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Real-Time Mobile Solutions Can Maximize a CRM Investment

Control is moving to the customer. It is the result of an historical trend that's unavoidably linked to the maxim H. Gordon Selfridge coined at the turn of the last century: "The customer is always right." We as consumers are flexing our purchasing muscles like never before, and the effects on business-as-usual have been dramatic. Over the past 10 years many companies have responded to this shift by implementing sophisticated CRM software systems in an effort to better understand customers' wants and needs.

CRM has, in many instances, been perceived as just another way for companies to gather much more detailed data about their customers with no measurable quid pro quo. What do I, as your customer, experience from your $10 million CRM investment, besides an impenetrable voicemail system, more (albeit better targeted) junk mail, SPAM, and cold calls? It's unclear. What is clear, however, is that customers will reward companies that give them what they are looking for: better visibility into their vendors' organizations at all levels; accurate and rapid responses to queries and requests; clear communications channels; and--this more than anything--respect for their time, their most precious resource.

As it turns out, there is a significant parallel trend growing as well--the move toward employee mobility. According to IDC, close to two thirds of the U.S. workforce will be considered mobile by 2008. This trend is being fueled by more advanced, more capable mobile devices, as well as by affordable data plans from wireless carriers. By putting CRM data in the hands of mobile personnel who interface directly with customers, data becomes real and actionable.

Increase the speed of communication
If there is one inexorable fact of competition it is the need for speed. Irrespective of organization, market focus, or corporate mission, quickness and agility are key attributes in any company. Speed lets you respond more quickly to opportunities, recover from problems faster, outmaneuver competitors, and give customers more of what they want, immediately. Solid ROI metrics for almost any system are predicated on being able to institutionalize new processes and information rapidly.

Increase the accuracy of information
Speed is meaningless without accuracy. The concept of garbage in, garbage out, has never been more relevant. If mobile technologies help increase the pace of business, then precision in execution becomes critical. Fortunately, there is no better place to correct and validate data inputs than at the point of entry. Service personnel could be prompted to enter inventory usage details if they try to close a service call. There are enormous advantages to these types of validation processes; advantages that have a ripple effect, adding substantial value to both vendor and customer alike.

Close at the point of sale/service
All sales and service activities have a beginning and an end. Of the two, the end represents the thorniest set of challenges. On the service side, for example, getting a signature to close a service activity and alerting finance that it can be invoiced is normally a congested, paper-based business process. In fact, because the process falls between service and billing, getting a signature frequently gets missed entirely, resulting in late bills or inaccurate information. Salespeople are even more susceptible to the challenges at the end, or close-of-a-sales activity. But here again, having all the necessary information at hand, including contract language, product information, pricing, and availability, can substantially speed closing activities and drive higher sales productivity.

Increase face-to-face time
Getting in front of customers is difficult. Once there, it is imperative that the opportunity be maximized. Providing relevant data to customers, e.g., order statuses, service updates, etc., helps customers recognize vendor knowledge of their account, while opening dialog that otherwise would not take place. Focused, accurate, and high-value communications between vendors and customers is the key to closing deals and maintaining satisfied accounts.

Remove proxies
Prior to the advent of reliable mobile technologies, companies relied on telephone interactions for all field activities. As a result, staffing and equipping call centers, help desks, and technical support was a costly but necessary activity. Primarily acting as proxies for field personnel, they delivered access to corporate data needed by field employees. For example, if a sales person needed to know the contract details for a particular deal, he or she would call someone at the home office, who would then look it up and relay the information to the field rep. The advent of reliable and accurate mobile technologies has obviated the need for these proxies across a wide range of functional areas.

Eliminate information silos
The software world has artificially categorized business processes into several overused groupings, such as ERP, CRM, SCM, ERM, among others. The problem is, customers don't see their businesses as a collection of acronyms. Moreover, they are demanding that their suppliers stop treating them as such. A typical sales person will reach across many software domains during the course of the day, from sales management to order management, to financial management, to supply chain systems. Mobile technologies allow mobile workers to access information in one continuous flow, regardless of where that data resides, CRM, ERP, SCM or otherwise. This elimination of data silos offers enormous advantages with respect to responsiveness, flexibility, and effectiveness.

