Implementation Services
With experience of over 200 CRM implementations using a variety of software packages, RD Associates provides you with a wealth of experience in every aspect of implementing simple but effective CRM solutions that deliver a rapid return on investment.
Assessment of Requirements
The first stage of the implementation process is an assessment of requirements designed to provide all parties with sufficient information to make informed decisions on how to proceed.
The assessment will generate the following deliverables . . .
A high level data entity diagram detailing the major data entities required to support the functionality
A high level process map of the functions the system must support classified as critical, essential, and nice-to-have
A summary of applications the system has to interface with and the “touch points”
An assessment of the capability of the existing IT infrastructure to support current CRM systems
A high level assessment of the quality of the data in existing systems
A summary of the shortcomings of the current system and how they could be addressed
A high level cost / benefit case
An assessment of how your requirements map to some leading CRM applications e.g. ACT!, GoldMine and MS Dynamics
Budget level estimates for implementing a replacement system covering . . .
Software licences
IT infrastructure
Software customisation and configuration
Custom applications / addons
Integration with other applications
Data migration and cleaning
Training
Installation
Ongoing support
Once your requirements have been assessed then informed decisions can be made about the . . .
• Software application to be used
• The system's functional and data boundaries
• The parameters for measuring the implementation's success
A high level project plan can then be established detailing tasks , responsibilities and time scales.
Project planning and Management
Our project management process identifies the key areas of responsibility, resource requirements and time-frames for implementation enabling our team to guarantee you a timely, cost effective and successful implementation.
The project plan is regularly reviewed to assess progress and identify slippage from the plan.
Requirements Review
Key to this phase is building a prototype of the system, including importing a sample of your data. This allows you to review a working model of the system and to refine the applications functions and data structures. This is an iterative process which is refined several times before final implementation.
The areas to be reviewed will be dependent on the solution being implemented, but will typically include: defining user and their requirements; look-up tables; security settings; field changes; work-flow/automated processes; reports; templates.
Installation
A well structured software installation is one of the foundations for a robust CRM application.
Installation tasks undertaken include installing and configuring the applications on servers and client PC's, setting up routine maintenance tasks, implementing agreed security measures and routine data transfer utilities.
Enabling remote users to access the CRM data is often a key objective. We have considerable experience of setting up remote synchronisation that enables users to access up to date data from anywhere in the world and also server-to-server synchronisation where an organisation has multiple sites.
Data Conversion and Migration
Most implementations require data to be transferred from existing systems into the new CRM system. The transfer of data may be a "one-off" exercise to migrate data from your old system, or the requirement may be for a routine transfer of data from another system e.g. a weekly transfer of account summaries from your accounting system into the CRM System. Either way, RD Associates' expertise combined with specialist software tools will enable these potentially complex issues to be resolved.
Many CRM solutions can also be integrated with other applications – such as accounting software, quotation modules, help desk etc. For further details go to our Products page.
RD Associates - Your Business Improvement Partner
For more information on how RD Associates
can help transform your business processes
to complete our short contact form.
Designed and created by it'seeze
