South African managers are becoming a little cynical about the failures of the latest and greatest that Information Technology (IT) has to offer, says Francois Coetzee, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) portfolio manager at Rubico, the South African pioneers of enterprise software development based on components. But, when it comes to CRM, the blame often lies with the company and its managers themselves and their failure or inability to get the right buy-in and commitment to the whole project. What happened in the 1980s and 1990 with business process re-engineering is being repeated in the new millennium.
"CRM failure has more to do with employee mindsets, organisational culture and staying within comfort zones, than with IT failures," he says, adding that his advice to managers looking for a CRM `recipe for success` is to forget about the underlying technology.
"The major obstacle with the CRM wave is that it is in essence a business philosophy first, with technology enablers only being effective if the business has bought into the CRM philosophy," he says.
Before thinking IT and technology, managers need to think people and how to educate them about what the new technology means to them in their work and to the business itself - its survival or otherwise - and how this could impact their jobs.
"For people to believe in the new wave they need know what it`s all about. This means not only focusing on the logical benefits and why change needs to take place, but, more importantly, giving the answer to the age old question, `what is in it for me?`
"People will buy into a concept very quickly when the benefits are attractive to them. Benefits that make their lives better and not just improve the lot of the company," adds Coetzee.
Selling CRM concepts should focus on where it matters most for the organisation. These include the receptionist, the sales person and even the people who serve coffee and tea to clients and prospects. Anyone in the organisation that comes into contact with an external party should be considered a sales person and needs essential sales skills.
"Management might be reeling under the blows of new IT terms, concepts and silver bullets, but this does not mean that they should stay clear of new business concepts and the technology enablers. Despite some of the early much publicised CRM failures there are many organisations out there reaping the benefits of the current CRM wave," concludes Coetzee.
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