Step 2: Manage by Exception
Once you have defined your business goals and processes related to CRM, the next step
is to configure and implement the system to enable staff to easily follow the expected
performance guidelines. Then train the staff to utilize the system.
Example: Sales
Using the sales example from Step 1, configuration of a CRM system to standardize on
sales tactics involves:
• Access to leads: ensure your staff has an easy way to access new leads quickly,
with all expected basic and pre-populated lead qualification data available at a
glance.
• Lead follow-up and status: use phone call tracking per lead, with call and
voicemail notes. Standardize on terminology and process to rate and/or update
the status of leads.
• Lead qualification: configure lead qualification questions into fields, complete
with multiple choice selections for values. Include questions to assess budget,
prospects’ authority level, and purchase timeline; as well as other specific
questions to your business to determine their needs. For example, a field called
“Decision Timeline” might have values for “30 days, 90 days, 6 months, and 12
months” (depending on your average sales cycle length). To make it easy for sales
people, sort them in the order in which they would ask these questions during the
lead qualification phase. In addition, have some of this data pre-populated by
asking these questions in your web forms.
• Sales methodology: Set up your step-by-step standard sales process or
methodologies in your CRM system to enable all sales people to follow the same
sales steps for each qualified lead. Use the best practices that have helped win
deals in the past. This may involve sending proposals and quotes, taking out
prospects for dinner or golf, conducting demonstrations of your product, sending
samples, etc. The system should be configured so that completion of one step will
prompt the sales representative to move onto the next step, in the appropriate
time frame.
Example: Customer Service and Satisfaction
To implement the customer service processes and performance guidelines outlined in the
customer service and satisfaction example in Step 1, configuring the CRM system
involves:
• Access to customer information & cases: ensure staff has access to an
entire customer history including past communications and purchases. Also,
establish a means for all staff to create customer service case tickets in the
system, logging all details of the complaint or service request.
• Case assignment and escalation: different people in your organization
probably have different areas of expertise and authorization levels. In situations
where one staff person can’t answer a customer’s question, make it easy for them
to assign someone else to the issue. When the customer inquiry requires a refund,
upgrade, or other situation that requires a manager’s authorization, make it easy
for staff to escalate the situation to a manager.
• Knowledge and case resolution: for staff to resolve issues, they need access
to critical information on your products and services. This includes technical
details and how-to information. In addition, make internal policy information,
such as returns and refunds, easily accessible for staff to verify.
Once your system is configured to enable these processes, you can monitor each step to
ensure your performance guidelines are being followed. Managing by exception is a
management style that expects staff to be performing to their guidelines, and only alerts
managers when employees fail to meet these expectations. Employees are empowered to
do their jobs. Managers get critical information on an as-needed basis, saving time for
situations where attention or action is required.
To manage by exception, configure your CRM system to notify you when your
performance guidelines are not met. Using the sales example, receive an email alert
when:
• New leads entered into the system (manually, through a web data import, or
other means) are not touched or updated within one day of entry (which may be
defined as a call being placed to that lead or a lead status field being updated).
• After two weeks of a new lead being entered, the lead status is not qualified, or
updated to another value; and there are fewer than five phone notes entered for
that lead.
• A qualified lead doesn’t have the ten qualifying questions completed in lead fields
• A qualified lead doesn’t have a corresponding opportunity record created with a
forecasted date and revenue amount
• An opportunity’s methodology steps aren’t being utilized within five days of the
record being created.
These types of system alerts ensure that processes are being followed to expectations; not
only for the sake of ensuring usage of the CRM system, but to ensure staff are following
the processes you put in place to help achieve the company’s goals.
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发表于 2008-7-26 20:09
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