Life in the Pre-CRM Software era

Over the years, we have worked with numerous clients who have, for many years, run their core business processes on spreadsheets, flat files and documents. This was mainly due to the fact that they were small, deeply entrenched in the ways of file sharing and manual processing and saw no issues in passing calls around the different departments to try and help the customer. They were impervious to changes as, often, the perception was that they were doing things the perfectly normal way.

Life before CRM Software

 What I am about to share with you is very commonplace from a vantage point on our side of the fence, but thought provoking nevertheless.

Technology companies that are involved in the design, fabrication and manufacture of high tech components like NAND flash, that now power our computers and iPods and digital cameras are always pushing the boundaries of technology and design for faster, cheaper and better products. Yet some of them seem to be hopelessly behind on the technology curve when it comes to running their sales and partner management processes. That’s an incredible paradox. Even today, some still rely on good old spreadsheets, flat files and documents. Sure, they have ERPs but that is not necessarily the right tool for the job.
Years of focus on manufacturing improvements, stole the limelight away from the equally important areas of building great partner and channel relationships and managing them effectively using relevant technology. Well guess what, in spite of all of the above, they have actually done quite well for themselves. This only made them overly cautious in terms of investing in unknown tools called CRMs that seemed to promise the world and so that seemed to justify the deferral.

Sure, there were undercurrents of issues where follow ups fell by the wayside or special needs or requests from partners disappeared in the black hole of a sales cycle but all was well, in general. Processes are designed by humans and it is basic nature to procrastinate until it really starts hurting.

Along came high growth rates, changing market conditions and perceptions about customers and of course, increasing pain in terms of lost opportunities. Pain always drives us to look for resolutions and that is what ultimately drove those skeptics to the possibilities of considering technology as an option. By then, CRM systems had become a lot more affordable and there were some tangible benefits that were now becoming apparent.   

Soffront CRM Software

 Having successfully implemented a Partner Portal for their resellers, the paradox at technology companies is now history. Now they are reaping tangible benefits from the system that has dramatically enhanced communication and collaboration with their most important asset, their partners. It surely helps to know that you can always benefit from the experience and expertise of others and that not all implementations of CRM software are failures.