Some of you may be aware that we are currently working on a replacement for KIT. KIT has served us well over many years but as the company has grown, and the way technology has developed which can support our working day, it became apparent that we needed something better, something that can integrate into our Microsoft 365 system.
HCPA have decided to use Microsoft Dynamics, which is a world leading CRM system, and along with systems such as SAP and Salesforce dominate the CRM market.
So, what is a CRM?
CRM stands for “Customer Relationship Management” and is a software system that helps us easily track all communications and nurture relationships with our membership and key contacts. A CRM replaces the multitude of spreadsheets, databases, and apps that many businesses patch together to track client data.
So, what does that mean in practical terms for me working at HCPA?
Using the new CRM will enable everyone to log every interaction with our membership; phone calls, emails, meetings and so on, allowing us to build up a complete picture of our relationship with that person or organisation. It will also allow us to assign tasks to each other and to track those tasks readily.
A good example would be when someone picks up a call from a member querying an invoice they have received from the finance department. What would happen now is an email would be sent to Martin or Meena to deal with the issue and then whoever received the call would chase to see if the issue has been resolved. The phone call and resolution would be captured on a spreadsheet.
With the new CRM a task would be assigned to Martin and/or Meena who would the read the notes captured in the CRM, call the provider, resolve the issue and the call and the resolution of the task would all be logged in the CRM. The initial call, the issue, the task and the resolution have all been logged in the CRM. This, along with any other new or previous interactions with this member, helps build a better picture of our relationship with that member and informs anyone who may have a future need to contact that member.
The CRM will be linked to Outlook and Zoom phone to help capture as much of this. A small team are working on the development of this and as more information becomes available (roll out dates etc.), we will let you know. A training/support programme will be rolled out to help everyone switch to the new system when their turn to do so comes around.