Four Steps to Getting From CRM Implementation to Increased Revenue

With pressure mounting on businesses to drive meaningful results, despite facing fewer resources and increasing complexity, extracting value from your CRM implementation and usage is more important than it's ever been. One easy way to do that is to ensure that your CRM does not operate in a silo, but rather critical customer data moves freely between systems. Integrating data can drive impressive business results - according to a recent study conducted by Scribe, we found that integrated CRM data equals better accuracy and consistency of customer information for 63% of businesses, followed by reduced time for accessing multiple systems for 44%, and achieving a holistic view of the customers for 41%. Companies that integrate their email with their CRM see year-over-year revenue gains of 22.7 per cent vs. 13.4 percent for companies who don't, according to Aberdeen.

Breaking down silos in the enterprise can yield all sorts of benefits, but my years in business software and the Dynamics CRM ecosystem have taught me that no system can do that job alone. Systems integration consultants play a critical role nearly all successful Dynamics CRM implementations, especially those that grow larger, more complex and more ambitious.  To that end, I connected with Jim Sheehan, PowerObjects' Chief Operating Officer to identify the key steps to follow in extracting maximum value of CRM systems. Here are four steps that Jim and I identified as critical to getting from CRM implementation to increased revenue.

Before You Implement, Think Big, (But Act Fast)

Thinking big is all about defining your business goals. At ...