Implementing CRM successfully requires a dedicated approach to broad, business transformation—not simply the implementation of great technology.

3C Trusted Advisors regularly review the effectiveness of Siebel implementations to ensure that clients achieve the desired return on investment (ROI). Results from these effectiveness reviews, which cover all aspects of the projects, show that nearly 80 percent of client issues impacting a successful CRM deployment involve factors other than technology. Current independent industry research supports these results.

In light of this fact, 3C Consult has devised a set of clear implementation practices that have shown to significantly improve the overall success of any Siebel deployment. These practices help guide and structure a successful implementation in five critical areas: strategy, governance, user adoption, process, and technology.

This complete client care model is designed to compare each client’s implementation plan against proven, best practices and provide recommendations and proactive advice to ensure success.

Strategy
Understand the benefits of the implementation to the business
Articulate the business goals and define success metrics to measure progress toward these goals

·          Develop an appropriate channel strategy to provide a consistent and cost-effective client experience

·          Ensure that the cultural implications of change management are addressed

Governance

·          Define a clear set of rules by which the project will be governed

·          Ensure the correct level of executive sponsorship to drive the changes that are needed to achieve results

·          Set up the appropriate governance boards and controls to enable decision-making and drive the program  forward

·          Have appropriate project and program management structures in place to develop and execute the implementation plans

User Adoption

·          Involve users actively through all phases of the project

·          Realize that users are the link between the technology and the business processes

·          Create performance targets and rewards for users that are linked to the desired business results

·          Plan the training program to include a “day in the life” for each user group and ensure training is delivered close    to the go-live date

·          Create a communications plan to ensure that users are kept informed of progress and successes, and of any remedial actions that need to be taken

·          Focus on data quality and data ownership to ensure that users have data they can rely on and act upon with confidence

·          Ensure that users receive both the ongoing technical and business support needed to obtain the maximum results from the system

Process

·          Document the new business processes the technology must support before embarking on a technology deployment

·          Wherever possible, use the out-of-the-box process as the starting point to reduce unnecessary configuration

·          Implement the appropriate business processes to achieve business goals

·          Measure the process effectiveness and constantly strive to find process improvements

Technology

·          Limit customization to those areas that will provide business benefits and user wins

·          Use an experienced, certified team

·          Give management’s information and reporting requirements the same priority as input screens

·          Create a comprehensive test plan and ensure that sufficient time is devoted to testing

·          Deliver simplified, user-friendly functionality that supports the business process

·          Focus on performance and scalability early in the development

·          Plan the transition to operations and ensure that the operations team is trained and competent

Delivering End-to-End Client Care

To enable clients to put these practices to work within their organizations, 3C Consult maintains an end-to-end client care team consisting of the client, the 3C Trusted Advisor, and the implementation partner with Oracle Technical support.

The Trusted Advisor serves as the client’s primary liaison to the Oracle and Implementation Partner through all phases of implementation and deployment.

The 3C Trusted Advisor provides assistance to clients through three key functions:

·         Strategic implementation advisor— Through a series of structured workshops, assessments, and written deliverables, the Trusted Advisor provides guidance and advice on how to best implement Siebel to achieve the desired business results.

·         Client advocates—The Trusted Advisor is ultimately responsible to the client for ensuring that the implementation of the Siebel CRM applications is successful. The Trusted Advisor acts on behalf of the client to provide input on enhancements to Siebel applications and to expedite critical requests. Through reporting, the Trusted Advisor enables our client to constantly monitor the implementation progress.

·         Project technical advisor—The Trusted Advisor enables the client’s implementation team to take advantage of existing Siebel knowledge of key technical issues, including design, configuration, data interfaces, and enterprise technical architecture. The ability to identify and resolve these issues quickly, before they become critical, helps ensure the success of the project as a whole.