5 steps & tips for a successful CRM project

Are you preparing a CRM project and want to know all the keys to ensuring its successful deployment, so that it accelerates your growth?

But what exactly is a CRM for a company? What stages of the project should you not neglect? What are the points to watch out for?

One thing is certain: at a time when customers are increasingly demanding and volatile, it is vital to do everything possible to make them feel understood, valued and unique.

That's why the CRM project, with its strategic, organisational and technical facets, is a must.

Definition, advice, action! 🎬

See all software Customer relationship management

CRM project: definition

CRM, the acronym for Customer Relationship Management, refers to both :

• strategies for optimising the sales tunnel;
• the processes used to achieve this (segmentation, automation, etc.)
• and the software that centralises all the information and interactions with prospects and customers.

CRM project management means taking all these dimensions into account, through :

• 🎯 defining the strategic axes of customer relations,
• 🔎 assessing the company's needs,
• 🔁 analysing the customer journey,
• 📝 drawing up an inventory of existing processes and tools,
• 👭 identification of :
  • stakeholders in the CRM project,
  • end users, etc.

Why deploy a CRM project?

In increasingly competitive markets, where Internet users can obtain information, request quotes and leave comments at the click of a mouse, good customer relationship management is certainly a way of :

• Set yourself apart from the competition,
• sell better
• develop your contact base
• build customer loyalty.

A CRM project requires a CRM tool

The CRM tool is not only essential for centralising qualified sales information, it also represents a unifying workspace where each stakeholder is fully involved in the customer relations strategy, whether it's the :

• sales
• reception
• support,
• AFTER-SALES
• marketing, etc.

CRM analysis tools also make it easy to view your data and measure your performance, thanks to dashboards.

Benefits of implementing a high-performance CRM system

There are many advantages:

• centralisation and capitalisation of customer and prospect data
• personalised customer relations
• development of a CRM strategy, etc.

In short, CRM software contributes to

• increased productivity,
• improving :
  • sales performance
  • internal collaboration
  • customer relations,
• customer loyalty,
• 360° management thanks to cross-functional exchanges between sales, marketing and support teams.

See all software Customer relationship management

How do you set up a CRM project? Steps and advice

Step 1 ^: Define your short- and medium-term needs

Your customer relationship management requirements must be identified and clearly expressed. Start by defining :

• your customer typologies and their segmentation,
• your quantified objectives, in the form of indicators such as :
  • increase in the average basket
  • percentage of new business
  • customer retention rate, etc,
• the customer data you need (too much information drowns out the information), etc.

☝️ Although it is a good idea to consider potential changes in your needs, there is no point in projecting too far ahead.

Otherwise, implementing your CRM project could turn out to be tedious, longer than expected, costly and discouraging for your teams.

Step 2 ^: Set up a CRM project team

Designate a dedicated, multi-disciplinary CRM project team to take account of all the company's needs in a cross-functional way, from :

• tracking leads in the pipeline for the sales teams,
• implementing automatic email campaigns for the marketing department,
• managing complaints and tickets for the support team, etc.

Appoint a CRM project manager to head it up, to :

• steer the strategy, processes, choice of service providers and software in a coherent way ;
• assign the various tasks, broken down into stages,
• monitor the project, particularly deadlines and budget.

Step 3 ^: Draw up precise specifications

The CRM project specifications should answer the following questions:

• What are the different objectives of the CRM project?
• Who are the stakeholders?
• What are their roles and interactions?

☝️ Once the CRM tool has been delivered, have several users test it, note their comments and ask the service provider to make any necessary adjustments.

Step 4 ^: Opt for modular CRM software

Following on from Tip 1, your software should :

• be adapted to your needs,
• be able to evolve with them.

A tailor-made CRM offers :

• modular building blocks
• customisable configuration of back-office fields,

to meet your business needs.

The CRM must also :

• be capable of interacting with your other tools if necessary,
• generate reports to monitor the effectiveness of your CRM strategy closely.

Here are four examples of CRM covering a wide range of functions:

• CRM example no. 1 :
  Axonaut: complete management software, this ERP integrates a CRM solution for 360° project management. Suitable for VSEs and small SMEs, it offers, among other things:
  • management of :
    • the customer lifecycle (follow-up of prospects, monitoring of exchanges, with a connection to your diary and email),
    • marketing campaigns
    • after-sales service, with ticketing,
    • invoicing,
  • a secure customer portal.
    
    

• CRM example 2:
  Divalto weavy: fully customisable, the solution is perfectly suited to SMEs and SMBs that have to deal with mobile professionals. The software makes it possible to streamline all data exchanges relating to customer relations, by offering :
  • functions available on smartphones and tablets for field sales staff and technicians: order taking, field visit reports, access to customer files, etc,
  • functionalities for marketing and the contact centre: management of incoming requests, management of contacts, etc.

Divalto weavy can also be connected to your ERP/management software.

• CRM example 3:
  Salesforce Sales Cloud: this is a market benchmark, aimed at SMEs and large groups, to support them in their digital transition. Choose the most appropriate package:
  • from contact, account and opportunity manager,
  • to a complete management solution with more advanced sales and marketing functions.
    Organisations with very specific needs can even develop and integrate business modules.

• CRM example no. 4 :
  Sellsy CRM: a French CRM aimed at VSEs and SMEs, Sellsy appeals to businesses thanks to its ease of use and wide range of features. With Sellsy, you can streamline all your sales management processes:
  • centralise and optimise the management of your contacts within a single interface,
  • detect the best sales opportunities using the pipeline view or lead tracking and scoring,
  • automation of your marketing emails,
  • generate activity reports to keep a close eye on your performance.
    
    

Step 5 ^: Comply with legal constraints

The RGPD insists on the need to protect privacy right from the design stage of the CRM project, which means that your current system must be completely overhauled if you are starting from an existing base.

To avoid penalties, your CRM software must comply with certain requirements, including data hosting, retention and consent management.

For your part, you must :

• be able to justify the collection and archiving of personal data,
• ensure that :
  • it is kept for as long as the reason is valid,
  • that it is correct and up-to-date.

If you opt for an Excel-based or local CRM, you absolutely must declare your file to the CNIL (Commission nationale informatique et libertés).

🤓 We can only recommend that you opt for CRM software in SaaS mode:

• not only ideal for collaboration, even on the move,
• but also up to date with technological and regulatory developments,
• And last but not least, for the support service offered by the publisher, to bring your CRM project to a successful conclusion!