SAPPOINT CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM

 

INTRODUCTION TO SAP CRM | NEERAJ UPPAL

CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

INTRODUCTION:-

Customer Relationship Management: - CRM provides powerful analytical tools to help you
and your business partners identify market segments for specific products and services,
coordinate sales and marketing efforts, and turn customer information into real sales results.

mySAP CRM provides your sales, customer service, and top management staff with immediate
information on customer habits and market trends.

CRM – part of the MySAP Business Suite – a central CRM server providing access to various
systems via various channels

• Interaction Center – enables customers to contact service or sales reps by phone, fax or
email
• Internet Access – internet components of CRM
• Mobile Clients and Handheld Devices – for mobile sales or service reps.
• The CRM solution offers the following fully integrated connections:

CRM as a central CRM Server

• SAP R/3 Backend (ECC) providing the ERP functions

• SAP BW system – the data warehouse solution
• SAP APO system as a global ATP check
• SAP Enterprise Portal – integrated access to all systems

Built on top of SAP WebAS – provides: Scalability, Platform Independence, Full ABAP
Development Environment, Software Logistics

CRM Server Contains: CRM Server Applications, Main Parts of CRM Middleware, CRM
Database

Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

CRM Middleware functionality consists of:

Data queuing and Transport, Replication and Realignment, Data Exchange and Mapping

Articles

SAP Unveils SAP CRM On-Demand Solution: Delivers Immediate Business Value and A
Strategic Path for Enterprise CRM
Delivering on its commitment to provide enterprise customers with solutions that meet both
current and future business needs; SAP announced an expansion of its market-leading mySAP
Customer Relationship Management (mySAP CRM) solution to include an on-demand option.
The SAP CRM on-demand solution is designed for large and midsize organizations to manage
sales, service, and marketing in an easy-to-use solution delivered directly via the Internet, offered
through a subscription-based licensing model.

Customer successes

• Bertelsmann AG, Germany

• Colgate-Palmolive Inc., USA
• Dow Corning Inc., USA
• Texas Instruments, USA
• Wuerth, Japan
Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

ASPECTS:-

There are three aspects of CRM which can each be implemented in isolation from each other:

• Operational - automation or support of customer processes that include a company’s sales

or service representative
• Collaborative - direct communication with customers that does not include a company’s
sales or service representative (self service)
• Analytical - analysis of customer data for a broad range of purposes

META Group (acquired by Gartner in April 2005) developed this conceptual architecture in the
late 1990s, and dubbed it the CRM EcosystemCon.

A pioneer of CRM ,Help Desk Software since 1992 SOFFRONT the mid-market CRM leader
gave a whole new interface and practical solutions to the CRM by offering end-to-end CRM
Software solutions spanning marketing automation and sales force automation software,
customer service and helpdesk software, sales order processing software, asset and project
management software, defect tracking software and more.

The latest CRM functionalities

The latest CRM should incorporate features that extend the CRM functionality beyond sales,
marketing, and customer support.

Some features are

• Superior user interface

• Support for Web Services
• A framework, which should support integration with popular accounting systems.
• Support e-mail client integration and advanced email support
• Support perforce integration
• Features to make the engine to support automated business rules, email support and alerts
etc
• Supports customization of UI,TOOLS,REPORTS,TEMPLATES etc.
• Should be WEB and WAP enabled.
• Zero footprint web browser : the CRM should be web based and operate from your
browser. You can access the application just as you would access a web site like
amazon.com. There must not be any requirement of writing code at the client’s end or
any requirement to download a plug-in or an applet. Standard browser access is a must
should support open technologies like http/xml which provides all the functionality.
• All modules should be inherently integrated with each other. The complete breadth of
crm functions spanning sales, marketing, customer support, employee support, partner
management, defect tracking and customer portal applications must be integrated by
design.
Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

• The product should support database like oracle, ms sql server and sybase. A single
repository should hold all the data generated across various customer touch points.
• If the modules are pre-integrated then you have the flexibility to start with what you need
and activate the rest when you need them.

Should be release independent so that the customizations done at installation and over the years
are preserved when you upgrade. There is no need to rework them.