Move from CRM to customer managed relationships
With customers becoming more capable and competent decision makers via the drastic increase in quality data available to them, corporations are realizing the benefit of including them much earlier in business processes. Customers are demanding more visibility into their vendors' activities, and mobile technologies are helping companies respond.

The CRM revolution provided companies with the tools to capture, organize, analyze, and act on the information generated from working with their customers. But to get the most out of these systems, organizations must take the next logical step--moving this valuable information from behind the walls of the business to the employees in the field, working face to face with customers and partners. It is there that information becomes actionable, where customers value it most and markets demand its presence. The emergence of the mobile enterprise, long presaged but finally upon us, marks the next phase in customer-centric business processes and ultimately, real customer-driven business.

Source: MobileCRMonDemand

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Mobile Field Service Is a Priority

Executives at businesses of all sizes now recognize the need for mobile field service automation to help drive service levels and ultimately increase customer satisfaction, according to a new Aberdeen Group report। "The Mobile Field Service Solution Selection Report" reveals that connecting the field and the office is a top strategic priority for 88 percent of best-in-class firms। It also finds that mobile hardware and software devices rank as top business investments.

Companies that have deployed mobile field service solutions have seen an average 27 percent improvement in worker productivity, a 19 percent increase in customer satisfaction, a 17 percent increase in overall profitability, and a 13 percent increase in service revenues, according to the report। "The biggest selling point--the quickest ROI--is in technician productivity," says Mark Vigoroso, vice president of service chain management research at Aberdeen and author of the report. Techs are able to fill more work orders and improve first-call resolution rates.

Goals will be different depending on how a service organization is positioned within a company, Vigoroso says। "If it's a profit center, being able to deliver higher levels of service can be monetized. Often, customers are absolutely willing to pay more."
The strategic importance of post-sales service, coupled with the complexities of conducting business from the field, is driving service organizations to more seriously consider mobile field service solutions। Approximately 84 percent of best-in-class companies said they are forced to try to do more with less. Next comes the thought of customer service as an advantage over other organizations. "Customer service has become a competitive trump card," Vigoroso says. "Fully 80 percent of best-in-class firms said they were aiming to leverage superior customer service to edge out competitors." Customers expect faster and more efficient work order resolution. "Faster response times and more first-call resolutions are building blocks of increased field technician productivity," he says.

Source:MobileCRMonDemand

MobileCRMonDemand.si

Five Critical Factors for Mobile CRM

Computerworld

With almost one-third of the U.S. workforce on the road or working from home, the ability to extend enterprise applications and Web content to mobile devices has become a business imperative. Companies are realizing that mobility is a mission-critical element for achieving higher value from their existing investments in CRM systems, enabling faster and more accurate data collection, improved field productivity and better decision-making.

So what's the key to making mobile CRM pay off for your business? There are many possible answers, but most lead directly back to the considerations taken into account during the application development process. The following are the five most critical factors for a successful mobile CRM solution in our view:

1. Off-line functionality is key.
Sales professionals will use a mobile application only if they can reliably depend on it -- every time. To ensure that the mobile application and CRM data is always available when they need it, mobile applications must support off-line functionality. Contrary to what many in the industry would have you believe, wireless coverage isn't ubiquitous, nor is "broadband wireless" a possibility with current technology. Mobile CRM applications must be designed with the ability to intelligently use a wireless connection when it's available, but to not be dependent on it.

2. Open standards aid integration.

Field professionals don't just need access to customer information in the field; they also need information on promotions, products, competitors, service requests or order status. So selecting a platform based on open standards that can integrate with a variety of back-end systems -- ERP, intranet, legacy, database and e-mail -- is imperative. In addition, support for open standards also ensures that your application can support a wide variety of platforms and is flexible enough to keep up with the rapidly changing device landscape.

3. Security is crucial.
Mobile CRM applications typically contain your field service and sales organization's lifeblood: customer contact information. Handheld applications should be able to provide enterprise-caliber security through authentication, encryption and central, policy-based control.

4. Ease-of-use should be top of mind:
Mobile application performance and ease of use are vital for field professional effectiveness and adoption. Unlike desktop or laptop applications, field professionals use handheld applications in small time increments of one to 10 minutes. This means that users in the field will quickly stop using a system that's slow or difficult to use. To be effective, mobile CRM systems must be instant-on, easy to navigate and require little or no training. Just as important is a user interface that is configurable to each organization's unique workflow and sales process. The right interface can make all the difference to your end users.

