The CRM Foundation

How solid is your CRM foundation? Once you have a concrete strategy and have formed a plan, you need to build a solid CRM foundation to ensure long term success. Doing this type of ‘groundwork’ will ensure that your CRM implementation and structure will stand the test of time.

During your CRM assessment you should have identified the core needs that the CRM can help to fill and problems it can help to solve — the concrete system value (aka, what’s in it for them). That value should form the cornerstone of everything you do moving forward to a build a solid base of support from your stakeholders and users.

Focus on CRM foundation early to avoid future problems.

Communications should reinforce this value. Training and materials should be formed around it. Metrics should track key elements of it. Successes should build upon it. Ultimately, if you don’t focus on your foundation and strengthen your base early in your CRM building project, your project could stall or your implementation might even collapse in the future.