b.p.k

Generic Success – Focused Project Method

bpks — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:46:03 +0000

Stage 5 – Implementation and full testing

Involve all project team members
Gain documented acceptance of test plans and scripts
Obtain senior management approval of criteria for success
Integrate systems, processes, third party interfaces with simulation of live environment

Stage 6 – User and customer training followed by go live and review

Implement training courses on philosophy, processes, systems and individual role within delivering effective CRM (build on communication program)
Provide ongoing help desk and support to customers and users during training and after new process or system goes live
Following implementation, review, learn lessons, find-tune future plans, make formal changes

Generic Success- Focused Project Method

bpks — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 00:38:31 +0000

Stage 3 – Design

Detail how business will be changed
- Define processes, inputs and outputs required
- Identify disconnects, interdependencies
- Prepare for interface development between systems and processes, including data conversion and data take on
- Deliver approved design documents for processes and systems

Stage 4 – Development, integration and initial testing

Develop new services and processes, test against design documents
Test each major component of the project
Develop test plans and scripts to drive integrated testing of customer-centric processes

Balanced Approach

bpks — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 18:01:31 +0000

There are many ways of undertaking a project. The six-stage approach described on the following pages can be used as a generic template. It balances the range of issues involved in developing solutions for effective delivery of a CRM program. It ensures you can:

De-risk your projects
Link projects back to the CRM program clearly
Implement on an incremental basis
Retain the overall vision for CRM within your organization
Apply early experience use of your resources
Operate a cross-company implementation with clear lines of responsibility

CRM Program Checklist

bpks — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:54:43 +0000

Focus on customers – Remember, this is about customers so focus on what they want and ensure someone is acting as the customer advocate at all times. Prioritize by customer need and return on investment.
Walk the talk – Ensure fulfillment and delivery keep up with aspiration and expectation set within the organization and among customers. Delight, out-perform, never fail to meet expectations.

CRM Program Plan – Part 3

bpks — Mon, 04 Jul 2011 03:48:04 +0000

Critical Success Factors

Control plan changes – Establish formal change control and approval processes across the program and projects. Failure to do this will sink your program and people will never inderstand the consequences of requests for changes.
- Beware the minor change requests by senior management; they are time bombs
- There are three dimensions which are linked in a project…
  - Time – available to deliver work
  - Resources – available to do work
  - Specification – amount of work to do
  - …they must all be in a balance
  - Have contingency plans and quality standards – Focus on doing it right first time. But, as we all know, things rarely go exactly to plan, so ensure you have flexibility and contingency built in. This means exploring proactively what the problems could be and how you would respond to them.

CRM Program Plan – Part 2

bpks — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 02:46:26 +0000

Critical Success Factors

Select the right tools for the job – And make sure they are used:
- Adopt a program management method appropriate to your business
- Adopt a project management method appropriate to your business
- Develop the program and project teams – Profile your team for strengths and areas for development. Then train them in:
  - Listening skills
  - Negotiating skills
  - Presentation and communication skills
  - Planning skills
  - Remember the sequence – Design, plan, build, implement and then operate. This simple reminder will provide a sanity check at any stage of a project or the overall program. Too many projects have ended up on the rocks because people tried to bypass these basic steps.

CRM Program Plan

bpks — Sun, 03 Jul 2011 02:36:42 +0000

Critical Success Factors

Focus on outputs – Don’t focus on the process. Process is a tool to deliver the result, not an end in itself.
Execute an ongoing communication plan – This should be aimed at all stakeholders, be they customers, investors, employees or suppliers. It should focus on benefits expected, route to achieving them and the role people can play in making the CRM program happen. Different emphasis and depth for each audience and required.
Fall to prepare, prepare to fall! – You would not start building a house or set out on a flight if you had no blueprint or flight plan. Plans are living things, they need constant updating and monitoring. They should be the key tool for determining the status of the program or projects. Plan you work and work your plan!

CRM Program Team

bpks — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:40:14 +0000

Your CRM program team must comprise the best people in your organization. This poses challenges to your management team, to release people to work on the CRM program. Do not let it become a dumping ground for poor performers. The program team needs to be:

A small group of individuals released from their day jobs
Drawn from each area of business – Marketing, IT, Sales, Support, R&D, Legal, Finance & Administration
Made up of people who bring real knowledge/expertise of their area

Each of the members needs management support and special training to enable them to work in a small team and drive change. They require:

Help to form a team and training in cross-functional teamworking, change management and program/project management
Empowerment to make change happen

The Program Manager

bpks — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 23:26:42 +0000

The Program manager – who is accountable only to the project champion, and who has a broad knowledge of the organization – is responsible for the day-to-day management of the project team, for progress chasing and for the assessing risk. Can call on the CEO when needed.

Attributes of a Program Manager:

Solid project management skills
Able to focus on deliverables and keep on plan
Fearless – not afraid to say how it is and to escalate issues when required
Good communicator
Ruthless attention to detail
A complex/finisher, monitor/evaluator

Where Strategy Translates Into Action

bpks — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 02:46:49 +0000

Your planning is vital but eventually the time comes when your program needs to be implemented. People are the key to success: this, after all, is as much about change management as anything. So let’s summarize what you need before you start:

CEO sponsorship – The CEO must understand it, be able to clearly state what the vision and requirement are, and be prepared to take executive action.
Program Director Champion – Someone with clout (e.g.: respected operational board director) who is prepared to take responsibility for delivering against business objectives. The individual will be accountable to the board and no one else.