Course Outcomes

This customer relationship management (CRM) course will:

  • Explain the value of a relationship management strategy.
  • Help teams articulate their CRM goals and identify key milestones in the relationship management process.
  • Review several of the features and benefits of various CRM systems.
  • Assist groups in determining how they will measure the success of their relationship management efforts.

Course Overview

This interactive workshop explores the ins and outs of the customer relationship process and various technologies to help the process. During this session, we will examine CRM goals, touchpoints, messaging, methods for being systematic without being scripted, documentation strategies, and best practices for staying connected with customers.

Program Objectives

At this program’s conclusion, participants should be able to:

  • Develop an understanding of the terms and benefits of CRM on a company’s bottom line.
  • Discuss the importance of relevance, respect, credibility, and value in the relationship management process.
  • Analyze the different components of a CRM plan.
  • Articulate their CRM goals.
  • Identify common touchpoints and messaging goals.
  • Choose language that represents an organization’s brand.
  • Document interactions.
  • Develop their checklist for readiness and success.

The following outline highlights some of the course’s key learning points. As part of your training program, we will modify content as needed to meet your business objectives. Upon request, we will provide you with a copy of the participant materials prior to the session(s).

Workshop Outline

Connecting with Customers: Customer Relationship Management Basics

This session opens with a discussion around the value of a customer relationship management strategy and the goals of a relationship management system.  During this part of the program, we will also look at common mistakes organizations make when putting a relationship management system in place.

Examining Best Practices: What Market Leaders Do

In this part of the course, we will look at CRM best practices and examples of what CRM leaders are doing well. Next, participants will identify lessons they can borrow from the masters and they will create a CRM vision for their organization.

Creating a Roadmap: Planning Interactions

Perhaps it’s an email, maybe it’s a phone call, or could it be a surprise package in the mail? The options are essentially limitless. Given the breadth of choices, it’s easy to imagine how communication could become confusing, uneven, and possibly more of a hindrance than a help.

In this section of the workshop, we will map interactions for various customer groups. Then, through a series of activities, we will explore communication options and determine when and how to use each.

Getting the Story Straight: Building Trust Staying on Message

In this seminar segment, we will discuss the importance of building trust, identifying message themes, and choosing language that reinforces an organization’s brand. Next, we will work through several exercises to identify messages and develop a language stylesheet.

Choosing a System: Homegrown, Off-the-Shelf, or Customized

Good CRM requires a solid system to keep track of customers and interactions. This portion of the program looks at various options for putting software support in place. We will discuss creating a solution from scratch, choosing something off the shelf, or hiring a firm to create a customized solution.

Managing the Day to Day: Keeping Data Clean

If data entry is sloppy or documentation is poor, the information kept in a CRM system is virtually worthless. This portion of the workshop looks at the ins and outs of recording information and identifying what’s important for an organization to track.

Looking at Metrics: Marketing, Sales, and Service Numbers

In the final segment, participants consider 35+ metrics from which they could choose to track the success of their CRM efforts. Next, we will talk about an evaluation schedule and when and how they should review processes and data.

At the conclusion of the program, participants will have a solid understanding of the concept of CRM and what good processes, practices, and systems can do to build and reinforce customer relationships.