CRM - February 2008 - (Page 24)

CRM MATURITY MODEL sensitive in recent times. Robert Wollan, global managing director of Accenture’s Service Transformation Management consulting practice, says, “We see that expectations are rising not only in the past three or five years, but in the past year alone.” To return to the banking example, Nelson explains, “It used to be you only had to be as good as your rival bank. Now you have to be as good as Amazon.” over chat, and even via social networking—they become more liable to switch back and forth between these channels, even when asking one question or solving a single issue. Therefore, if a customer emails the sales department with an inquiry and follows up with a call to the customer service line, she expects this to be a continuation of one effort, not two separate ones. When answering the call, the company should know about the email. This is not possible unless channels are open and integrated. (See “Multiplicity Means More,” page 8, for a look at the multichannel mandate.) A true multichannel company has a truly customer-centric vision, with aligned and balanced metrics and informationsharing seamlessly enabled not only within the company, but with all partners and service providers the company does business with. This ideal is more than merely difficult to realize—according to Nelson, not a single company has yet achieved it. However, as businesses begin to understand how crucial customer centricity is to financial success, more and more of them wish to understand how to pursue and eventually fulfill this vision. With that in mind, Gartner created a model for CRM maturation dubbed the “Customer-Centric Generational Framework,” which illustrates the five stages involved in becoming a full-fledged multichannel integrated business (see chart, below). It’s worth noting that, according to Gartner, the majority of companies today are either in Stage Two or Three—in other words, the bulk of CRM users are radically immature. Here is a look at this framework, with insight from Nelson, additional analysts, and companies that are struggling with these challenges today. MULTICHANNEL IS A MUST-HAVE A high level of service requires the integration of all business channels. The customer doesn’t see the firm as a marketing department, a sales force, or a contact center; she sees it simply as one brand. One sour interaction with one channel reflects on the entire company. Additionally, as customers become more comfortable interacting across a multiplicity of media—the phone, in person, over email, Customer-Centric Generational Framework First Vision None Second Initial productivity and visibility Isolated projects; initiated from the bottom up Unknown concept; designs itself Third Function or channel effectiveness More “joined up” thinking, but still silo-oriented Understanding and focus at silo level Fourth Intracompany integration Company-level CRM program Fifth Value network enabled Value-based collaboration for mutual benefit Understanding of wider scope; collaboration Shared customer centricity; goal alignment End-to-end process optimization Shared information and insight beyond the company Strong functionality; integrated beyond the company Shared objectives and balanced metrics; aligned Source: Gartner Strategy None Customer Experience Organizational Collaboration Processes Unknown concept; designs itself Understanding and focus across lines of business Customer-centric; reorganized by segment Company-level optimization for cost and value Shared information and insight across the company Strong functionality with company-level integration Company- and customer-focused balanced hierarchy Inward focus; silo structures First signs of customer centricity; silos Start optimizing for efficiency; silo-oriented Team-based; fragmented; minimal insight Fragmented; limited functionality and focus Fragmented and limited metrics; operational focus Changing culture and incentives; silos Optimization at silo level for cost and value reasons Shared information at silo level; insight developing Strong functionality within silos Inward focus; silo-oriented Information Basic and fragmented Technology Very fragmented; weak functionality Metrics Few metrics; inward focus Focus on silo efficiency; lacks customer focus Most organizations today 24 CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT | FEBRUARY 2008 www.destinationCRM.com http://www.destinationCRM.com

Table of Contents Feed for the Digital Edition of CRM - February 2008

CRM - February 2008 Contents Front Office Reality Check Customer Centricity The Tipping Point The Loyalty Riddle CRM Drives Down-Market Out of the Gate: Marketers Rate ’08 Traits The Pulse Consultants Adapt to CRM’s Changing Landscape Required Reading Cover Story: CRM Gets Serious Contact Center Solutions Always On Rumble in the Office The Smallest Slice Tying Up Cable’s Loose Ends Burning Up the Paper Trail Sunny Skies for Knology No More Bumps for BlueRoads Secret of My Success Re:Tooling Scouting Report Pint of View

CRM - February 2008

For optimal viewing of this digital publication, please enable JavaScript and then refresh the page. If you would like to try to load the digital publication without using Flash Player detection, please click here.