Database Reference
In-Depth Information
that as many functions as possible should go productive together on SAP CRM. This
big-bang
strategy will have to be adopted in the beginning stage of the projects, such as the Discovery and
Design Stage. Hence, it is critical that at least all the basic components of SAP CRM, like Sales,
Services, Marketing, Interaction Center, Partner Channel Management, and E-Business, should
be implemented at the pilot site.
6.4.4 Standardizing Business Processes
Every office or customer service center of a company develops its own character and culture, which
are the results of the company's recommended corporate environment blending with the local
situations. Such local practices have strong adherents and generate fierce loyalty and pride. These
factors often harm the progress of a system implementation across the organization at all of its sites
and offices, even if it is a computerized system such as SAP CRM. As a prerequisite, it's important
to streamline and standardize a business process.
6.4.5 Proper Visibility and Communication on
the SAP CRM Project at All Stages
It is important to give proper visibility to the SAP CRM project. This might entail communicating
about the strategic direction of the company, the relevance of SAP CRM, the SAP CRM imple-
mentation project and team, and the implementation plan and schedule. Either there could be a
bulletin exclusively focused on the SAP CRM project or the company's in-house newsletter must
have regular features and articles on SAP CRM project-related issues and milestones.
6.4.6 Allocation of Appropriate Budget and Resources
After the company has made the strategic decision to undertake the SAP CRM implementation
effort, it must also prepare and approve the budget plan and estimates for the complete SAP CRM
project. Because the project schedules are dependent nonlinearly on the prerequisite at all stages,
any changes or deferment of release of funds, and therefore resources, will always have an adverse
effect on the successful commencement of the project.
Many times, the controllers or decision makers will withhold sanction for the resources at a
particular stage at a pilot site or for other sites for optimization of costs. It must be noted that when
any business project is launched, and SAP CRM implementation is no exception, any deferment of
such strategic programs only
increases the opportunity cost
for the period that the project is delayed.
Moreover, for an integrated project such as SAP CRM, that opportunity cost is not confined only
to the local activity or site that contributes to the delay but at the level of the whole company.
Thus, for a company with a turnover of $500 million, after launch of the SAP CRM project, that
company would effectively be incurring an opportunity cost of $25-$50 million for every delayed
month in the schedule.
6.4.7 Full-Time Deputation of Key Managers from All Departments
In traditional IS/IT projects, the personnel normally allocated to such efforts are either members
who were young and newly joined or older members who could be spared from their respective
departments. In either case, this will not help in a large way to lead the projects to success. SAP
CRM, being a strategic project, should get allocation of the key personnel of different departments
