Q.
What are the CRM solutions that you provide?
A.
As an organization we offer Microsoft Dynamics CRM from Columbus IT and SalesLogix CRM from AGIS.
Both are enterprise CRM solutions and we have successful implementations across industry spectrum.
The Columbus IT network has Microsoft CRM client references in most regions that we operate in and our CRM Competency Center in Brazil has developed ISV Verticals for Banking, Real Estate, and Service Help Desk amongst other domains.
Q.
What is the kind of support that you receive from the vendors?
A.
AGIS is SAGE’s preferred partner for SalesLogix implementations in the region and their local presence in Dubai provides us with good Sales and Support backup whenever there is a need.
Columbus IT is Microsoft President’s Club member and we are recognized by Microsoft as the ‘Global Partner of the Year’. The “Global Partner of the Year Award” is given by Microsoft to one of the largest MBS Partners, who has the most extensive Global coverage and representation, demonstrates superior achievements in customer satisfaction, and has expertise and capacity to deliver complex ERP and CRM solutions to large International corporations.
Q.
As a partner, how do you promote the CRM products?
A.
AGIS and SAGE are jointly conducting a Launch Event for the recent released version 7.2 of SalesLogix fine tuned for Manufacturing and Distribution organizations.
Columbus IT will be participating and demonstrating its ISV Verticals at multiple Events across 2008 beginning with the Banking CRM Vertical to be presented in the Middle East Banking and Finance Competitive CRM Forum.
Q.
How do you differentiate from competition?
A.
With a dedicated CRM Sales, Support and Implementation team which has rich industry and domain experience, we are able to efficiently map the CRM software to all aspects of the clients business which interface with end-customers.
Our implementations are truly enterprise in that the scope generally goes much beyond the traditional SFA, Marketing and Customer Service module deployment. The team’s technical expertise and integration capabilities have added value to other functions like Logistics, Channel Management, Data Processing and Workflow requirements.
A library of such functionality enabling modules exist in our repository, which can be added on to standard implementations depending upon client requirements.
With us, customers save time and money twice. First, they can avoid many hours and dollars of extra development and customization time, since we already know their industry and what works. Second, they get the ongoing cost savings of a solution designed specifically their industry needs -- and their company.
Q.
What are the key challenges faced by organizations in the CRM space?
A.
Mostly clients identify the need for the solution and are well aware of the benefits that they can derive by implementing it – What is lacking is ownership of such Implementations and the Solution as a whole post implementation. Since CRM is truly Business Solution software, most organization IT Teams are not keen to take ownership. It is only ideal that the Business Teams own and manage the solutions in the initial stages of the Project to ensure a streamlined implementation and effective usage.These initiatives are lacking today in most sectors/organizations and could lead to unhappy customers post implementation.
Q.
What makes a successful CRM implementation?
A.
The above explained challenge if tackled well during the planning of the implementation is one of the key factors leading to a successful CRM implementation.
Domain and Industry experience of the implementation team is no less important and can add a lot of value and weight to factors leading to successful implementations in Enterprise deployments. Solution and Project ownership ensure in enforcing usage discipline which again is a key factor in obtaining optimum ROI.
Q.
What differences do you find in the approach & expectations of SMBs vs. large enterprises?
A.
SMBs need to concentrate on developing and managing a common repository of Contacts, Resources, Activities, Interaction History and learn to analyze this information to support decision making before the integration of CRM with Legacy applications.
Traditionally SMB Sales force in the region have been working without set processes and even profit making enterprises find it difficult or time consuming to analyze measures such as resource productivity, product profitability etc
Disciplined CRM usage allows these measures to be instantly analyzed on Dashboards views and this is a key top management expectation in both SMB and Enterprise organizations.
Q.
What strategy should organizations adopt to get maximum ROI from CRM?
A.
Plan for stage wise implementations.
Growing businesses need to Invest in an Enterprise Product the first time around instead of starting with Base Software and waiting to migrate to Enterprise software subsequently. The idea is to invest in the Product (possibly work out a deal with the vendor for special pricing based on licenses additions in slabs) and activate functionality in phases as and when the business grows.
Ensure that the vendor is capable of and performs a good mapping exercise before actual implementation.
Dry run the concept on the selected product with the Internal Project Team before beginning actual implantation.
Q.
What is the future of CRM?
A.
Organization need to perform well consistently in today’s highly dynamic and competitive business environment. Organizations can excel and maximizes profits in such environment only by differentiating their way of doing business with customers. A main differentiator is tools used by organization to support the business processes. CRM is one such key tool today…. It has moved out of the ‘Good to Have’ tool to become a ‘Must Have’ tool for today’s businesses.
Any organization that has customers (which mean every organization on the face of earth…) needs CRM. It is just that a 2 Man Team tackling 10 customers without the need to grow may be able to manage with Outlook and Excel. But this cannot guarantee that they will retain their 10 customers….
If we are talking about organizations that have expanding businesses, CRM is part of essential infrastructure. Here to stay………….