Operational

Operational CRM provides support to "front office" business processes, including sales,
marketing and service. Each interaction with a customer is generally added to a customer's
contact history, and staff can retrieve information on customers from the database when
necessary.

One of the main benefits of this contact history is that customers can interact with different
people or different contact channels in a company over time without having to describe the
history of their interaction each time.

Consequently, many call centers use some kind of CRM software to support their call center
agents.

Operational CRM process customer data for a variety of purposes:

• Managing Campaigns
• Enterprise Marketing Automation
• Sales Force Automation

Collaborative

Collaborative CRM covers the direct interaction with customers, for a variety of different
purposes, including feedback and issue-reporting. Interaction can be through a variety of
channels, such as web pages, email, automated phone (Automated Voice Response AVR) or
SMS.

The objectives of collaborative CRM can be broad, including cost reduction and service
improvements.

Analytical

Analytical CRM analyzes customer data for a variety of purposes:

• Design and execution of targeted marketing campaigns to optimize marketing

effectiveness
Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

• Design and execution of specific customer campaigns, including customer acquisition,

cross-selling, up-selling, retention
• Analysis of customer behavior to aid product and service decision making (e.g. pricing,
new product development etc.)
• Management decisions, e.g. financial forecasting and customer profitability analysis
• Prediction of the probability of customer defection (churn analysis).

Analytical CRM generally makes heavy use of predictive analytics.

Strategy

Several commercial CRM software packages are available which vary in their approach to CRM.
However, CRM is not just a technology, but rather a comprehensive approach to an
organization's philosophy in dealing with its customers. This includes policies and processes,
front-of-house customer service, employee training, marketing, systems and information
management. Hence, it is important that any CRM implementation considerations stretch beyond
technology, towards the broader organizational requirements.

The objectives of a CRM strategy must consider a company’s specific situation and its customers
needs and expectations.

Technology considerations

The technology requirements of a CRM strategy can be complex and far reaching.

The basic building blocks:

• A database to store customer information. This can be a CRM specific database or an

enterprise data warehouse.
• Operational CRM requires customer agent support software.
• Collaborative CRM requires customer interaction systems, e.g. an interactive website,
automated phone systems etc.
• Analytical CRM requires statistical analysis software as well as software that manages
any specific marketing campaigns.

Each of these can be implemented in a basic manner or in a high end complex installation.

KEY FUNCTIONALITIES

A typical CRM system is subdivided into three basic sub modules:

1. Marketing
2. Sales
3. Service
Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

Sales Force Automation

Sales Management Sales Forecasting Pipeline Management Mobile Sales Sales Commissions
Mgmt

Sales Order Processing

Order Lifecycle Management Quotation and Invoicing Inventory Management Shipping & RMA

Marketing Automation

Marketing Management Email Campaigning Direct Mail Campaigning Tele-marketing

Marketing Analytics Trans-promotional documents (enriching transaction documents with
marketing content).

Issue/Project Management

Defect Management Test case Management Product Release Mgmt Time & Cost tracking
Project Management

Customer Help Desk

Customer Support Multi Channel Contact Center Mobile Support Customer Portal Customer Self
Service Customer Survey SLA Management

Partner Management

CRM Portal Partner Lead Distribution Partner Self-service Partner Order processing

Helpdesk Software

Employee Help Desk Multi Channel Contact Center Mobile Support Asset Management
Employee Portal Employee Self Service Employee Survey

Integration

Object API Web Services Back office integration

Several functionalities are:

1. Service Order Management

2. Service Contract Management
3. Planned Services management

Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

4. Warranty Management
5. Installed Base (Equipment) Management
6. SLA Management
7. Resource Planning and Scheduling
8. Knowledge Management (FAQs, How to guides)
9. Call Center Support
10. Resource Planning and Workforce Management

CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION

It is also important to mention here that a CRM system is capable of executing all the three sub
modules via multiple communication Channels. These channels can be:

1. Direct
2. Online (Internet)
3. Call Center (via Phone/FAX/Email etc)

All the three CRM Sub Modules (Marketing, Sales and Service) can be executed across these
Communication channels. Based on these criteria, CRM offerings can be further sub divided into
following:

Communication Channel
Direct Internet Call Center
/ CRM Module
Marketing Online Marketing Web Marketing Tele Marketing
Sales Online Sales Web Shop Tele Sales
Service Online Service Customer Self Service Portal Tele Service

SUCCESSES

While there are numerous reports of "failed" implementations of various types of CRM projects,
these are often the result of unrealistic high expectations and exaggerated claims by CRM
vendors.

