Social CRM: New Buzzword? New Craze? Does It Really Exist?
Often, when your community pool closes at the end of summer, you begin to wonder about having your own pool at home. You could use it without any restrictions: have friends over and interact with them, plan pool parties at any time of the day or night.
Now, hold that thought! This was taken from an article by Paul Greenberg
Similar to that is “Social CRM”. It is like having your own web platform; Facebook for your organization, for example. You can build your own social communities and networks where your employees, existing customers, and potential customers collaborate and interact in a very open environment. The advantages of this are:
- Enhance and increase social interaction
- Easy access to your employees and customers
- Innovative way of communication, from the rudimentary, sometime one way interaction
- Companies can monitor what people are saying or gain opinions about your service or product
- Potential customers can easily reach out to current customers for feedback
- With the availability of this data, companies can analyze and report to establish market trends
All of this sounds good and everything seems hunky and dory, so why are organizations not happy with CRM products in the market today? Why are there catch phrases like “Where is the beef?
The truth is that no company or product offers the entire enchilada. There is a product yet to come that can offer everything such as:
- Social media monitoring that monitors and reports what customers are saying about your services on the social stage like Twitter, blogs, or Facebook. With this tool set, companies could respond and these responses can also be published.
- Social analytics toolset that can slice and dice into texts, emails, surveys, and posts on blogs to help establish market trends.
- The all powerful web space to create your own Facebook-like platform.
Box up all of the above, and you have Social CRM, the know-all, do all product! In my opinion, the only company that has come close to doing all of the above is Sales force.
Now, before jumping on the fad wagon of the craze called, “Social CRM”,go back to the drawing board and as a first step ask yourself…….why and what is the real reason for the need of Social CRM? The answer to this will allow your company to decide if they want a product that specializes/can help you in monitoring, analytics, or social interactions.
NOW HOLD THAT THOUGHT!
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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Toddlers do CRM
My children, a daughter who is three and a son who will be turning five in July, decided to turn their tent playhouse into a restaurant. When I tried to enter their toy room where the work was in progress, my son stopped me halfway and indicated the restaurant was not open yet and I would have to return at a later time (pre-opening notice).
After an hour or so, my son rode around the house on his scooter screaming (advertising) the restaurant was open. My daughter came up to me and informed me they had dolls, movies, and music in their restaurant (promotions). After a while, they created an invitation on their DoodlePro (formal invite), and I was the customer.
I said to myself, fine, it is time to take a look and visit this so called “Prabhukidz Tent Restaurant”! Everything was exactly how they had ADVERTISED, PROMOTED, and targeted to their CUSTOMER. For chairs, they used big soft toys and had multi-colored cups and plates. There was music, video playing, and battery-operated dolls that danced. My son even gave a small invite speech and took a bow, as my daughter showed me to my table, which was a giant walrus(video is available on youtube)
Besides being impressed at their ingenuity and keen eye for details, I started thinking about how they had used CRM attributes to promote their place. It seems to be a human trait that we use a bit of CRM at every age and in every aspect of our lives.
On a lighter note, I hope you liked this post!
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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CRM for Public-Private-Higher Ed:What is the Difference?
We keep reading and hearing about the use of CRM for various industry sectors. The following table is a snap shot view of CRM used for the different market sectors
|
SECTOR |
Public |
Private |
Higher Education |
| Individual | Citizen:State / Country | Customer:Existing / Potential | Student:Existing / Potential |
| CommonGoals | –Holistic view of the most relevant information–Ensure good pubic service and that the citizen is enjoying his legal privileges that is owed.–Reduce cost and improve service–Enhance employee morale | –Holistic view of the most relevant information–Ensure good customer service and that the consumer is satisfied with the product, purchased–Reduce cost and improve service–Enhance Customer experience | –Holistic view of the most relevant information–Ensure good support–Reduce cost and improve service–Enhance student experience |
| Difference | -NO Intent to sell a product or a service-Brand loyalty is not a factor-High technology restrictions due to federal norms-Resistance level is HIGH as staff has more say in the matter | -Intent to sell a product or a service-Brand loyalty is critical-No technological restrictions-Resistance level is LOW as decisions are management driven | -Intent to get a student to apply to the institution-Brand loyalty can be a factor-Technological restrictions are based on type of institution- Resistance level is LOW as decisions are management driven |
| Value Preposition | –Quality of service is NOT based on the financial value that the individual provides | –Quality of service is based on the financial value that the individual provides | –Quality of service is NOT based on the financial value that the individual provides |
One thing is clear, though there are some evident differences and the type of individual reached out, all three sectors use CRM strategies and technologies to cater and focus on providing the best of service to the individual. This factor itself, is the main driver, to enhance your return on investments in CRM, besides cost reduction with improved service delivery models.
