This page is for you to list your top and bottom ten lists on any germane subject e.g. Top CRM Influencers, Top CRM enterprise suites; Worst CRM products; Best 3 CRM experiences I ever had.  The top 5 reasons CRM fails. The "10" figure is metaphorical. You can have a top 1 or a bottom 25 if you want. If you do put a list here, please make sure there is at least one sentence as to why you chose what or who you chose in each instance. Again, your name MUST be included as the author of the list or it will be deleted. That goes for everything you do.  Thanks.

LISTS

 Top 5 reasons that CRM implementations fail by Joel Lindstrom, Customer Effective:

1.  Lack of user adoption.  It doesn't matter what CRM system you have, if the users won't use it, it will fail.  This can be due to lack of proper training, failure to get buy-in from the end users early in the process.

2.  Lack of clear vision.  Like # 1, if there is not a clear vision of why CRM is important in the organization, and it is not related to a clear goal, crm will fail.

3.  Biting off too much too soon.  It is dangerous to try to go from no system or a manual/spreadsheet system to a very complex CRM implementation with 1,000 bells and whistles.  Organizations should set more manageable goals and get a handle on the basics of CRM before taking the deeper dive, or they risk over-engineering the solution and giving users a bad impression of CRM.

4.  Viewing CRM as an IT/Technology project.  IT understands technology, but they don't understand sales, marketing, and customer service.  It is critical to put business requirements first, before the technology and platform.

5.  Trying to implement CRM without adequate assistance/Choosing the wrong implementation partner.  Rates of success will be greatly increased if you have somebody who knows not just the technology of CRM but also best CRM practices.  Asking the right questions is key:  Does the implementation partner that you choose specialize in CRM, or is it one of many things that they do?  Do they actually use CRM, so they can understand CRM from a user perspective?  Does their implementation approach just focus on executive level goals, or do they also include the end users to drive user adoption?

Most revolutionary CRM Product(Joel L):

Microsoft CRM Outlook Client--this was the product that changed CRM from a separate stand-along application and brought it into the every day workflow (calendar, meetings, emails, contacts) of sales professionals on an Enterprise basis.  Other products had attempted this on a personal level (Act), but they were outside of the corporate e-mail/calendar used for business.

Some of the best customer service experiences (Joel Lindstrom):

1.  Microsoft--Over the years I have dealt with Microsoft when I have had a problem with Windows, Office, etc.  My experience with their support is always top notch.  The most recent experience was when I ran into some issues installing Vista SP1.  I got right through to their support, and he stayed on the line with me for about 1.5 hours as he helped me install some prerequisite patches.  While they were installing, he answered some unrelated questions for me.  Every time that I work with them, I always get an email immediately with a summary of the case, the resolution, the process if I need to reopen the case, and the number of the tech's manager.

2.  Apple--Shopping at the Apple store is the best retail experience that I've had.  The store staff is very helpful without being overbearing, and the handheld credit card machines that they carry with them means that I never have to wait in line.

Some of the worst customer service experiences (Joel Lindstrom):

1.  Verizon--it's almost like any question you call them with, take the answer, and the opposite is true.  I got an offer in the mail for a new service plan, I called to ask if it would extend my contract, they said no, the answer was yes.  I was taking a trip to Euope.  I called to ask if my phone would work in Europe--they said yes, the answer was no.

2.  Sprint--same as above.  Their computer is always down when I call, and they never have record of previous conversations.

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