Tying It All Together

When integrating CRM systems, it's important to analyze requirements for configuring the new system, positioning all the components that will be combined to deliver the desired functionality. The same information can be used to orient the technical team implementing the new software.

Figure 16.3 shows a process methodology that can be followed for a CRM integration project.

The process model for this CRM integration project shows the steps involved in developing the requirements for a CRM implementation. The products from each step of the process are added to the evolving set of deliverables. Deliverables from earlier steps are utilized and refined by later steps. Early steps are completed with the support of the sponsor (this would be the CRM business owner) and his senior technical advisors, setting up the heart of the process—the serial interview of business area representatives and subject matter experts. The next sections describe the details of the seven steps of the process:

1.	Identify roles and resources
2.	Build “best guess” models
3.	Validate “best guess” models
4.	Conduct interviews with internal experts and external sources
5.	Analyze and improve models
6.	Generate recommendations
7.	Present deliverables

Identify Roles and Resources

The first step is to introduce the roles required specifically for an integration project and identify who will fill them. The next several sections describe these roles.

Champion

The champion is the process owner and “chief persuader,” the overall coordinator and internal public relations agent for the project. He performs the following functions:

• Builds enthusiasm

• Educates others on the project's benefits

• Generates support throughout the organization

The business owner is the champion for the typical CRM project. Monthly and sometimes more frequent meetings might be held with the champion to provide ongoing updates and mid-course corrections for the duration of the project.

Contributors

Business area representatives from across functions provide a sounding board for the duration of the project, giving input on what works and what doesn't (from the field). Contributors are also responsible for ongoing prioritization of needs. Represented areas include the following:

• Sales— Can include the senior executive for the sales area. Would also include salespeople from the field and branch or regional managers.

• Marketing— The Vice President of Marketing might be an important project ally, working closely with the integrators and the project champion to set direction and provide organizational support.

• Corporate Management— Includes CEO, President, and Vice President levels. Interview results are summarized and applied to help define the goals and priorities of the project.

• MIS (Senior Technical Analysts)— Systems managers and senior technologists knowledgeable about the company's systems environment are essential to the success of the project.

• Product Engineering— New product development, research and development, managers, and technical specialists are included.

• Business Planning— Strategic planners, senior marketing executives, investor relations experts, and sometimes legal counsel can be included depending on the goals of the project.

• Service Delivery— Line managers, customer service providers and their managers, regional executives, and branch staff can all be included from this perspective.

Integrator

The role of the integrator is flexible and fluid. It requires a tolerance for ambiguity and the ability to provide reflective feedback to project stakeholders. Some of the functions of the integrator include

• Conducting the project

• Conducting open-ended interviews

• Starting outside the box

• Stepping in to define issues

• Identifying candidates to resolve issues

• Getting back out of the box through a phased approach

When the roles have been introduced and understood, the integrator works with the project sponsors to identify and assign the initial resources required, including

• Internal experts to be consulted, such as subject matter experts and representatives of the business areas affected by the project or business initiative.

• External sources, such as industry associations, online information, consultants, and competitors.

• Existing models, systems, and information repositories that will be consulted to gather information for the project.

As the consultation of the initial resources identified proceeds, additional contacts and sources will surface and can be added to the list. Depending on the time availability and the depth of organizational contacts of the project sponsors, the initial list can be limited or it can be fairly comprehensive. It should not be exhaustive.

Build “Best Guess” Models

The goal of this step is to capture the essence of each significant point of view represented in the project.

You will need to model current usage of applications across the company, interviewing as needed to understand individual differences in requirements. Then, you produce a series of models for each viewpoint, gathering an understanding of what is most important to each perspective.

The integrator will do just enough preliminary research to pull together a straw man, or discussion starter, as a basis for interviews. The straw man is a descriptive model you set up so that people can knock it down and correct it, which is easier than starting from scratch.

Validate “Best Guess” Models

Validate the starting point models by reviewing with members of the technical team and by reviewing existing documents. If necessary, do some external research on the CRM industry to make sure you understand the basic concepts of doing business in the CRM market space. Test your models against a brief review of industry norms.

Conduct Interviews with Internal Experts and External Sources

Serial interviewing is the preferred method of gathering information to define business views. The goal is to understand the different viewpoints without having them modify one another, as usually happens in a group setting such as Joint Application Design or focus groups.

Interviews should start by introducing the goals of the project, the point of the models, and the conventions of the models. Interview subjects can depart from the preliminary models and just describe their situation, or they can offer updates to the models. Use them as conversation starters, not as formal controls on where the interview can go. In the same vein, predetermined survey questions are usually not recommended. If desired anyway, send them out ahead of time and collect responses at the interview, only clarifying verbally what's not clear from the written responses.

Analyze and Improve Models

This is the point where you step back, review the viewpoints you have captured, and begin to develop the vision for a shared model. Interviewing typically reveals the integration issues of the project, surfacing the concerns of the business area representatives.

As you begin to identify solutions, you will update the models and return them to interview subjects for their feedback and corroboration. This process is an iterative cycle that terminates when the new models have become clear and project participants understand the responses to their particular concerns.

Generate Recommendations

The outcome of one or more iterations of analyzing and improving your models is formulated into a set of recommendations for the overall CRM solution. The recommendations should include action items at two levels: near-term deliverables and long-term plans.

An effort to identify areas of opportunity where relatively simple, minor, or low-cost improvements can be made in such a way that significant CRM benefits are accrued is needed. These opportunities are considered “low-hanging fruit” because they are most within reach and available to be harvested early in the CRM project.

The purpose of introducing a tactical element at this time in the project is two-fold:

• Early returns in cost and time savings

• Visible successes from the project early on to build credibility and support throughout the organization

The recommendations presented should provide both interim solutions and long-term or strategic solutions.

Present Deliverables

Deliverables presented should draw on the pool of models developed. They are organized to present the recommended solutions in the context of their business setting.

Models providing a visual depiction of solutions are presented to the project champion and business area contributors. They provide the requirement basis for configuring the CRM package. The integrator will collaborate with specialists knowledgeable in the installation requirements of the package selected.

After Implementation

On implementing a CRM packaged system, the implementation model is provided by the vendor, so what is most needed from the standpoint of the company installing the package are the requirements for configuring and integrating the package system. The solution models can be used to orient the staff resources that are brought in by the package vendor. They might also be used to carve out the implementation project and orient the internal teams who will carry out the project.