Situation
Like most companies, as Connect grew, they realized a need to strengthen their marketing, sales & customer service management. This, they hoped would increase their productivity, efficiency, visibility and standardization to better support their customers and business.
In the summer of 2017, after evaluating different CRM’s, Connect decided Salesforce.com was the tool for them. They found an implementation partner and made the purchase of 12 licenses.
The implementation partner did some basic customization, migrated core data and provided some induction training.
Problem
As many of us know, “buying a gym membership does not get one in shape … going to the gym does!!”
To that point, two (2) months after going live Connect experienced little value, usage and buy-in. Nobody knew how or why to use the CRM. They didn’t know what it would do for them. Their old behaviour had not changed just simply by buying and launching Salesforce.com.
Solution
The original Account Executive at Salesforce.com introduced Connect to Focus.
Focus explained that Salesforce.com was like a “Property” that, after it’s designed & built, requires ongoing “Property Management” to support, drive & continuously improve both the tool and the people.
But who was going to provide that ongoing “Property Management” (aka CRM Manager)?
For larger companies, assigning or hiring a full-time CRM Manager makes sense. But what about for small companies? That’s where Focus steps in.
By late Fall 2017, Connect agreed to have one of Focus’ CRM Managers work with a select test group.
Focus started by interviewing users to get layout & functionality ideas, completed a Tune Up of Salesforce.com. and then began hosting standing weekly trainings, 1on1 support calls & monthly management reviews focusing on teaching the “why” & the “how”.
Result
By winter 2017, Connect saw such a dramatic increase in user buy-in, engagement and value that they assigned all users to work under Focus.
In the words of Monica Saunders – Senior Management at Connect.