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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Age of eCommerce CRM
I have been involved in the world of CRM for the last 7 years, it has been anything but an exciting learning curve. Customer Relationship Management has transcended from the unknown to the ignorant to the now, all required force to be reckoned.
Functionalities pertaining to Marketing, Sales and help desk are now synonymous and common to all the CRM applications in the market today. The question is, do they all integrate with your ERP?
Discussing this further, lets lay out the current commerce scenario, which is largely dependant on online shopping. The birth of ecommerce has changed the rules of the game and along with it, the IT chart.
Case Scenario:
I have an online shopping site with a cart, where my customers log in their information to buy products. It is critical to me that, some of these activities need to be monitored on a constant basis-
- Client data
- Client communications and feedback
- Product sold
- Inventory levels
- Cash flow
As an entrepreneur or small business, I cannot afford to have a separate system for CRM-Finance-Order Management and then have these systems talk to each other via integration!!!
Solution:
I began to look for solutions offered in the market and found out, for a nominal $30 to $40/month/user, we can have a cloud based system which can manage the following scenario.
Customers use their credit card using the shopping cart-
- Client data gets seamlessly populated in real time
- Manage the number of client who have purchased product / quantity
- Cash flow
- Email dialogue
- Inventory and reorder levels
- Sales pipelines
So, there we have it, CRM solutions, which do more than just manage client life cycle but also integrate your ecommerce gateway.
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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How to enable SQL & PeopleCode TRACE for Application Engine (AE) via PeopleSoft PIA
Images Ref: http://bit.ly/e7gd9a
This is another post related to PeopleSoft Technical How-To series. I often get a question on how to debug an Application Engine program and enable the SQL trace on it for troubleshooting. More often, I see functional users interested to know if they can enable a detailed trace on the particular Application Engine (AE) program or process to find out why the desired process is failing. In addition, they would like to do it without getting into the code or reaching out to the developer to perform troubleshooting.
Well, PeopleSoft Internet Architecture (PIA), the web layer, provides you an easy way to enable the different traces on a particular Application Engine (AE) process and effectively troubleshoot the issue. Usually, when you work with Oracle support on any Service Request, they request you to send them the AE trace and log files.
In the following example, I will help you turn on/off PeopleCode and SQL trace of my Application Engine i.e. MY_AE_PROG.
Step1:
- Ensure you have your Application Engine program ready and developed. Note down the AE program name, you will use it in the following steps.
Step2:
- Create a process definition for the AE program with the same name as AE Program name (noted in the above step)
- Navigation: Main Menu > PeopleTools > Process Scheduler > Processes > Process Definition Tab
AE Trace 01
- Put your own description, set priority, and rest default.
Step3:
- Click on “Process Definition Option” tab
- Select the “Server Name” and “PeopleSoft Security”
Step4:
- Click on “Override Options” tab
- Select “Append” from the dropdown of Parameter List option
- Add the following line under Parameters edit box like below:
- -TRACE 7 -TOOLSTRACEPC 2124 -TOOLSTRACESQL 63
Step5:
- Click Save and you are DONE!
- Move ahead and run your AE to see the detailed trace
Tip:
TRACE, TOOLSTRACEPC, & TOOLSTRACEQL have various different options.
TraceAE= -TRACE output goes into Application Engine Trace (.AET)
TracePC= -TOOLSTRACEPC output goes into the PeopleTools trace file (.trc)
TraceSQL= -TOOLSTRACESQL output ALSO goes into the PeopleTools trace file (.trc)
If you like to learn more about the number of options available for each type of trace, either you can look into PeopleBooks or Oracle website. I found a very good blog post on PeopleSoftOne.com. The URL is below:
How to trace Application Engines from 8.4x http://bit.ly/hCmz6z
Final Step:
- Don’t forget to turn off the trace by taking the appended text out from Process Definition.
