These "Back to Basics" ideas for implementing a CRM program inside a business were collected from executives, managers, employees and consultants who shared their experiences. The goal of this series of articles, appearing over 8 weeks, is to provide you with useful information as you choose a new CRM system.

Now, on to our sixth article and two more ideas:

10. Multi-channel access is the only way to go

To be truly effective, a CRM solution needs to support customers on their own terms. This means delivering the information into the hands of agents who respond to customer inquiries over the telephone, fax, e-mail or written letters. And, of course, the CRM software should also make a wide range of information available to customers over Web sites.

For internal staff, such as field service employees and sales staff, the software should also support mobile devices; software that is restricted to a single device or operating system will become too limiting as this technology evolves. With support for multiple devices, for example, sales reps can get real time updates about the prospects or customers they are about to visit - before they walk through the door.

11. Delivery Method that is right for your company

An item of increasing relevance to many companies is whether they want to actually bring their CRM software "in house"; the alternative being that they give their data to a provider to host (themselves, or from a vendor directly) and the company itself only accesses information through a browser.

Companies need to decide for themselves how comfortable they are with the data stored outside the company. It is difficult to provide guidance except to say that it is vital to check out the security and recovery arrangements of anyone that is hosting the data. Another consideration is the total cost of ownership over a 2 or 3 year period for a renting model over an ownership model.

For larger companies one must consider whether the compromises inherent in the system in terms of its ability to be integrated and customised are something that can be lived with. That all considered a rental model has terrific advantages in terms of maintenance, cost of hardware and ease of upgrades (albeit compulsory) and for smaller businesses in particular needs to be considered.

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