CHAPTER 7 Implementing CRM Successfully Implementation Guidelines for Success. In previous chapters, we showed how the lack of strategic alignment, customer insight, and coordination of customer priorities across functional areas leads to unsatisfactory returns on CRM investments. | CHAPTER 7 Implementing CRM Successfully Implementation Guidelines for Success 165 Key Points 181 In previous chapters we showed how the lack of strategic alignment customer insight and coordination of customer priorities across functional areas leads to unsatisfactory returns on CRM investments. Unfortunately even when the right approaches are taken companies can still fail due to faulty implementation. As we saw in Chapter 2 there are many potential CRM pitfalls including lack of executive attention under-skilled teams too little attention to business-process changes implementations that are too large and unwieldy over-emphasis on technology tasks and failure to mitigate difficult organizational and political challenges. The negative outcome of botched CRM implementations includes write-offs earnings disappointments budget and schedule overruns and a pronounced lack of tangible business results. The material in this chapter describes how the rigorous approaches of leading companies should be combined with the implementation of Best Practices to ensure CRM is applied successfully within organizations. It shows how to get started achieve alignment and measure results. Implementation Guidelines for Success The following guidelines illustrate Best Practices needed to successfully implement a well-planned CRM initiative. These include .
