Ask the Experts

Ask the Experts

• Measuring ROI for a CRM upgrade

  In this tip, learn how to measure the ROI of a CRM upgrade and how to analyze net tangible benefits, intangible benefits and risk.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between NPV and IRR?

  Looking for a definition of IRR and ROI? Read advice from ROI expert Tom Pisello on how these two different metrics can be used to measure ROI for a CRM project.  Continue Reading

• Can I use CRM software to build a successful loyalty program?

  In this tip, learn how CRM software can be used to build a loyalty program as well as other things to consider for building customer loyalty.  Continue Reading

• What's the difference between speech recognition software and voice tags?

  Wondering about how voice recognition or speech recognition and voice tags differ? Read definitions from Donna Fluss in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Common problems with Software as a Service (SaaS) implementations

  Planning for a Software as a Service (SaaS) implementation integrating ERP and CRM? Read Denis Pombriant's advice here and plan for potential problems.  Continue Reading

• Is your call center team leader ready for a management position? 10 ways to tell

  It can be difficult to evaluate a team leader's potential for a higher-level call center management position. Read 10 tips from Donna Fluss to determine whether your call center team leader is ready to be a call center manager.  Continue Reading

• Is SQL Reporting Services or Microsoft Dynamics Snap better for sending letters?

  One reader asks for advice on using Microsoft Dynamics Snap or SQL Reporting Services for sending letters or faxes to customers.  Continue Reading

• Call center agent log in times: Is there an industry standard?

  Expert Lori Bocklund answers a question about industry standards for call center agent log in times.  Continue Reading

• Should we measure call volume for every customer service rep?

  Lori Bocklund answers a question about call volume per CSR and discusses why it isn't considered a top metric for evaluating performance.  Continue Reading

• Call center turnover in the health industry

  Lori Bocklund answers a question about turnover in healthcare call centers.  Continue Reading

• What makes Siebel CRM stand out against other CRM suites?

  Expert William Band talks about Siebel CRM's stand-out features as well as it's drawbacks.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft CRM and Siebel CRM On Demand evaluated

  Expert William Band gives a brief overview of Microsoft CRM and Siebel CRM On Demand.  Continue Reading

• Transferring data from ECC 6.0 to SAP CRM 5.0

  Expert Srini Katta explains to a reader how to transfer employee data to SAP CRM 5.0.  Continue Reading

• SAP CRM vs. MySAP CRM

  Is there any difference between mySAP CRM and SAP CRM? Expert Srini Katta answers this reader's SAP CRM question.  Continue Reading

• Using SAP XI to integrate SAP CRM with Oracle

  Expert Srini Katta offers advice on Oracle integration with SAP CRM using SAP XI.  Continue Reading

• Creative marketing ideas for difficult-to-market products

  Learn how creative marketing ideas like working with partners can help attract attention for products that are difficult to market in this tip from Martha Rogers.  Continue Reading

• Understand potential customer value before firing problem customers

  If you're making the decision to cut off unprofitable customers, make sure you first understand the customer's potential value as well as their current value. And make sure the organization has enough information to determine if the customer's ...  Continue Reading

• Significant differences between customer experience management (CEM) and CRM

  CRM is how a customer looks to a company, while CEM is really how the company looks to the customer, according to Martha Rogers. Learn more in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Outbound calling and the customer experience

  Expert Lior Arussy advises a reader on creating a positive customer experience during an outbound call with a customer.  Continue Reading

• Pay-for-performance for call center agents

  Donna Fluss explains to a reader how a pay-for-performance system in the call center encourages strong agent performance.  Continue Reading

• Call center employee incentive programs

  Expert Lori Bocklund advises a reader on how to set up a call center employee incentive program and which metrics to use as a base.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft CRM implementation on a Small Business Server (SBS)

  Expert Richard Smith advises a reader who's considering a Microsoft Dynamics CRM implementation on an existing Microsoft Small Business Server (SBS).  Continue Reading

• Comparing Microsoft CRM and GoldMine CRM software

  Expert Richard Smith offers a comparison of Goldmine's CRM software vs. Microsoft Dynamics CRM.  Continue Reading

• How to monitor quality for call center emails

  Lori Bocklund offers advice on how call centers should use quality monitoring with emails and which metrics to include.  Continue Reading

• Call center scheduling: How to manage Auxiliary or unavailable time

  Expert Lori Bocklund advises a reader on managing a call center agent's Auxiliary or unavailable time.  Continue Reading

• Creating a balanced call center monitoring scorecard

  Find out how to create a scorecard for call center agent monitoring in this expert response from Lori Bocklund.  Continue Reading

• Empathy and customer service: Call center agent training or scripting?

