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Top > Knowledge Creation Laboratory by CRM(xRM) > [Series: How to Conduct EMOROCO CRM Lite Implementation Consulting] Part 1 — Initial Hearing and Current Situation Diagnosis to Determine "Why Implement CRM"

[Series: How to Conduct EMOROCO CRM Lite Implementation Consulting] Part 1 — Initial Hearing and Current Situation Diagnosis to Determine "Why Implement CRM"

Hello, this is Matsubara, CRM Evangelist.

"We want to implement a CRM"—consultations that begin with this single phrase actually fall into two main categories.

"We want to centralize customer information (an organizational issue)" and "We want to deepen relationships with customers (a strategic issue)"—these two things may seem similar, but they fundamentally change the design of your CRM.

When Arcus Japan begins providing implementation support for EMOROCO CRM Lite, the first thing we do is not "explain the system" or "give a demo." We thoroughly interview clients to understand "why they need CRM . "

In this series, we will explain how Arcus Japan actually implements the system over six installments. The first installment is "Initial Hearing and Current Situation Assessment."

Overall structure of the series

Part 1: Initial Hearing and Current Situation Assessment
Clearly define "why you are implementing CRM."

Part 2: Implementation Design (Fields, Entities, Workflow)
Designing "what kind of CRM to build"

Part 3: Setup, Data Migration, and Initial Setup
"Create a CRM that actually works."

Part 4: Onboarding Training and Retention Support
"Create a system that allows on-site staff to continue using the product."

Part 5: Utilizing SoI-PDCA and Dashboards
"Make CRM function as a system of insights."

Part 6: Regular checkups, improvement, and evolution
"Create a system to continuously nurture and improve CRM."

Why is "listening" the most important thing?

The success or failure of a CRM implementation project is surprisingly determined by the quality of the initial consultation.

If the initial consultation is superficial, common mistakes occur, such as "the person in charge stops entering data," "no one looks at the dashboard," and "the fields don't match the business needs." All of these stem from not clearly defining "what it's for, who it's for, and how it will be used" from the beginning.

Conversely, if the purpose, users, usage, and definition of success of this CRM are clearly defined during the initial consultation, the subsequent design, construction, and implementation will proceed almost smoothly.

The structure of the initial interview: "Five Questions"

Arcus Japan's initial interview will proceed based on the following five questions. The estimated duration is 60-90 minutes.

Question 1: "What are you currently struggling with?" — Accurately understand your current difficulties.

[Interview items: Current pain]

Information management issues:
- Where is the customer information currently located? (Check even the Excel sheet name.)
• Do you have the same customer information in multiple locations?
What happens to the information when the person in charge changes?

Follow-up issues:
How often do follow-backs occur (approximately how many per month)?
How many times a month do you find yourself thinking, "Oh, I forgot to contact that customer"?
Who decides when to follow up, and how?

Issues with meetings and reports:
How many hours are spent on weekly or monthly reporting meetings?
How much work is involved in compiling data in Excel for reporting purposes?
What are some ways for a supervisor to understand a customer's situation?

Handover issues:
How is information transferred when the person in charge changes?
Have you ever experienced a weakening of your relationship with a customer after a handover?
Are there any instances where business with company XX decreased after that person in charge left?

The most important aspect of this hearing is identifying the biggest pain point from both management and the frontline staff. Management often demands "visualization and management," while the frontline staff often demands "prevention of follow-up omissions and smooth handover"—understanding this difference from the outset will determine the direction of the design.

Question 2: "Who uses CRM?" — Understanding the reality of the users.

[Interview items: User behavior]

User scale and composition:
How many people use the CRM? (Approximate number)
• Composition of job roles (sales/management/managers/executives)
• Distribution of IT literacy (percentage of people who are good at it and those who are not)

Actual work situation:
What is the ratio of fieldwork (visiting clients) to office work?
Is it practical to input data using a smartphone?
How much time do you spend opening your PC each day?

Motivation and Literacy:
How are the people on the ground reacting to the idea of ​​"implementing CRM"?
Have you ever had a negative experience implementing CRM or IT tools in the past?
Does the company have a "driving force" who can take the lead in introducing IT tools?

The design of fields, input rules, and dashboards will differ significantly between a company where "users are sales representatives who are mainly out of the office and only open their PCs for 1-2 hours a day" and a company where "users are mainly office workers who are constantly in front of their PCs."

