Don't Just Manage Your Customers....Engage Them

Monday March 21 2011

What is your company's business strategy?   How you plan to create wealth and deliver on your promises with an offering that turns on your market. Not only could very few employees tell you what the offering or business strategy is for their company, too few business executives can either.  But once you think through what is going on in the market, what you want to do to turn on the market and, at the very least, adequately match  why customers will give you the money you want, then you need to make sure all your sales, operations systems, and marketing systems are connected to the strategy and are working. It is our experience that a lot of systems are only supporting what they were originally set up for.  And, like any system they feed off the protocols, rules, policies, methods of the day.  The intent hasn't be updated or thought through and not many realize it.  All those involved are well-meaning but the system controls the people, not the other way around.  As a result, even when the strategic intent and/or plan is implemented, the present systems will reject them like the human body can reject transplants.  It is often subtle and what is worse, it is often a mindless game of everyone trying to protect and defend old systems, and, without knowing it, are competing with the business strategy. Companies wind up with silos and everyone competing for resources, power and recognition and the company inadvertently is not designed to succeed in the present market.  The offering becomes tired.  Revenues are flat.  Margins suffer.  Tinkering with improvements in the systems won't change the business much and customers are the ones who don't get the benefit of the good thinking and planning.  Execution is weak. For example, you can buy and implement any CRM but if it doesn't support your marketing process (finding and keeping customers), your sales process, and your business strategy... what good is it?   Marketing and sales must be organized to support your business strategy and the CRM is just a tool to help.   Unfortunately, very few CRM's are used this way.  They tend to be sales manager's measurement tools or data management tools and, although important, may not help you take your business where you really want it to go. When you add Facebook, LinkedIn and other networking/customer engagement tools like so many companies do, it is important for these tools to be integrated into current processes (not replace them) supporting the systems that make your business strategy work. If you do not do this they will become a system with a life of it's own that does not contribute much to growing the business. That is why Kevin Robert, my son, as one of the leaders in our business, is presenting an exclusive event sponsored by Microsoft.  We have partnered with Microsoft to create a full solution for years.  Microsoft is bringing together speakers to show you how they integrated their systems to support engaging more customers.  They will show how CRM is quickly evolving from simple customer management to collaboration and customer engagement and how customers expect more control over their interactions with companies, fueling what we now call social CRM. Is your business ready to make the most of your business strategy, especially how to engage customers?  Are you connected to how to do this so you are more important to your business and career possibilities? Because you are a Monday Morning Mentor reader, you can join Kevin at the "Power of Productivity" exclusive event for Microsoft Dynamics - CRM 2011 where you will learn to be responsive, transparent, and personal in your dealing with customers to support your business strategy. Reserve your spot here. Tuesday, March 29th, 2011 12:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Get there early and you will get a free copy of "Engage" by Brian Solis.  You will hear the Managing Director of Facebook, LinkedIn and three authors/experts.   Moving on - Moving Up Have a great week!