  Expert Donna Fluss offers advice on empathy in the call center and whether agent scripting or call center agent training is the best way to encourage empathy with customers.  Continue Reading

• Call center certification programs for managers and agents

  Expert Donna Fluss offers advice on which call center certification program is best for managers and agents.  Continue Reading

• Using the customer database to provide good customer experiences

  Expert Lior Arussy offers advice on how to use a company's customer database to provide positive customer experiences.  Continue Reading

• Using customer experience management consultants effectively

  Expert Lior Arussy offers tips on how a customer experience management (CEM) consultant can be used effectively.  Continue Reading

• B2B and B2C CRM: An overview of the differences

  Don Peppers gives an expert overview of the differences between business-to-business (B2B) and business-to-consumer (B2C) CRM in this reader response.  Continue Reading

• Identifying VIP or high-value customers in the call center

  Expert Don Peppers explains how call centers can be identifying VIP or high-value customers who call.  Continue Reading

• Marketing promotions and the call center: Achieving cooperation

  Expert Don Peppers gives advice on the call center and marketing departments working together on marketing promotions.  Continue Reading

• CRM data migration from ACT! to new CRM software

  Expert Denis Pombriant advises a reader on a CRM data migration from Sage Software's ACT CRM to Schwab's Relationship Manager software.  Continue Reading

• Conducting a CRM system and process audit

  Expert Paul Greenberg offers advice on conducting an audit of CRM systems and processes.  Continue Reading

• Implementing a customer loyalty program with a road map

  Expert Michael Lowenstein offers advice on building a road map for implementing a customer loyalty program.  Continue Reading

• Creating Microsoft templates for Dynamics CRM with Snap tools

  Expert Richard Smith offers advice to a reader on creating custom templates in Microsoft Dynamics CRM, using Microsoft's Snap add-on applications.  Continue Reading

• Microsoft CRM support and maintenance for a small business

  Expert Richard Smith offers advice to a reader wondering how much maintenance Microsoft Dynamics CRM requires and who in the organization should manage the maintenance.  Continue Reading

• Should profitable customers be the top priority for our customer service efforts?

  Experts Peppers and Rogers offer advice on whether companies should focus their customer service efforts on only their most profitable customers.  Continue Reading

• Are preferred customer punch-card programs effective?

  Experts Peppers and Rogers answer a reader question about customer loyalty programs, and whether traditional punch-card programs are an effective way to build loyalty.  Continue Reading

• Comparing Oracle E-Business Suite and Microsoft Dynamics CRM

  Expert William Band provides an overview of the differences between Oracle E-Business Suite CRM and Microsoft Dynamics CRM.  Continue Reading

• How to evaluate call center quality analyst performance

  Expert Donna Fluss provides some guidelines for evaluating the performance of a call center's quality coach, and offers suggestions on training a quality coach.  Continue Reading

• Reporting a combined service level from several call centers

  Lori Bocklund gives a formula to use to calculate a combined service level from several different call centers, as well as what to consider to get the most accurate call center numbers.  Continue Reading

• Calculating the call center agent seat utilization ratio

  Lori Bocklund explains how to calculate the seat utilization ratio for a call center with a formula using call center agents and number of call center seats.  Continue Reading

• Call center utilization (occupancy) -- tips on using and calculating

  Expert Lori Bocklund gives tips on how to calculate call center utilization, or occupancy, and how to best use and interpret this metric.  Continue Reading

• Advantages of business process outsourcing with on-demand CRM

  Expert Denis Pombriant answers a reader question about how a company using business process outsourcing (BPO) can also use Software as a Service (SaaS) or on-demand CRM to its best advantage.  Continue Reading

• Help desk supervisor goals for providing service and support

  Expert Donna Fluss gives advice on the role of help desk supervisors, offers tips for best providing service and support and explains their relationship with call center management.  Continue Reading

• Five ways to improve customer satisfaction in a call center

  Expert Lior Arussy offers five tips on improving customer satisfaction through the call center.  Continue Reading

• Customer satisfaction and retention -- what's the correlation?