5. Timely information is critical.
Features such as server-pushed alerts and scheduled synchronization will simulate an always-connected experience by delivering information to the user as soon as possible given the wireless coverage in a particular area. Mobile applications should accelerate communication, decision-making and customer responsiveness by keeping users in touch.

Up until recently, organizations have been very proficient at automating the flow of information in the back office but have had no effective way of bringing it to field employees, like sales or service people, whose core responsibilities are away from their desks. Using advanced mobile technology, companies are now getting more out of existing enterprise systems by delivering these applications and content directly into the hands of users whenever and wherever they do business.


Source: www.mobilecrmondemand.si

Using CRM on the Go: Six Tips for Success

The top reason that some companies aren't deploying CRM on mobile devices is because they lack a comprehensive mobile strategy, says Guy Waterman, who is responsible for CRM mobility applications at Oracle. Companies need to teach their reps how to use the devices most effectively and also how to tie their newfound mobility back to revenue.
With the ever-growing popularity of mobile devices, many sales reps and service reps in the field are finding that they barely have to stop by the office these days. Customer information, order tracking, and even accounting data can all be had with a few clicks of the PDA or a quick perusal of CRM screens on a laptop.

But even though the information can be accessed remotely, the way it's delivered, and especially the way it's used, isn't quite the same on a portable device as it is on a desktop PC.

When thinking about ways to broaden your company's strategy for customer relationship management by providing access to CRM software on mobile devices, here are a half-dozen tips from the experts to keep in mind:

1. Push, But Don't Expect Pull

On smaller form factors, a complex CRM interaction simply isn't going to be useful, says Bill Patterson, senior product manager for Microsoft CRM.

Smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are better for receiving information than for extensive input, and they are usually best at accessing limited amounts of data. In other words, reps can use handheld devices to look up items like customer service call records, but they wouldn't usually input detailed meeting notes into something like a BlackBerry or a Palm. And, they probably shouldn't rely on those types of devices for digging too deep into the records or being able to check links to other databases for a more complete view.

"The thing that people fail at is figuring out how much information to push onto the device," says Patterson. "You want only just enough so the rep knows what's going on, not the entire history with the customer."

2. Boil Down the Information

In figuring out what to include in a mobile CRM initiative, Forrester Research analyst Liz Herbert suggests keeping it simple. Companies should focus on just the top handful of activities that sales and service reps need to do their jobs effectively. Examples include account and contact lookups, deal or case information, and follow-up activities.

"Most mobile CRM applications can do more, but keeping it simple ensures that users can quickly and easily access core functionality without getting bogged down by extraneous bells and whistles," she notes.

3. Extend Beyond Sales Reps

While some customer service reps are deskbound, answering calls and emails all day, others can be more mobile. Thus, when considering a mobile CRM initiative for the sales team, companies should also think about whether it makes sense to extend CRM capability to their service reps out in the field, says Gartner analyst Michael Maoz.
(continued...)
By Elizabeth Millard November 14, 2006 11:49AM


Source:CRM Daily


MobileCRMonDemand

CRM's High Wireless Act

Wireless immediacy allows enterprises to pursue CRM simplicity with powerful rewards for everyday functions

Why is wireless important to CRM?

A simple question, but one that calls for a detailed answer. CRM is about getting a holistic view of the customer, and that view needs to be current.
Mobile and wireless technology grants users the power to be in constant contact with the home office and the customer, wherever users are. Plus, they can react to new developments instantly, even solving problems before
they start. When cellular phones and text pagers became available, field sales personnel immediately realized the power those gadgets gave them. Service people also latched onto the immediacy of the wireless model to respond faster to clients' needs. Even marketing has found uses for wireless and mobile technology through branding and mobile advertising content, and is developing the ability to push advertising to wireless devices based on user preferences and location.

Businesses have gotten the message that wireless will be increasingly important to all areas of operation, including CRM. Even back in 2004, "Mobilizing the Enterprise," an IDC survey of its mobile advisory council (a group of early-adopter businesses that had mobilized at least one function) showed that about 34 percent had CRM access on wireless devices, 32 percent were using field service apps, and 22 percent had wireless SFA. The survey for 2005 indicated that wireless use had grown among early adopters, with functions as diverse as data collection, sales, supply chain management, time reporting, inventory, and customer service getting mobilized.
Despite the seeming omnipresence of wireless--go for a walk and see how long it takes to spot somebody using a PDA, cell phone, or wireless-equipped notebook at a local hot spot--the industry is still evolving, with new technologies and new uses of the old ones constantly being unveiled. Where is all of it taking us? Here, a look at emerging trends in wireless.

