| | November 20178CIOReviewMuch has been made over the years about the promise of ROI from CRM systems and yet many times, organizations find themselves let down by the post-implementation results. While this may be an ironic position to share in this publication, this dissatisfaction has almost nothing to do with the technology.When we think of the value from a CRM, we tend to think of metrics like leads worked, appointments set, and sales converted, which ultimately lead to increased sales volume and revenue. It is also common to associate these benefits with functionality--360 degree view of the customer, lead management, calendaring, referrals, pipeline management, and all the other core CRM capabilities. They are great; we all know them and love them. But we are CRM or tech junkies. These capabilities do not mean anything if our users don't love them too.A mentor shared a silly equation with me that described the real value of CRM as the product of functionality and user adoption, or a mass in motion for the physics-minded among us. Without falling into the pit of equations, the message is--it's all about adoption. We can create CRM with the best functionality, but none of it matters if we do not see high adoption rates among our users.Putting the User FirstThe typical approach to CRM projects usually starts when the line of business identifies a gap in its ability to drive business. IT and possibly vendors are engaged to plan out the project and build or implement a tool that will solve the problem. Along the way, the sponsor will write requirements or an RFP, which serves as the basis for the deliverable. This approach overlooks the most important variable--the user--and the result is that often the user ends up with a tool they do not fully understand, does not fit into their daily processes, and does not deliver the value that the sponsor expected and promised. A better approach is to think about the user first and foremost and craft the business solution around the user's unique needs. Before proposing a solution with requirements, the project leaders need to meet with users, spend time with them to understand how they work, and, most importantly, they need to listen. If you understand the users as people--their level of experience, their skill set, are they well trained, how long have they been with the company--these things will tell you what the user needs in the CRM. For example, if your organization experiences high staff turnover, then the software needs to be so simple that it requires no training. You need TurboTax of CRM and you can only know that by observing and listening before defining or buying the solution.Making Form over Function DecisionsOnce you understand your user, you will also understand how they see the software. Your CRM is full of invisible things--propensity models, technical stability, etc. The users never see those things. They only see the front-end and they are certainly going to infer the quality of the whole based on those visible parts. If your users are front-line bankers with high turnover that you cannot afford to keep training, you need their buy-in. And the user will not believe that the guts are top quality if what they see on the outside is just average. Remember, the value of your CRM is as much about adoption as anything else. If you can create a tool that is visually appealing, then your users will believe that it is brilliant as well. If it is visually appealing, they will want to come back and if it is simple they will use it as intended. All the big data analytics in the world won't help if the bankers don't come back for the basic appeal.IT'S ALL ABOUT THE USERS: THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT FACTOR TO CRM SUCCESS IS THE IMPLEMENTATION APPROACHBy Brian Diepold, Director of CRM, Santander Bank, N.A.IN My opinionBrian Diepold
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