Many marketers point at the high failure rate of CRM implementations, and blame different factors. Some may be quite valid but Michael Meltzer of AMT shows how companies can succeed with true employee buy-in…

Getting the ‘people part’ right
Marketing publications have often pointed at the failure of many organisations to generate significant returns on their technology investments in general - and on their CRM (customer relationship management) initiatives in particular. Investing in strategic CRM means, ultimately, that you are investing in organisational change because you will impact not only the technology that you use, and the processes by which you operate, but also - more importantly - the people you employ. For the necessary changes to be effective and deliver on their expected returns, you cannot afford to ignore your people: getting this part of the CRM equation wrong will guarantee that your whole effort will account to little.

The CRM change: mystery, magic, danger?
Spurred by technological advances and more intense competition, change has become an important element of a manager’s priorities. Yet change management, like CRM, is in danger of being hijacked by the technology industry. Already the concepts of the agile enterprise and the on-demand economy are being thrown around in television adverts. Change, however, is more profound than just deploying a new platform or trying to change the way you do things. Any change will undoubtedly impact people: your employees, your customers, your partners, and your shareholders. Implementing a CRM strategy will involve considerable change, and ignoring the impact it will have on your organisation’s stakeholders is dangerous.

The route to successful CRM is - like the m