HTH
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Defining Your Business Process
This post is in reference to a statement about defining your process for your new CRM application, which I mentioned in my most recent post. One of our subscribed readers requested that I elaborate on this point. Firstly, thank you for your comments; hopefully, this will address the question.
Process-related questions or the process itself has always been the most difficult to solve for the consultant and for the stakeholders. What I mean by this: consultants or business analysts arrive on site and ask the group, “What is your business process? Tell us about the pain points and the enhancements you are trying to achieve.” Most of the time, I get stares from stakeholders indicating either I have asked the wrong question or they do not understand what I am asking of them. This may occur for many reasons: turnover of team members who define the processes, processes have been passed on by predecessors, or the actual decision makers are not in the room.
“Business process is what you do on a day-to-day basis to meet the organization objectives and goals. Do not set up an incomplete business process, as software applications cannot solve any process that has not been resolved by your management research.”
To complete a business process one should take into consideration the following:
- Visual is the key
Pictures help the team identify points where the process can be improved and/or corrected. Ensure the process is graphically represented.
- Right people in the room
All stakeholders who can contribute to or are responsible for driving the day-to-day processes should be in the room.
- Automation
This is a very critical and powerful attribute of any new software. Once defined and set up, this will drive your processes, so specific attention should be given to this aspect.
- Testing
Often overlooked in projects, this perhaps is the most important part of finalizing the process. It is this stage of the project where the team realizes, in practical terms, how the process aligns with the objectives and what changes should be made. There is a huge difference between the process on paper versus how it turns out in the software application.
I hope this post has provided some insight into what and how a business process needs to be defined. This is easily one of the backbone of an entire project and its objectives.
Please continue to send in your comments and questions, as they are a huge source of encouragement and topics for me to blog on this site!
Thank you!
Girish-
**This is a repost per request
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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Reports to justify spendings!
Budget cuts are some of the buzzwords that are echoing through every industry corridor. Budgets need to be justified and the validity of your request for funding, largely depends on how well organized your data is presented to your sponsors. Keeping your sponsors well informed goes a long way to explain your case for a new software implementation or upgrade.
Now in order to get to that point, it all starts with, processes. Even though, business processes are more prominent in Private or Public sector, with the budget cuts occurring in a large way, Higher Ed too are now compelled to spend more time on defining the processes. When you have the right processes in place, you are in a good position to mark the data points that will help you generate the reports. These reports are then used to justify and create proposals on the need for more budgeting.
Methodologies like CRM, thus play a critical role here, they assist you in getting all your information in the appropriate data fields (Refer to my earlier post on basic information on data fields and the information stored in them) Once the data is in place, you can use the tools to query the database and generate those accurate reports.
Overall,one of the main reasons to use ERP software applications like CRM,is to generate reports. If reports are the end result of an ERP implementation, to justify the monies spent, they can also be the starting point to help you justify your request for more funding.
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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PeopleSoft Integrations – How to Debug the Integration Message
Image Ref: http://bit.ly/h6ciy4
Integration setup between PeopleSoft systems, like between CRM and Campus Solution (CS), could as easy tasks as spending few hours (assuming you have the proper roadmap and steps to execute) and you have systems connected with messages flowing across. However, it could be a monster as well, if one small thing doesn’t work or is not done in proper order. I always say that the more time you spend when working with integration is not on setup/configuration/execution, but on troubleshooting and fixing the issue, if any.
One of the challenges with integration setup/execution I have found is the effective way to debug the issue and resolve it. Today my post is very technical in nature for all the PeopleSoft developers who face challenges debugging the integration messages. Following quick tips will help you enable the tracing and logging on the subscription code in PeopleCode to help with debugging.
If you are asking one of the following questions to yourself then this post will help you:
Q: How to debug the subscription PeopleCode for Integration Message?
OR
Q: How to enable app. Server trace for subscription PeopleCode for Integration Messages?
