Making Your Case
A CRM business case, including a strong value proposition, is the most
appropriate vehicle to drive CRM success. An effective CRM business case
will do the following three steps:
1. Set baseline metrics for business functions that will be automated (how much time per week a sales rep spends creating difficult reports, and the number of customer service calls that are
successfully resolved during the initial customer call).
2. Set objective metrics or “success criteria” for each of the proposed business functional areas that will be impacted by the system (reps will save X hours per week by not having to create
difficult reports since the system will automatically deliver
needed reports to the rep; the resolution of customer service
issues during the initial call will increase by X percent because
the system provides customer service personnel with needed
information at the touch of a button).
3. Measure and report on the accomplishment of each objective on
a regular basis (preferably quarterly and not less than every six
months) to the top management team responsible for the ultimate success of the CRM initiative.