PRIVACY AND DATA SECURITY

The data gathered as part of CRM must consider customer privacy and data security. Customers
want the assurance that their data is not shared with third parties without their consent and not
accessed illegally by third parties. Customers also want their data used by companies to provide
a benefit for them. For instance, an increase in unsolicited telemarketing calls is generally
resented by customers while a small number of relevant offers is generally appreciated by
customers.

Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

CRM INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

Q. What is CRM?

ANS. CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management. It is a process or methodology

used to learn more about customers' needs and behaviors in order to develop stronger
relationships with them. There are many technological components to CRM, but thinking about
CRM in primarily technological terms is a mistake. The more useful way to think about CRM is
as a process that will help bring together lots of pieces of information about customers, sales,
marketing effectiveness, responsiveness and market trends. CRM helps businesses use
technology and human resources to gain insight into the behavior of customers and the value of
those customers.

Q. What is CRM Software?

ANS. Sales Force Automation
- Contact management
Contact management software stores, tracks and manages contacts, leads of an enterprise.
- Lead management
Enterprise Lead management software enables an organization to manage, track and forecast
sales leads. Also helps understand and improve conversion rates.

eCRM or Web based CRM

- Self Service CRM
Self service CRM (eCRM) software Enables web based customer interaction, automation of
email, call logs, web site analytics, campaign management.
- Survey Management Software
Survey Software automates an enterprise's Electronic Surveys, Polls, Questionnaires and enables
understand customer preferences.

Customer Service
- Call Center Software.
- Help Desk Software

Partner Relationship Management

- Contract Management Software
Contract Management Software enables an enterprise to create, track and manage partnerships,
contracts, agreements.
Example: Upside Software, Accruent Software, diCarta, I-Many.
- Distribution management Software

Q. What are the Advantages of CRM ?

ANS. Using CRM, a business can:
- Provide better customer service
Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com           

 
CHEAT SHEET ON INTRODUCTION TO CRM   

- Increase customer revenues

- Discover new customers
- Cross sell/Up Sell products more effectively
- Help sales staff close deals faster
- Make call centers more efficient
- Simplify marketing and sales processes

The types of data CRM projects collect

- Responses to campaigns
- Shipping and fulfillment dates
- Sales and purchase data
- Account information
- Web registration data
- Service and support records
- Demographic data
- Web sales data

Q. What is Business Process Management - BPM?

ANS. Business Process Management or BPM, is the practice of improving the efficiency and
effectiveness of any organization by automating the organization's business processes. BPM used
to be also know as Business Process Reengineering (BPR).
Many companies have business processes that are unique to its business model. Since these
processes tend to evolve over time as the business reacts to market conditions, the BPM solution
you choose must be easily adaptable to the new conditions and requirements and continue to be a
perfect fit for the company.

In order to use BPM effectively, organizations must stop focusing exclusively on data and data
management, and adopt a process-oriented approach that makes no distinction between work
done by a human and a computer.

- The idea of BPM is to bring processes, people and information together.

- Dynamic infrastructure requires separation of flows, business rules and services.
- Identifying the business processes is relatively easy. Breaking down the barriers between
business areas, and finding owners for the processes is difficult.
- BPM not only involves managing business processes within the enterprise but also involves
real-time integration of the processes of a company with those of its suppliers, business partners,
and customers.
- BPM involves looking at automation horizontally instead of vertically.
- Business Activity Monitoring (BAM) is essential for measurement of BPM impact.
Examples of BPM tasks that your organization performs that should be automated include:
- Expense Reports Travel Requests
- Purchase Orders Human Resource Management
- New Accounts and Credit Authorizations Sales Orders
- Project Management Software Change Management

Neeraj Uppal                                                                                                                           uppal261@gmail.com