Resolution:
You can generate a trace while the subscription PeopleCode get executed by using the following two functions in the subscription PeopleCode:
SetTracePC(0);
SetTraceSQL(0);
For Example:
Task: Enable a trace for Person Basic Sync message subscription code in CRM:
Solution:
Please find below the instructions for tracing the subscription PeopleCode:
1. Open in Application Designer this PeopleCode:
FUNCLIB_RBEIP.PERSON_ID.FieldFormula
2. Add the lines of code as showed below to the function ProcessPersonMessage and save:
Function ProcessPersonMessage
SetTracePC(2124);
SetTraceSQL(63);
MessageBox(0, “”, 0, 0, “<< Process Person Message Subscription >>”); MessageBox(0, “”, 0, 0, “” | %Datetime);
…
…
SetTracePC(0);
SetTraceSQL(0);
…
End-Function;
3. Recreate the issue scenario to product the error (or resubmit the message)
4. The traced PeopleCode will be added to the app server log file, which can normally be found in the folder below:
PS_HOME\appsrv\dbname\LOGS\appsrv.log
Now in the appsrv.log file you will notice much more details about the message and it will help debug the code and identify the error. You can always use message box or log statement to identify from where your logging statement starts.
TIP:
Before you enable the tracing, I recommend to delete or rename the old app server log file, so that a new file is generated.
HTH
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Why does an Organization need or opt for CRM
If one would conduct a survey on the use of CRM, it is highly possible that the results would include concerns from Organizations. Mostly shortcomings on expectations and on the way it is managed from the part of the users and the implementers.In spite of all this, organization feel the need for CRM and rightfully so, as it enhances your all important, customer service delivery.
Outlined below are some of the major reasons, why Institutions feel the need for CRM. I will be mentioning customers & students in my points below, as these aspects cover, higher education, private and public sector,
- Building perceptions of your Organization
This involves, using the collected data on your customers or students to convert it into actions that change your organizations outlook,
- Customer orientated focus
Ensures that your employees are focusing more on your customers or students.
- Integrating your internal processes
It allows you to build the bridge between your other business systems, so that data can be shared seamlessly
- Solutions for increasing leads-Falling sales for corporate / Falling enrolments for higher Ed
Allow you to establish processes, which can identify and capture leads that can be converted into customers or students
- Competition
With the changing technology, response times have set new parameters and expectations. The need for CRM is most critical here, as it helps you reduce turn around and response times to your customer requirements.
The above is an indicator that, the CRM pros clearly out weigh the cons and build the need for the application in today’s competitive market. Besides,research has proved that, “Customer” rates at 92% as compared to other success factors like Financial, Employees, Organizations, Supplier and physical assets
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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CRMakaan 2010 in review
The stats helper monkeys at WordPress.com mulled over how this blog did in 2010, and here’s a high level summary of its overall blog health:
The Blog-Health-o-Meter™ reads This blog is on fire!.
Crunchy numbers
A Boeing 747-400 passenger jet can hold 416 passengers. This blog was viewed about 1,600 times in 2010. That’s about 4 full 747s.
In 2010, there were 28 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 32 posts. There were 44 pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 4mb. That’s about 4 pictures per month.
The busiest day of the year was June 18th with 121 views. The most popular post that day was About Us.
Where did they come from?
The top referring sites in 2010 were crmakaan.com, linkedin.com, mail.yahoo.com, lmodules.com, and google.co.in.
Some visitors came searching, mostly for crmakaan, crmakaan.com, marketing related task, student lifecycle measures, and default timezone in PeopleSoft.
Attractions in 2010
These are the posts and pages that got the most views in 2010.
About Us May 2009
Managing Communication Plans Using Task Management :Students and Customers November 2010
6 comments
Task Management using CRM Tools:Marketing related Tasks October 2010
2 comments
Treats for Software Implementations and Development November 2010
6 comments and 1 Like on WordPress.com,
ERP Applications: A very simple and basic explanation September 2010
1 comment
Thank You everyone who visited our blog and contributed via comments as well. We look forward to grow this blog in 2011 and have more fun stuff.
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Systems that make CRM Business Processes Work
In my previous post, we discussed and saw the outline of all strategic and operational processes that make CRM a successful methodology- ‘Dishing out the CRM recipe:Easier said than done’
Today, we will look at the CRM systems required to make those processes work.
The following are brief explanations on the above flow diagram:
- Multi-channel Communication
Customers contact your organization using the various channels of communication.
