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In general, the CRM implementation project is preceded by a CRM selection project. In this preliminary project, the central business requirements for the CRM project are collected, use cases / user stories are defined, the embedding of the CRM in the existing process and system landscape is analyzed and determined, and then a more or less extensive request for proposal (RfP) is carried out to determine the right tool and the implementation service provider specialized in it.

In the course of the requirements definition and especially the tender, the later implementation – i.e. the introduction of CRM in the company – should already play an important role. Some central questions in this regard are:

• • Do I replace an existing CRM system or even several individual tools? Then the later implementation project is a transition or migration project. The whole thing is also defined as a brownfield approach.
  • Or is it a new CRM introduction? Then the CRM implementation project can be planned and implemented in a greenfield approach (in contrast to the above mentioned brownfield approach)

ERP and CRM be introduced at the same time? If not, in which order.

implementation project in an agile way (e.g. 4-week sprints) or rather in a classic waterfall methodology? What are the pros and cons of the respective method?

• How does the implementation partner in charge of the future implementation typically work? What is expected from an accompanying consultant such as 1A Relations? What could the project governance (project management, committees/steering, etc.) look like?
• How long should/may the implementation project take? What are good time frames for a smooth implementation? Because of the accounting at the turn of the year, because of the load tests at Easter, because of the workload during the summer vacations, etc.
• And where is there a “hard stop” or an unalterable deadline? (e.g. maintenance contract old system expires, “implementation freeze” due to Christmas business or year-end closing, significant dependencies on the implementation roadmap of other projects)

Vendor or implementation partner of the CRM software or we, from 1A Relations GmbH, can help you with our know-how

Adress these topics already in the CRM selection phase within the RfP. Providers of CRM solutions and service providers specializing in CRM software implementation have a lot of experience with such issues and know above all their own software. Formulate your cornerstones and preferences in the tender documentation and let the providers show you suitable rough concepts.

Good (and interested) vendors will question your requirements and give you further suggestions on how to make the CRM introduction optimal for your company. And last but not least, you will get a good impression of which partner is right for you and who can make it onto the shortlist for the final selection.

Let the team of the service provider or the manufacturer assure you of the implementation even before the contract is signed. After all, you will often be supported by the sellers until the contract is signed. But who your companions will be afterwards, you should not leave to chance.

Which approaches to the topic of software implementation are there?

Waterfall, Scrum Agile methods? Big Bang or Iterative Introduction? Which project management methods or which mix of methods makes more sense? Here is a first overview:
Wikipedia on the subject of software introduction
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