Major customers tell us frequently that they want consistency, proactiveness and responsiveness from their key suppliers. Consistently applied customer management processes are a powerful differentiator and builder of loyalty.

The Macquarie Marketing Group are able to assist companies in very practical ways to develop their customer management processes based on best practice (link to benchmarking) and customer and staff priorities.

We are also experienced in assisting companies to achieve effective implementation (link to effective implementation). Below are examples of some of the key elements of 'best practice' customer relationship management and the practical tools employed.

Key Tools and Elements of Customer Relationship Management

Each of these is a proven influencer of customer loyalty and relationship and opportunity development among major customers. MMG can provide further interpretation of these and their application.

CRM Effectiveness Reviews

These are very effective detailed reviews of current field sales, customer management and marketing practices and systems. Typically they include the following areas:

• Contact staff productivity and effectiveness with customers
• Alignment of sales activity with internal and customer needs
• Effectiveness of value adding processes
• Sales management, supervision and coaching
• Field sales and territory management practices
• Skills and training needs
• Interface with marketing, operations and finance
• Regional and corporate interface
• Structure, accountabilities, roles and rewards
• Sales strategy and tactics
• Sales controls, KPIs, tools
• Customer information and communication systems
• Pricing implementation, effectiveness and management

Outputs include detailed ratings relative to best practice, key areas for attention, practical and proven recommendations on solutions and an implementation program.

Coaching and Development Programs

These programs offer sales managers and account executives an integrated suite of methodologies and tools specifically developed for effective customer management, with the aim of retaining and growing major business customers.

The programs demonstrate to sales managers and account executives practical ways to:

• Gain greater understanding of customers business needs, issues and opportunities
• Develop organisational wide solutions for customer problems
• Understand how to provide value added solutions
• Incorporate advanced account management techniques such as joint business reviews, customer action teams and customer liaison planning

The coaching and development programs are flexible and can be delivered in a number of ways - one on one, small groups or in a classroom environment. We find maximum results in a one on one or small group environment.

The programs frequently include one on one in field personal coaching with account managers. This is a very effective method of transferring practical sales skills.

Sales Recovery Programs

Macquarie Marketing have a very successful track record in assisting companies to recover sales in regions or business units that have encountered sudden or unanticipated sales problems.

Typically we have been able to achieve prompt sales turnarounds although obviously in some instances problems are structural. In these cases we have the ability to quickly identify the sales, marketing or customer management issues involved and propose practical solutions.

Critical Success Factors in CRM Implementation

MMG's extensive work on CRM implementation has led to the identification of a number of key factors for benefits to be maximised:

1. Strong customer focus, management and attention during planning and implementation
2. Alignment of CRM objectives to organisational strategy
3. Selection of 'best in class' specialists who can work together and who embrace the supplier's objectives and understand the culture of the supplier and its customers
4. Committed, visible and 'hands on' involvement by senior supplier management
5. Segmenting the project into discrete, reasonable small modules which can be tightly managed to ensure effective implementation against time, cost and benefit
6. Identification of 'global' best in class processes, systems and lessons learned
7. Understanding of current capabilities e.g. people, systems and processes
8. Appropriate balance between 'back office' and 'customer management' systems
9. The business case firmly grounded in a current and objective knowledge of customer needs, appropriate systems and technology platforms and clear, measurable deliverables
10. Project management and rigorous 'milestone' reviews