- CRM Automation
Once the data is captured, all CRM automated systems come into play.
- Marketing automations
- Sales automations
- Service automations
- Data Warehouse
All data captured from your automated systems is stored in a well-organized manner.
- Analytical Applications
These applications analyze, measure, and improve process/performance.
- Transaction Systems
These systems move data back and forth, involve continuous collection, and retrieve or modify data.
So, there you have it…the process and system sides of the CRM coin which needs to flip to the right side of your call to make your entire methodology work. As always, I try to keep the content as non-technical as possible for the benefit of the functional power users. Personally, I tend to gravitate towards understanding the business and functional aspect of it, before venturing into the technical details.
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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Linking Email to Social Media
Ref:Google Images
Previous to this post, we discussed how students can be some of your best recruiters due to the influence of social media. Today, we are going to discuss the connection between email and social media tools. The communication framework in CRM software applications is, perhaps, the most robust and powerful functionality. Email used for marketing to prospective and current students/customers has always been very effective; however, with any channel of communication, you must first have a good student/customer base to manage.
Now, enter into the email mix the concept of social media. The first thought that strikes the majority of us: it is one and the same since email communication too occurs over the web. The simple truth, though, is that email and social media are located at opposite ends of the spectrum. While email targets a set audience, social media brings together communities, or groups, bound together by a social e-platform such as Facebook.
In order to bridge email and social media, there are applications that allow you to share some marketing campaigns (e.g. newsletters) on Facebook. This works by providing sign up links or icons on your Facebook pages for newsletters, magazines, or blogs. Once students/customers subscribe, you can market directly to that audience using the email application.
Overall, this links your email and social media, which turns out to be a very powerful combination to build and manage relationships with your students/customers. CRM applications are now moving towards defining new ways to seamlessly integrate email with social media tools, so we can continue building a strong student/customer base.
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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Social Media can make existing Students, your best recruiters!
Ref: Google Image
The fingers now have more power than any other part of our body, thanks to social media tools. When at a campus or mall, the fingers are constantly on the move using some gadget or gizmo; this is changing the way we communicate.
Today I’m going to discuss how the advent of social media makes existing students your best recruiters. Very simply put: word of mouth, perhaps, beats some of the most sophisticated marketing and advertising tools. This combined with students using social media tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and various blogs to spread their positive experiences make it the biggest influencer as compared to anything else.
The following are some quick points on recruiting strategies that involve current students-
- Request and encourage students to share their experiences using the institution’s blog. The chances are good that prospects will come across this blog in their research of the institution.
- Have students place links about the institution or the institution’s Facebook page on their personal Facebook pages. With their vast network of connections, marketing of the institution will go a long ways in terms of reaching prospects
- Have them chat with prospects, so that question & answer sessions with students are facilitated,
- Plan for students to interact with prospects during open house events or campus tours. Allow them to follow-up with these prospects via social networks, so the prospects are reminded of their positive experiences at the institution
As existing students share their rich experiences via social media tools, it builds a very strong first impression in the minds of prospective students. This can be the deciding factor when it is time for prospects to complete applications for admission to various institutions. Best of all, these recruiting efforts will cost the institution very little.
In my upcoming posts, I will outline the connection of your CRM system with different social media tools.
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
Technology & Kids: CRM cells for power
Reference:Google Images
Recently, my four year old came up to me all excited with the DVR remote in hand and showed me some product that he wanted me to buy. He had recorded the commercial and he would even pause it for effect. Additionally, my other little one who is going to be three, next month was watching short movie clips on toys on her iPod. Now besides the fascination that,this age can operate technology, I was thinking about how technology is playing into building the consumer base.
My “what if” CRM imagination started to work overtime as always and started to think on this process, where we can build data pages in the CRM system that can capture the age and gender of the children of our prospects. As soon as the data is saved in the system, trigger an automated notification process that can send out either-
Email newsletter with videos of the new products for kids that we need to promote,
Postal mail that could contain a package of a DVD that shows short movie clips of the product line
This might be a feature or a process in some of the CRM applications out there, but the key is to capture the data on these little consumers and get the right visual message out to them in a timely manner. As we all know, seeing is believing and the tantrums is the selling!
Thank you!
Girish-
Email-prabhuconsult@gmail.com
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