The Leader - March/April 2008 - (Page 17)

clieN t r ela tioN sH ip M aNaG e Me Nt: taki NG crM p ro G raMs to tHe Ne xt le v e l FIG. 2 levels of tHe crM relatioNs Hip LEVEL 1: ACCuRACY the customer relationship manager provides reliable and accurate service, ensuring no business disruption, and is viewed as an effective and dependable tactical strategist. LEVEL 2: AVAILABILITY the customer relationship manager provides business units with everything they need; they are readily available and have the resources to support tactical delivery. LEVEL 3: PARTNERSHIP once the customer relationship manager achieves levels one and two, it can earn the status of partner with the business units. this level is attained once crm staff gain a seat at the table and are viewed as a valuable resource. LEVEL 4: ADVICE the customer relationship manager ultimately achieves level four status when the business units actively seek their opinion and advice as a trusted partner. desired CRM skill sets are sought after and met. This will set the relationship foundation required for the Customer Relationship Managers’ future alignment with the business units. Maintaining strategic focus. Customer Relationship Managers in Models One or Two on the spectrum often focus on a tactical approach to real estate services. In order for the CRM program to become strategic and involved in the business planning process, the staff needs to have the ability to move away from a focus on implementation of real estate delivery. Customer Relationship Managers are only able to let go of these tactical implementation duties if they have reliable and highly skilled execution partners, either in-house or outsourced, so that the Customer Relationship Manager can focus on building a strategic partnership with the business units. F IG. 3 a Customer Relationship Manager, based on our recent pulse survey. Corporate real estate directors ranked 14 CRM skill sets in order of their importance. Traditionally valued corporate real estate skill sets, such as transaction management, project management and financial analysis ranked lowest, while softer skill sets, such as communication and relationship building ranked highest. This suggests that the tide is turning when it comes to considering skill sets for the CRM role – the strategic, more valuable Customer Relationship Manager might not necessarily be the one with the real estate experience, but more so, the strong communication skills. We’ve observed that Customer Relationship Managers who focus on strategy share strong relationship management and communication skills. Real estate professionals with these skill sets can often navigate amongst various stakeholders, opening lines of communication and resolving tensions that can occur from a siloed structure. But moving a staff member with predominantly tactical skills into the role of strategic relationship manager, without investing in the development of communication and relationship building skill sets, usually does not produce an effective Model Four, strategic Customer Relationship Manager. To achieve an effective Model Three or Four CRM program, we recommend that companies evaluate their hiring process. Our client experience has shown that some of the most successful Customer Relationship Managers come from the business units themselves and often lack a background in corporate real estate. It is important to engage business unit executives during the hiring process to ensure that the custoMer relatioNsHip MaNaGer d e s i re d s k i l l s e t communication relationship building problem solving proactivity with information and analyses negotiation business unit operating environment knowledge knowledge of corporations ability to develop business case consultative skills financial skills real estate industry knowledge project management experience technical skills transaction management experience 2 0 0 8 tHe le ade r 17 M arcH / ap r i l

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of The Leader - March/April 2008

The Leader - March/April 2008 Leadership Contents Message from the CEO Real Estate in the News Taking CRM Programs to the Next Level A Commitment to Sustainability GSA’s National 3D-4D-BIM Program Sustainability at ABN-AMRO Getting to the Real Issues in Today’s Competitive Marketplace ManPower Consolidates Real Estate & Project Management with One Provider HP's Renee Leach and Team Como's Robin Harris San Antonio's Mario Hernandez Chicago Workplace, Mid-Atlantic, and Boston The Gold Standard: California Is the State for Innovation Pat Crumley: Education Is a Path to Success Postcards from the Edge Tribune's Stephanie Pater Economic Development in the News A Look Ahead EDP Continues Expansion in Asia-Pacific

The Leader - March/April 2008

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