Question 3: "What kind of beings are customers?" — Confirming a CRM 4.0-style view of customers

[Interview items: Actual state of customer relationships]

Number and types of customers:
How many customers (business partners) do you have?
• Customer type (individual/corporate/both)
What percentage of sales do your top 20% of core customers account for?

Depth of relationship:
How many long-standing clients do you have?
Do you prioritize "emotional connection" in your relationships with customers?
What criteria make you feel that "this customer is special"? (Sales amount/Length of relationship/Personal connection)

The reality of referrals:
What percentage of your current new customers come through referrals?
How many "connector customers" are there who can refer you?
Do you provide any special follow-up for referrals?

The reality of lost orders and customer dropouts:
Do you understand "why" you lost a deal recently?
How many companies per year have customers who have stopped coming without us noticing?

This interview will determine the direction of this company's CRM: whether to start at the SoR (Systems of Record) level or aim for the SoI (Systems of Insight) level from the beginning.

Question 4: "What will the state be like if you succeed?" — Clarify your goal.

[Interview items: Definition of success]

Ideal state after 6 months:
What constitutes a "successful CRM"?
Is it okay if the current problem with XX is resolved?
If you were to express it in numbers, what would you like to see changed?

Candidate KPIs for one year from now:
- Number of unfollowed accounts (Target: Less than ○ per month)
- Customer retention rate after a change in assigned representative (Target: ○% or higher)
• Time spent on weekly reporting meetings (Target: Reduce current level by △%)
- Number of new customers via referral (Target: Increase by ○ from the current number)
- Percentage of customers with an emotional temperature of "cool" or lower (Target: Less than ○% of all customers)

Definition of failure:
What situations would make you feel like "this is a failure"?
If you have previously implemented a different CRM and it failed,
What do you think caused it?

By agreeing on the "definition of success" from the outset, post-implementation evaluations become more consistent. And by asking about the "definition of failure," the customer's greatest fears become clear, allowing those concerns to be incorporated into the design from the beginning.

Question 5: "What will happen to the business and organization in the future?" — Understanding the future vision.

[Interview items: Future vision of the business/organization]

Business changes:
What will the scale of the business be like in 3 years (expand/maintain/contract)?
Are you considering expanding into new customer segments or markets?
How willing are you to invest in digitalization/DX?

Organizational changes:
Are there any plans to increase the number of staff or hire new employees?
Are there any plans for business succession or generational change?
Are you considering expanding to group companies and agencies?

IT environment:
What systems (accounting, inventory, core) are you currently using?
Are there any systems you would like to integrate with EMOROCO in the future?
Are there security requirements that prevent data from being stored in an external cloud?

Current situation assessment – ​​"Measurement of vital signs"

After the initial consultation, we will assess your current customer management practices using "four vital signs."

[Four vital signs for current diagnosis]

Diagnosis ① "Location of customer information":
□ Do you know which Excel sheet contains what information?
□ Are separate management systems being used for each person in charge?
□ Are there any data entries that were last updated more than six months ago?
→ Evaluate the "degree of information dispersion" (high dispersion/medium dispersion/centralized management)

Diagnosis ② "Follow-up mechanism":
□ How do you decide "who to follow this week"?
□ Do you have a follow reminder? (If so, what one do you use?)
□ Does a system exist for "regular follow-up with important customers"?
→ Evaluate the "degree of systematization of follow-up" (0-10 points)

Diagnosis ③ "Quality of handover":
□ Has the person in charge changed in the past year?
□ How much information was lost during that handover?
□ How to get the new person in charge to be able to talk to the customer "from where we left off last time"
How long will it take?
→ Evaluate the "transfer costs" (high/medium/low)

Diagnosis ④ "Status of data utilization":
□ Is customer data being used to make any decisions?
□ What metrics are you looking at in your weekly and monthly reports?
□ Have you ever analyzed "why this customer churned"?
→ Evaluate "data utilization" (SoR/SoE/SoI)

These four diagnostic results are compiled into a "Current Situation Assessment Report" and shared with the client. This serves as important documentation for sharing a concrete image of "what will change by implementing CRM."

