Querying in volume
The University of Southern Queensland (USQ) provides a good example of the current approach to CRM being adopted in many businesses: a focused project with clear goals that aims to improve service levels and reduce costs, rather than seeking to massively increase revenues. (In Gartner's terminology, this is an efficiency approach rather than an effectiveness one.)
USQ, which has campuses in Toowoomba and Brisbane, has more than 20,000 enrolled students, many of them studying via distance education. As a result, its outreach services department fields an enormous number of queries each year on everything from when exam results will be issued to which courses are offered in a given semester. By 2001, the volume of queries was threatening to reduce response times.
"We had quite a good system, but it was a very manual system," explains Suzanne King, head of the outreach services department. USQ began seeking out better alternatives, and eventually (on the recommendation of its Deputy Vice Chancellor) implemented RightNow's eService Centre package.
This provides a database of commonly asked questions to which staff can add, as well as a tracking system for individual queries. Students can browse the commonly asked questions online, and then send in queries via email if they can't find an answer.
Telephone and letter queries are also still supported, with the staff using the software to seek out the appropriate answers. However, as more data has become available on the Web site, it has become a preferred means of seeking information. "There's been a dramatic reduction in questions via e-mail," says King, who estimates that staff workloads have been reduced by 20 percent while the amount of time spent on each enquiry has dropped by 75 percent.
The benefits of the new system were seen almost immediately. "We've saved so much workload because we don't have to file any more," says King. One full-time staff member was able to be diverted from filing duties to assisting with handling queries. Workload can also be shared between the main campus and the Brisbane office during periods of high demand.
King anticipates even bigger improvements as more departments across the university add support for the system. "We haven't reaped all the rewards yet. The more sections of the university are using it, the better the benefits."
In that context, the relative ease of training on RightNow has been a bonus. "Everyone's always developing new systems, and staff can get overwhelmed with the pace of change," explains King. She estimates that training on the software can be carried out in less than two hours.
Executive summary
To ensure that you get the best return on investment (ROI) from customer relationship management (CRM), be sure to follow these guidelines:
- Have a clearly defined vision. CRM software can only be effective and measurable if you know what you want to achieve. Define your goals before you even start thinking about software.
- Learn from others' mistakes. Some early CRM implementations have been disastrous--don't fall into the same traps as your competitors. Hard luck stories can provide valuable lessons.
- Ensure commitment across the board. If a CRM project isn't supported by all levels of management, as well as the IT department and staff, the chances of failure are much higher. Appoint a project committee with representation from all areas, and a project manager with overall responsibility for CRM.
- Are you experienced? CRM implementations are necessarily time-consuming and fiddly. Employing staff with prior experience in customer-facing projects should help things go more smoothly.
- Sort your data sources out. CRM systems rely on data from a huge number of systems. All these data sources need to be verified and cleaned up--preferably before you begin selecting software, and certainly before you begin installing it.
- Don't make your CRM project too big. You'll see faster ROI with small, targeted CRM implementations than with everything-but-the-kitchen-sink approaches. Also ensure you have a set period for measuring the success of the project, and properly defined metrics for measuring outcomes.
- Seek out continuous improvements. CRM projects don't "finish" on a set date. Ongoing returns will depend on ongoing commitment and a willingness to adjust your goals to meet the changing needs of the business.
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