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.
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By Elizabeth Millard November 14, 2006 11:49AM
Source:CRM Daily
MobileCRMonDemand
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