3.01 CRM & organizational structure

Even though a business has certain goals (hopefully customer-centric ones!), different departments within the business may have different methods of attaining them. These departments may have their own specific departmental goals and procedures as well. Unfortunately, these goals and procedures can sometimes conflict with each other. A customer with a price question might get one answer from a member of the sales team and another answer from someone in the billing department. This isn’t good CRM or CEM. A customer’s experience with a business should be seamless, no matter what the organizational structure looks like.

When it comes to successful customer relationship management, cooperation between business functions is key. Top management must let all business departments know that CRM is a critical priority. Doing so often requires a change in corporate culture.