Consolidation, Simplification
Putting these two concepts together may seem counterintuitive, but in fact they're rather closely connected. CRM applications can be very deep, and depth means complexity. This runs counter to the needs of the wireless user, who wants information with a minimum of scrolling and tapping. "The trend is simplification of CRM, as wireless becomes more and more mainstream," says John Carini, CEO and chief architect of wireless for iEnterprises, an integrator of wireless CRM. "Users in the field have driven enterprise applications onto mobile devices, since those are the people who are most closely interacting with the customer." The ability to check on order status, provide updated price quotes, and reschedule meetings on the fly can make the difference between success and failure on the road. Because of this, according to Carini, we can expect to see more applications making their way onto BlackBerrys, Treos, and Smartphones this year. "Email is still important, but it isn't the killer app anymore," Carini says. "What brings value? CRM. Expect to see much more in the way of account management, opportunity management, sales forecasting, and alerts."
At the same time, Carini warns of the possibility of information overload. "Many CRM technology packages have lots of bells and whistles, which might not all be useful to the mobile sales force. But the mobile platform, with its small screen, actually helps to simplify and streamline your choices."

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Managing Sales Leads with a CRM System

In the sales industry, work flow-automation technologies are some of the most important timesaving strategies for salespeople and managers.



Customer relationship management (CRM) applications, for example, have changed the way sales leads are managed.

With a CRM system, sales leads generated through telemarketing, response cards, trade shows, Web forms and other sources are entered into a central database and automatically routed to the correct salesperson.

Managing these leads once they've been routed to your virtual in-box can be daunting, but adopting some of the following practices will help you stay on top of your sales leads:

* on't let leads pile up in your in-box; tackle them as soon as possible.
* Sequence leads so you can cycle through them in order, whether you tackle the hot leads first or save the best for last.
* Allow ample time to move through an entire batch of leads without interruption.
* Once you connect with a lead and set the groundwork for a sale, upgrade the lead to a contact and start maintaining the record in a database.
* Update your records regularly as you develop a history with a client.
* Dial in from the field to update your data at least once a day. If you wait two or more days, the updates will pile up and will take longer to download.

Related articles:
Why Get CRM Software for Your Business?

What is CRM?

CRM (Customer Relationship Management) defines company's customer-oriented business philosophy, where the efficient mechanism of cooperation with the client penetrates all the company's processes.

We determine CRM as the whole system (processes) supporting customer relationships though the whole cycle, which aimed at achieving the main goal: creation of the workflow for attracting new customers and developing existing ones.Due to this, minimization of human element in customer relationships is achieved along with the absolute transparency of operations in sales, marketing and customer service spheres.

CRM solution consists of 4 components:

customer-centered organizational structure, business processes, regulations of client servicing and supporting software.

Regulations and rules of client servicing have to penetrate all the operations of company: sales, marketing, service, logistics, production, finances and other departments. Though the main regulations affect mostly front-office (sales, marketing and service), the level of customer satisfaction and loyalty depends on back-office as well, for instance product quality, delivery period, settlement of accounts with contractors.Relationship management means attracting new clients, changing neutral clients into loyal customers, turning devoted customers into business-partners (agents). This scheme is applicable to any kind of market.

We start with attracting new clients, and then create the relationships with them, gain confidence; as a result our customers form the network of our subagents. Only competent customer relationship management allows following this system.Regulation of client servicing is a chain of minor elements that get set aside quite often. Nevertheless these elements play key part:

the phone call answer scenario,

the speed of response to a customer request,

the structure of business proposal,

the scheme of loyalty program,

adjacent products purchase offer etc.

As with all other projects CRM project starts with the idea, strategy and plan. The next stage is the development of regulations and rules, processes of client serving, employees' job descriptions. Automation of customer relationship processes is significant, but not the first step of customer-centered company creation. The software product is a handy instrument that will support already existing regulations and processes and develop on a par with the company. This project is a foundation for exemplary customer-centered business creation.

Source: MIFS.si