, for a lively discussion on the different approaches to process methodology.
Let the Customer Drive Your Business With "Lean CRM"
07/19/2004--Today, nobody talks much about business process re-engineering.Many of the reasons why BPR failed are behind CRM's own high failure rate. But it doesn't have to be this way, according to Graham Hill of Sophron Partners.
A CRM Solution Isn't Going to Help Salespeople Sell
07/19/2004--You can bolt on a CRM "solution" to help you make sense of your other enterprise applications, but it's not going to help you close a deal. For this, there is no substitute for good old-fashioned sales techniques, according to Justin Floyd, CEO, Vecta.
Don't Pave Cow Paths: An Interview With Dick Lee About Process
07/08/2004--Mention fixing process and you're bound to hear about methods developed in manufacturing: Six Sigma, Lean Business, Theory of Constraints. If your environment isn't manufacturing, though, those tools are all wrong, according to Dick Lee of High-Yield Methods. CRMGuru founder Bob Thompson interviewed Lee on July 6 about such mechanisms--and the method he prefers for improving process in customer-centric environments: Visual Workflow.
The Holmes Group Turns To CRM for the Human Touch
07/01/2004--When your business is household appliances, you want your customer service representatives to know enough about home-making to provide a sympathetic ear to customers calling for help--but not so comfortable that they'll spend 10 minutes on the phone "exchanging recipes." How to strike that balance was one of the many questions Mike Wirtz, the Contact Center/Consumer Services director for the Holmes Group, had when he began shopping for a CRM solution.
The CRM Journey
07/01/2004--For a CRM process to succeed, a business has to embrace it until it is part of the culture, the same as driving a car. Guru David Rance uses the driving analogy to explain how important process is to CRM. Other experts weigh in with their recommendations for making a redesign work.
Smart Practices for CRM Processes
07/01/2004--For a CRM process to succeed, a business has to embrace it until it is part of the culture, the same as driving a car. Guru David Rance uses the driving analogy to explain how important process is to CRM. Other experts weigh in with their recommendations for making a redesign work.
Why Are Lawyers Slow To Adopt CRM?
06/30/2004--Conflicts management has been the first real CRM initiative embraced by large, corporate law firms. Not only does a good CM system keep you from getting burned, but also firms may get a break on their malpractice insurance premiums if they have a coherent CM program in place. And that's not the only way CRM can be useful to law firms, says Andy Havens, Sanestorm Marketing.
CRM Is Not Bad, It's Just Drawn That Way
06/30/2004--Companies often blame CRM for their failure to profit from customer relationship. But, says Guru Marco De Veglia, the culprit is often ignorance of the bottom line. No matter how fancy or creative the idea of creating a relationship with your customers is, he says, if you will spend more money than you get back, the CRM strategy is a loser.
No Six Sigmoidoscopies for Me, Thank You
06/28/2004--Like roofing salespeople crawling out of the bushes to prey on the elderly, we have Six Sigma salespeople crawling out of their briefcases to prey on the process innocent. Sp says Dick Lee of High-Yield Methods.
When It Comes to Call-Center Inefficiency, Time Really Is Money
06/25/2004--It is in the interest of call centers to keep their staff happy and frustration free and, consequently, keep their customers happy by providing them with short queue times and efficient call handling. And, yet, says David Davies of Corizon, it is rare to see companies make ease-of-use for customer advisors a priority.
Has Information Technology Become a Commodity?: An Interview with Nicholas Carr
06/23/2004--In 2003, Nicholas Carr, then executive editor of the Harvard Business Review wrote the article "IT Doesn't Matter", setting off a wave of controversy among CTOs. His premise was that IT was so universal, it should be treated as a commodity. CRMGuru founder Bob Thompson interviewed Carr about his new book, "Does IT Matter?: Information Technology and the Corrosion of Competitive Advantage", in which he goes into more depth and explores the role of IT in influencing business change.
How to Break the Cycle of Unfulfilled Sales Performance Expectations
06/18/2004--What does it mean when technology solutions such as Sales Force Automation (SFA), Customer Resource Management (CRM) and Order Management systems fail to jump-start sales? Michael Heflin of Convergys shows how a new breed of software helps sales people configure, price and propose solutions.
How Do You Gauge Sales Effectiveness?
06/18/2004--Measuring sales effectiveness can be a tricky proposition. Is it in the number of new deals closed? Is it in the number of dollars rung up? In a panel discussion with CRMGuru founder Bob Thompson, Tim Lambert of Unisys, Jim Fulkerson of Hewlett-Packard, Scott Santucci of Blueprint Marketing and Gurus Jim Dickie and Barry Trailer of CSO Insights share their thoughts on the metrics of sales.
The Do Not Call Registry Hasn't Killed Telemarketing
06/18/2004--There's a compelling case for the ongoing value of outbound customer calling--but in a different form since consumers signed up in droves to bar calls. Lois Brown of Austin Logistics finds that the reports of the demise of telemarketing were premature.
CRM Must Be Linked to Value: An Interview With Francis Buttle
06/17/2004--After reviewing more than a hundred books, university professor Francis Buttle decided to roll up his sleeves and write his own CRM text. Buttle shares his thoughts with CRMGuru founder Bob Thompson, who gives this new book "two thumbs up."
What's the Real Secret to Sales Effectiveness? Customer Commitment
06/17/2004--The results are in: Organizations that invest in CRM practices and systems see a larger percentage of sales representatives attaining their sales quotas then those that do not invest in CRM. And when an organization implements a structured CRM process, an even larger percentage of its sales representatives can achieve quota than that of companies that do not have structured CRM processes. Peter Callaghan of Maximizer Software explains why automation alone won't improve sales effectiveness.
The Sales Effectiveness Ecosystem: How To Increase Sales Productivity
06/02/2004--Scott Santucci of Blueprint Marketing helps you answer the question your CEO might ask: "Why haven't we realized the sales performance boosts we expected when we, a) implemented our SFA system, b) trained our sales organization, or c) launched our sales portal?" Includes a "five disciplines of sales" framework to empower your sales force with the resources it needs to maximize productivity.
The Importance of Organization Structure and Processes in Effective Sales Strategy
05/28/2004--Scott Sims of Frank Lynn & Assoc. builds on a previous discussion of sales force effectiveness and the importance of a solid strategy by discussing the need to align the sales organization, and sales and management processes, with the sales strategy.
People Power Column: A No-Nonsense Approach to Organizational Alignment
05/12/2004--Despite the declarations of the previous decade which urged companies that "change is constant," and that they must "change or perish," what I have seen from first-hand experience as a consultant in this field is that rapid and constant change simply tears an organization apart. Patty Anton, vice president, Marketing Effectiveness, at Quaero Corp., discusses the best methods of re-allignment.
Salespro CRM: A Simple Hosted CRM System for Small Businesses
05/11/2004--Small biz CRM guru Jay Curry reviews an easy-to-use hosted solution, priced right for small businesses. Salesforce.com, look out below!
Business Intelligence: Man and Machine
05/08/2004--CRM/SFA veteran Jim Mercante shares his "Essential Eight" keys to success with Business Intelligence initiatives.
CRM Vendor Hot Seat: Karen Richardson, CEO of E.piphany
05/07/2004--CRMGuru founder Bob Thompson interviews E.piphany's leader to discuss industry trends and learn how E.piphany plans to compete and prosper in the intensely competitive CRM industry.
|