  Expert Lior Arussy explains why customer satisfaction is not necessarily the best indicator of customer retention; companies should look at purchases and other actions rather than complaints handled.  Continue Reading

• SAP CRM upgrades: How a consultant can help

  SAP CRM expert Srini Katta offers advice on the role of a consultant during an SAP CRM upgrade.  Continue Reading

• Upgrading to SAP CRM 5.0: Tips for success

  SAP CRM expert Srini Katta advises a reader on the main points to consider for a smooth SAP CRM upgrade.  Continue Reading

• What to cover during a quality monitoring review in the call center

  Donna Fluss outlines what to evaluate during a quality monitoring (QM) review in the call center in this tip.  Continue Reading

• What call center technology is necessary for home-based agents?

  Read Donna Fluss's advice on how to set up home-based agents and what call center software is best for remote agents in this tip.  Continue Reading

• CRM application upgrade decision checklist based on business needs

  Learn how a decision checklist can help you decide if a CRM upgrade meets your business needs.  Continue Reading

• Change management aspects of a CRM upgrade

  According to research by Forrester, a change management officer can help manage a CRM upgrade. Learn more in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Why are loyal customers harder to find today?

  Today's customers are more demanding and it's easier for then to get your competitors' information with a single click. Read Don Peppers advice for winning loyal customers.  Continue Reading

• How can customer service and sales departments work together to build trust?

  Customer service and sales can work together to build trust, says Don Peppers in this Ask the Expert response.  Continue Reading

• Audit: How effective is your CRM system?

  In this tip, learn how to determine if you have an effective CRM system.  Continue Reading

• Planning for downtime with on-demand CRM

  Learn best practices to utilize if your on-demand CRM application goes down in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Exceeding customer expectations in the short- and the long-term

  It's very hard to keep exceeding customer expectations, especially as they are always going up. Read advice from Don Peppers here.  Continue Reading

• Definition: Hosted CRM vs. SaaS CRM vs. on-premise CRM

  Learn how expert Denis Pombriant defines hosted CRM, SaaS CRM and on-premise CRM.  Continue Reading

• Preview of Microsoft's advanced analytics tools for Dynamics CRM

  Microsoft CRM expert Richard Smith gives a preview of the new advanced analytics tools available for Dynamics CRM.  Continue Reading

• Integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM and Amdocs Clarify

  Microsoft Dynamics CRM does not include integration support for customers to migrate from Amdocs, but customers can use middleware or import tools, says Microsoft CRM expert Richard Smith.  Continue Reading

• Calculate average speed of answer (ASA) with workforce management

  Call center expert Lori Bocklund offers tips on using workforce management tools to calculate average speed of answer (ASA) and other call center metrics.  Continue Reading

• Finding average handle time (AHT) information with reporting tools

  Reporting tools can provide a range of call center metrics information, says expert Lori Bocklund, so it's best to know exactly what average handle time (AHT) data you're looking for.  Continue Reading

• Reducing short calls and unproductive calls

  Reducing short calls and unproductive calls in the call center may require self-service or quality scoring, says call center expert Lori Bocklund, but defining "short" and "unproductive" is key.  Continue Reading

• Customer service complaints -- comparing by industry

  Customer service complaint numbers vary by industry, says call center expert Lori Bocklund, so customer service managers should network with other businesses to compare their complaint levels accordingly.  Continue Reading

• Call center error rate: Is there an industry standard?

  How can call centers measure their error rates, and how should they set metrics accordingly? Call center expert Lori Bocklund answers this reader's question.  Continue Reading

• Agent utilization (occupancy) in a small call center

  Agent utilization or occupancy is higher in a smaller call center, says expert Lori Bocklund. Find out why in this call center response.  Continue Reading

• How to determine which help desk metrics to use

  A technical help desk can use common metrics like abandoned calls and average speed of answer (ASA) to measure its service levels, advises Lori Bocklund in this call center expert response.  Continue Reading

• Calculating call center agent churn

  This expert response offers advice on calculating agent churn or turnover in the call center.  Continue Reading

• Analyzing consolidated vs. decentralized customer service

  Will the centralization of call centers really cut costs? Read Donna Fluss's advice here.  Continue Reading

• Is first call resolution key to a good customer experience?

  What are the most important benefits of first call resolution, and how it can drive a valuable customer experience? Read Lior Arussy's advice here.  Continue Reading

• Introducing the importance of a good customer experience during call center training

  Learn what to add to a call center training program in order to deliver a good customer experience in this tip.  Continue Reading

• How will Oracle Fusion bring together Oracle CRM, Siebel CRM and PeopleSoft CRM?

