Question

1. What is the implementation process of ERP

2. Whyatt the implementation process of CRM

Answer 1

ERP IMLEMENTATION PROCESS:

There are 6 phases that make up an ERP implementation plan:

1. Discovery and Planning,
2. Design,
3. Development,
4. Testing,
5. Deployment,
6. On-going Support.

1. Discovery and Planning

This first phase begins during the sales process and then continues post-sale. During this period, the project team will be created. There will be initial meetings and documentation developed as the team works to identify current issues and potential solutions. An important part of this phase is constructing the project plan, which will serve as a guide throughout the rest of the project.

2. Design

It is not about about painting the office or rearranging furniture. Instead, what will the new enterprise-wide system look like and how will it be used in the organization? In the ERP Design phase, the project team and implementation team will be working out the various configurations for the new system, defining roles, and documenting standard procedures.

3. Development

The purpose of the development phase is to prepare the entire system for going live. This includes activities such as completing any necessary customizations, developing user trainings, and importing data. With ERP implementations, like any custom software development projects – “First, Solve the problem. Then, write the code.”

4. Testing

Is the system’s functionality aligning with the set requirements for the project? The Testing and Development phases will often overlap, as the implementation and project teams jump between the two – constantly fine tuning the configuration.

5. Deployment

The project team and implementation team will assess the situation and make the final go or no-go decision. Prior to going live, the final data will be loaded and validated. The project team will train other employees who will then start working in the new system, and completely stop using the old one.

6. On-going Support

Once the ERP system has gone live, the purpose of the project team will shift. Over time, as the way the users work within the system evolves, adjustments and changes to the system configuration may be needed.

Continued for answer of Q.NO-2

CRM IMPLEMENTATION PROCESS:

Followings are steps to successful implementation of CRM:

Step 1: Identify why you need a CRM and what you expect from it.

The foremost step is to understand why your enterprise needs a CRM system. Start off by identifying the areas you need to improve and the problems that require attention. You need to have a vision which syncs with the definitive goals of your business. Once you decide on the goals of your CRM implementation, share it with everyone in the team to ensure all are on the same page and moving on the same lines to achieve the goals. Another thing that demands consideration is how you want to integrate it with other systems in your organization. Integrating your cloud based CRM with other integrated systems of your enterprise can result in better understanding of your customers and hence an effective CRM.

Step 2: Find a suitable CRM vendor for your organization.

You will get many options in terms of vendors offering CRM and will need to explore a bit to be able to find the Right CRM System for your business as it will largely affect the implementation. The strength of the vendor’s product is to be judged along with the vendor’s experience in the respective market. Along with, you will need to consider factors like the knowledge and experience their employees possess, their experience in working for enterprises similar to yours, and the corporate vision of the vendor. You can also dig into some of their previous clients’ reviews to know about the service quality of the vendor.

Step 3: Develop a budget

You need to develop a realistic budget which you can use for the expenses related to the implementations process. It’s very important that you remain very clear about your resources with your CRM partner so that they can plan according to your investment. Balance your budget so that you do not compromise on the implementation. Go for ‘value for money’.

Step 4: Identify which departments and staff will handle the process and train them accordingly.

It is one of the most important steps which organizations often ignore, leading to serious user adoption issues. To make sure that you are following the best practices in the process, select two key members and make them a part of the project team. You will require their feedback throughout the implementation process as well. Make them a part of the demo and feedback sessions and take actions on what they have to say. Now, you also need to take care of the training of the end users of your CRM. Devote some time and efforts to create training material for your end users.

Step 5: Draw a blueprint on how you need to progress with the CRM.

You need to have a step by step roadmap on how you want to move with the CRM implementation. You can’t implement it and expect it to give you a 360-degree view of your customers immediately. The process is gradual and you can see the results eventually. You have to come up with a practical and realistic way to achieve it over a period of time, which can’t be precise.

Step 6: Ensure equal participation from business and IT

Like Enterprise Resource Planning, a successful CRM is never just an IT program. So if you just run it as such, it’s going to fail big time. A successful CRM demands equal participation from the business as well. You can create a Center of Excellence (COE) to maintain this teamwork. An effective COE can play a key role in the success of this collaboration and ultimately leads to a successful CRM implementation.

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