Analyzing the maturity of processes in the context of a CRM implementation

As previously mentioned in our article analyzing the maturity of processes in the context of a CRM implementation which describes the Capability Maturity Matrix, or CMM, assessing the maturity level of sales marketing and customer management processes is a key step in establishing a CRM solution. This assessment will give a better understanding of the robustness of CRM-supported processes and the employee commitment that comes with them. If a process is unstructured and dependent on one person, it will be harder to impose the heavy burden of documenting each action in a CRM. On the other hand, the proposed CRM solution must be particularly well structured for a process that is already well under control during the optimization phase, this at the risk of slowing down its execution.

Which processes to measure?

The answer to this question could be summed up as all the processes that will be impacted by CRM. These processes are most often found in the following three major areas of expertise: sales, marketing and customer service. At times, we must also consider the billing processes, project launching and inventory management processes. As a rule, we evaluate the following processes when planning a CRM implementation:

Sales process

• Management of contacts, prospects and opportunities
• Management of sales activities and follow ups
• Transfer of account management
• Defining acquisition channels

Marketing process

• Implementation and management of marketing campaigns
• Attribution of the sources of prospects
• Managing telemarketing activities
• Newsletters
• Event planning and presence
• Etc.

Customer service process

• Process of handling and assigning customer requests
• Managing customer service
• Exchange of information between customer service and sales
• CRM governance

The process of our analysis

The analysis process of our client’s business processes can be summed in three main steps: Resolution: We start by classifying the processes on which our implementation will have an impact. We identify the key players involved in these processes and we begin to document the steps with them. We also establish a set of milestones to be reached for each process and phases of maturity. Evaluation: Based on an evaluation grid adapted to each process, we analyze the collected information and meet with the individuals who are responsible for validating that maturity requirements have been met. This makes it possible to identify the maturity level reached by each process. The action plan: Once the maturity of each process has been defined, we prioritize which processes must be integrated into the deployed solution. This method, makes it possible to concretise the most advanced processes enabling people to adopt CRM all the while staying within their comfort zone. They can also choose to deal with more chaotic processes bridging the gap between the more controlled and chaotic processes. Each case is different, to implement this action plan, it is essential that we have a close collaboration with our client.

Some examples of maturity Models

For this example, we will use the classic case of contact management and prospects. Here is what our evaluation matrix might look like.

By pinpointing the attributes that characterise your company, it will be easy to know at what phase you have arrived.  The matrix also enables you to understand what improvements need to be made before moving on to the next stage and so forth. This same logic applies when adapting the grid to analyze your customer service, yet another key process that a CRM solution like Dynamics 365 can handle.

Assessing these two processes, makes it possible for you to decide which one must be prioritized in your CRM implementation. We recommend repeating this exercise on a regular basis, since it allows you to review your progress and adapt the required action plan as needed. As you noticed, a maturity analysis is relatively simple to perform. However simple, this analysis is a crucial step towards ensuring an effective CRM implementation. Do not hesitate to communicate with our of our experts to know the entirety of our implementation process or to discuss your needs in terms of a CRM solution.