  Oracle's Fusion project can be confusing. Bill Band answers a question concerning what products and functionality will be maintained moving forward in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• Is Siebel SFA a good choice in today's market?

  Is Siebel still the best option for sales force automation (SFA)? Read Bill Band's answer here.  Continue Reading

• Working the call center night shift -- tips for agents

  The trick to working the call center night shift is to get into a routine, says Donna Fluss in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• How should I be calculating IRR with SAP CRM?

  If you are looking for an internal rate of return (IRR) calculator in SAP CRM, you won't find one. But there is a way to develop a way to calculate IRR yourself, according to expert Srini Katta.  Continue Reading

• Is integration possible between Microsoft CRM and SAP CRM?

  According to Srini Katta, there is no out-of-box integration provided by SAP for Microsoft CRM. Learn a workaround here.  Continue Reading

• How can I run call center agent training on a shoestring budget?

  Donna Fluss offers advice on running low-cost training programs for the call center in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• Exceed customer expectations to avoid cognitive dissonance and decreased loyalty

  There are two things you should do to exceed a customer's expectations, say Peppers and Rogers in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• How should we be measuring customer equity on a balance sheet?

  In this tip, Peppers and Rogers offer advice on measuring customer equity and how customer equity fits into the bottom line.  Continue Reading

• Can I use multiple channels as effective marketing strategies to build trust?

  While multichannel marketing can be effective, offering customers the choice is always preferable. Learn more about marketing stategies including effective text message marketing in this tip.  Continue Reading

• How should we define customer equity in the short-term and the long-term?

  Wondering how to define customer equity? According to Peppers and Rogers, it is virtually the same number as the "going concern" value of your business.  Continue Reading

• Are there loyalty programs designed for hospital patients?

  Michael Lowenstein sheds some light on what it takes to build a successful loyalty program at a hospital in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Employee loyalty can help optimize the customer experience

  According to Michael Lowenstein, employees are the common denominator in optimizing the customer experience. Read his advice on increasing employee loyalty in this tip.  Continue Reading

• What's the best method for customer data entry in Microsoft CRM?

  According to Richard Smith, the best way to capture customer data depends upon the nature of the data that you are trying to capture and how you intend to use it. Read his advice for Excel and Dynamics here.  Continue Reading

• Best practices for lead management in Microsoft CRM

  In this expert tip, read advice from Richard Smith on lead management in Microsoft CRM.  Continue Reading

• Does Siebel CRM software offer too much functionality for a small business?

  The bells and whistles of Siebel CRM seem impressive, but will a small business end up paying for lots of unused functions? Read expert Bill Band's advice here.  Continue Reading

• Hyperion Reporting vs. Cognos ReportNet

  Paul Greenberg discusses the differences in functionality and vendor strategy between Hyperion Reporting vs. Cognos ReportNet in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• Should I use a combination of IRR, NPV and payback for capital budgeting?

  What method -- internal rate of return (IRR), net present value (NPV) or payback -- is the best method to use for capital budgeting purposes? Read advice here.  Continue Reading

• How can we quantify ROI for a customer loyalty program?

  One reader asked Tom Pisello how to measure the return on investment (ROI) of a customer loyalty program. Read his advice here.  Continue Reading

• Comparing net present value (NPV) and ROI for CRM projects

  According to Tom Pisello, two projects can have drastically different advantages shown in net present value (NPV) and ROI. Learn why in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• What vendors offer effective customer experience survey tools?

  Looking for customer experience survey vendors? Read Paul Greenberg's advice in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• Learning tools for the SAP CRM beginner

  Srini Katta provides advice for those getting started with SAP CRM in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• What's the testing process for an SAP CRM implementation?

  Learn the testing process for an SAP CRM implementation in this expert tip from Srini Katta.  Continue Reading

• Connecting SAP CRM and a non-SAP system using SAP Java Connector

  One SearchCRM.com reader asks, "How we can connect a non-SAP system with SAP CRM?" Learn Srini Katta's advice in this tip.  Continue Reading

• Customer retention involves using the closest touch points -- sometimes, delivery drivers

  One SearchCRM.com reader asked how to improve customer retention in fleet management. Read Lior's advice in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• How is relationship marketing changing the way marketers look at customers?

  Lior Arussy explains how the shift to relationship marketing from transactional marketing will impact organizations and customers in this expert tip.  Continue Reading

• Call center training and other ways to occupy agents during off-peak hours

  Donna Fluss provides suggestions for a call center manager looking to increase productivity with call center training during off-peak hours in this tip.  Continue Reading