Business Engagement with Agresso CRM

Benefits of a centralised CRM system Sandra Macpherson [email protected]

• • What do we mean by Business Engagement?

Sources of Revenue: – – – – – Commercialisation of Research Consultancy/Product Related Services CPD Courses/Work Based Learning Facilities Hire Knowledge Transfer Non Revenue Related – – Student Placements/Employment/Creative Presence Visiting Lecturers

The Customer Viewpoint • Universities Can Provide Many Things But Must : – – – – – Understand Our Business Talk ‘Our Language’ Be Responsive & Reliable Act Like a Business Be Available When We Are Working

The Challenge Find a way to meet our needs and the customers’

So What Do We Do?

Implement a CRM System! Find a supplier and away we go.....

• That will solve all our problems (or will it?)

Sometimes That Isn’t Enough

People Process Technology Customer Relationship Management

People, Process, Technology

However great the system is, it cannot succeed if the people and processes don’t work

Attitude and Approach • • • • Culture change often needed Don’t assume academics know how to talk to businesses Look outside in not inside out Put the customer at the heart of everything

How Can a CRM System Help?

What are the benefits?

• Depends who you are!

Strategic Benefits • • Increased efficiency, less duplication of effort, removal of ‘silos’ Better understanding of the ‘customer’ base • Ability to achieve better returns from targeted marketing • • Increased opportunities to develop individual relationships into mutually beneficial strategic partnerships Improved ability to identify trends and produce forecasts and predictions so anticipate customer needs

Who cares about these things?

• • • • • The Vice Chancellor ? Senior Management ?

Business Development Staff ?

The Customers ?

Finance ?

• Other staff?

?

The Key to Achieving Strategic Benefits Finding Benefits For Individual Users: • Benefits are in the eye of the beholder • The benefits at an operational level are often quite different to the strategic benefits

Operational Benefits • • • These will vary be area and user Find out what causes ‘pain’ Use CRM to help Examples: – – – – Managing enquiries and follow ups Storing case study materials with bids Managing student ambassador records Points of contact and roles for projects

Conclusion • • • A centralised CRM system is key to managing business engagement but: The appropriate people and processes must be in place too including support from senior staff There must be some benefits to the ordinary users or they won’t use the system which means the strategic level benefits can’t be achieved It is often the little extra’s that make all the difference