In October and November 2007 we asked just under 5,000 people what their major issues were with CRM systems. 462 people completed the questionnaire.
The main findings were that:
Getting people to use the CRM system
This is an age old problem. Many systems are installed in a rush of enthusiasm
but then fall into disuse as the front line users, usually sales people, find
that keeping the system up to date is a chore and that the benefits of the
system accrue to management, not to them. Carrots and sticks can work, as does
making the system as lightweight to use as you can get away with. Take a look at
our White Paper for more tips on this subject.
Too much functionality
This should not really be a problem but in many systems the unused features get
in the way of the day to day use of the product. The trick is to turn off
features that aren't needed so users don't have to walk around them.
Data Synchronisation
Although data synchronisation as a technology has been around for some 20+ years
it still manages to cause major headaches. If you try to synchronise two systems
with different data structures, such as a CRM system and Microsoft Outlook, then
there will always be holes. Mobile users trying to sync over slow and expensive
GPRS connections also find data synchronisation a major issue. Fully hosted
systems solve this problem by simply removing it - there is no local data to
synchronise.
Not enough time to evaluate
We're all guilty of this, and it is not just limited to evaluating computer
systems. There are so many CRM systems on the market it is difficult to know
where to start. All we can suggest is that if you haven't used CRM systems
before, start off with a simple monthly subscription service one and run that
for a year. If after 12 months you know enough to know you need something more
advanced, then you can evaluate from a more informed position and you won't have
wasted your money by purchasing expensive software.
We'd like to thank everybody who participated in the survey, and congratulate our prize winner Maggi Randall for winning the case of wine!
Click here for the detailed results.