4.6. Human resources
The companys people are, ultimately, the key to the
whole CRM strategy. They are the part that determines
its success or failure and they must not be undervalued.
It is therefore fundamental that they know about the project
and resolve their fears, worries and doubts before it is
implemented. They must be made to see the importance of
CRM but, above all, they must be trained in this new customer
service philosophy. It is a case of creating a corporate
culture with a defined approach focused on the
customer that enjoys the commitment of management
and employees.
As well as changing the company culture, the CRM project
requires a restructuring of the companys job manual and organisational diagram, as ‘‘customer teams’’ made
up of staff from different departments, like marketing,
design, sales, and so forth, will be created. It is a less hierarchical
means of organisation similar to management by
processes.