Important CRM functionality for your company :

A CRM system provides a wide range of functions, which should be implemented step by step according to priority. To help you define your priorities, we have listed the main functionalities clearly below.

Your steps to successful CRM:

To ensure that you don‘t forget anything during the systematic planning of your CRM system, we have put together a detailed checklist to serve as a »roadmap«.

Optimum customer information in your company:

A company that wants its CRM system to be successful must place great value on high-quality-data, because incomplete or out- of-date addresses, price lists and negotiation guidelines do not just annoy sales and customer service departments, they also give customers an unprofessional image of the company. This checklist shows how companies can impress with skills and expertise thanks to a well maintained customer database.

Motivated customer management in your company:

The best CRM strategy is not much help if it is not "lived" in the company. This checklist shows you which tools are important for motivating employees, because we all know that real customer orientation is only possible if everyone works towards it.

CRM survey from IBM:

The Customer Experience Study 2005 from IBM was developed together with OgilvyOne worldwide™. It proves that never before has it been so difficult to bind customers to one company. The practical examples presented show that the integration between businesses and their customers differentiate significantly, e.g. the success or failure of customer relations is dependent on the speed, simplicity, efficiency and reliability of the processes.

Contacts - enterprise-wide address and company data management:

Maintain addresses. Assign read and edit rights. Use contacts and company data enterprise-wide.

Contacts is the efficient way of entering and managing the addresses of your customers, suppliers and business partners. Contacts enables you to cut search times and costs while increasing your productivity.

Portal - centralized access and easy searching for all notes applications:

Tasks, e-mails, and appointments, all at a glance.Find information easily. Act immediately. Portal is your central, personal access route into the Notes environment and an efficient tool for searching across multiple databases. Portal increases your productivity and performance.

Workflow - manage forms, activities and applications efficiently:

Define workflows. Control processes. Make rapid decisions. GEDYS 7 Workflow is the efficient tool for mapping and automating processes electronically within your organization. The Workflow module enables you to speed up response times and increase competitiveness in fast-moving and flexible markets.

Schedule - active scheduling for people and groups:

Coordinate appointments. Book resources. Clarify availability. Schedule is the efficient tool for scheduling your appointments, booking resources and transparent group appointments management. Schedule increases your productivity and flexibility.

Office - electronic profiles and flexible document management:

Store, view and control all activities with customers,suppliers, prospects, and business partners. Office is the efficient tool for managing your documents, processes and information. Office enables you to use all information about calls, meetings, correspondence and numerous individual forms efficiently.

Sales - professional support and guidance for sales, forecasting, reporting, sales funnel:

Capture opportunities. Control sales processes. Create quotations. Sales is an efficient tool for your opportunity and forecast management. Plan, execute, and monitor your individually defined sales processes. Sales helps you support your sales team efficiently and in doing so, increase productivity and turnover.

Service - ITIL helpdesk, customer support and complaint management:

More efficient IT processes improve service quality and ensure fewer risks. The automation of important service management processes leads to high system availability and fewer downtimes for users. The GEDYS 7 Service module with integrated ITIL Best Practices provides you with proven ITIL processes for the optimum deployment of your service team.

Marketing - campaign management and evaluation:

Precise selection of target groups, communication with existing and potential customers and measuring the success of your marketing actions. GEDYS 7 Marketing is the efficient tool for your marketing and sales team. Increase the effectiveness of your campaigns.

CRM definitions and positioning or: "Whose tasks and objectives are affected in the company, and how?":

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) integrates all sales relevant business processes, communication channels and company divisions such as Acquisitions, Marketing, Sales and Services. Every customer contact counts across the whole customer life cycle. The customer must therefore be supported consistently for the duration of the cooperation. Chapters: CRM is an expression of and platform for the corporate philosophy, Current influences and requirements – CRM is a must, CRM strategies – concrete definition of benefit, Basic operational CRM objective, CRM principles and mottos.

CRM Manager and the CRM Project Team or: "Which functions and positions are needed and make sense?":

In the company, there must be a person who is responsible for customers and customer relationships and for strategically positioning and expanding the area of CRM in the company. What is particularly important here is the necessary decision-making ability. Chapters: CRM Anchoring in the company – the CRM project sponsor, expertise in project manager - the CRM manager, Powers and authority, A lot of responsibility, Key competences, Schedule requirements.

Functional project start and CRM partner selection:

Extensive preparatory work is required for the functional project start and the selection of solution and service provider. It may make sense to work with a specialist or experienced process consultants here, including on the CRM provider side.

Chapters: Operational advantages for each department – announcing and advertising the project in the company, internal specification and prioritizing of requirements, collecting offers, offer comparison and provider selection, round of presentations, test installation and workshop with detailed and binding performance specifications.

Actual CRM implementation: organizational and content/technical implementation:

The implementation of CRM requires extremely professional project management. Compared to classic IT projects, the “human aspects” become increasingly important and must be taken into consideration, from the strategy specifications up to the operational platform. Chapters: The »Organizational implementation« with strategic direction and specification of operational goals, »Content/technical implementation«.

The ROI for CRM: qualitative and quantitative factors and calculations:

In this area, statements from analysts, specialists, consultants and providers range from »absolutely impossible« through »this assessment is not necessary because CRM always pays off« to »it is always essential to clearly demonstrate the ROI of CRM software«. Content: table containing standard ROI points, concrete, project-specific ROI table (for parts of CRM) with actual and planned values and the resulting overall view, list of costs, the final ROI analysis.

Can CRM function effectively without Lotus Notes?

Thanks to numerous and continued developments, nowadays there is no need for any business to be put off by the implementation of software supported by CRM – not even on financial grounds. With IBM Lotus Notes, businesses have a platform to which CRM solutions can be added at low costs. Chapters: Profiting from Lotus Notes, Building on Lotus Notes, Free choice of modules / Add-Ons – The possible up-grades for Notes based CRM, Personal contact: connecting all forms of communication to the CRM.