Things you shouldn't do during the initial consultation

[List of things to avoid during the initial consultation]

NG①: First, explain the features of EMOROCO CRM Lite.
→ If you explain the function before the hearing, the client will
"We must use this feature."
I tend to think about requirements based on preconceived notions.
First, I'll ask about your current pain level before introducing the features.

NG2: Making hasty assumptions like, "Your company's challenge is XX."
→ There are often differences in how management and those on the front lines perceive the problems.
"Management wants to make things more transparent" ≠ "Designing a system that is easy for on-site staff to input data into"
Listen to both voices separately and then combine them.

NG③: "Let's just put in all the fields for now."
→ If you try to create a perfect system from the start
As the number of fields increases, field staff stop entering data.
"For the first 30 days, we'll only be using 5 fields."
We will reach an agreement to start small in the initial meeting.

NG④: "Company XX faced the same problem. In that case..."
→ If you easily bring in examples from other companies, the client will
They feel like their concerns aren't being heard.
Examples will be presented "after the hearing."

Agreements reached after the initial hearing

At the end of the initial consultation, we will verbally confirm the following points, and share them in writing at a later date.

[Agreements reached after the initial hearing]

1. Prioritizing the "Top 3 Issues You Most Want to Solve"
2. Identifying the "CRM users" (number of people, roles, IT literacy)
3. "Definition of Success" (What state should we be in after 6 months to consider it a success?)
4. "Small Start Range" (Maximum number of fields to use in the first 30 days)
5. Selection of "CRM Doctor Candidate" (Confirm one person to be the internal promoter)
6. Next Steps (Second Session: Design Session Schedule)

These agreements will form the "framework of the design plan" for the subsequent design, construction, and implementation phases.

Summary — The initial consultation determines 8% of the decision to implement the system.

[Checklist for the initial consultation]

Before the interview:
□ Are both management and on-site staff participating?
□ Have you prepared the interview items (5 questions)?
□ Is there a system in place for recording or taking detailed notes?

During the interview:
□ Have you confirmed the "current pain" with specific numbers (e.g., ○ cases/△ hours per month)?
□ Have you confirmed the difference in perception between management and those on the front lines?
□ Have you confirmed both the definition of success and the definition of failure?
□ Have you confirmed the requirements for security system integration?

After the interview:
□ Was the current condition assessed using the four vital signs?
□ Were the agreed-upon points (6 items) documented and shared?
□ Has the date for the second session (design session) been finalized?

In the next session (Part 2), we will discuss "What kind of CRM should we design?" based on the results of the interviews—specifically, the design session for fields, entities, workflows, and dashboards.
EMOROCO CRM Lite Product Page

Next time: [Part 2: Implementation Design – Designing "What kind of CRM to build" together with the client]

Related article: [The decisive difference between companies that "failed" and "succeeded" in CRM implementation—common points revealed from the voices of those on the front lines]

Related article: [What is a CRM Doctor (CRM Consultant)? – The role of a specialist in establishing CRM in the CRM 4.0 era]

 

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Person who wrote this article
Shinsuke Matsubara

Arcus Japan Representative Director / CRM Consultant
Click here for detailed profile
He has worked as a system engineer, architect, and consultant at Accenture and other companies, an evangelist at Infragistics (Microsoft MVP for Dynamics CRM (now Microsoft MVP for Business Solutions)), and a solutions specialist at Microsoft (in charge of Dynamics CRM products).He currently leads a service team specializing in CRM, supporting CRM implementation and business launches for companies of all sizes.At the same time, he works as a CRM evangelist, spreading the idea of "true" CRM through events and article contributions.
Having learned CRM at Accenture, and having advocated and globally popularized CRM 2.0 (platform-based CRM) at Microsoft, he is a legitimate successor to CRM and the longest-serving active CRM expert (CRM consultant/CRM doctor), having received an award at Worldwide.
Since then, as a leading expert in CRM who advocates CRM 3.0 (Personalized CRM) and CRM 4.0 (Creative CRM), he has been interviewed and received numerous awards both domestically and internationally from publications such as The Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, TIME, WORLDCOM, Mainichi Shimbun (Weekly Economist), and Nippon Cultural Broadcasting. He has also been selected as a representative company of the Kansai business community by "Keizaikai" for four consecutive years.
book:Versatylist - How to become a "1 in 1" talent by age 35

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