Our existing system and tracking is crap and we need a complete CRM to automate our existing systems and reporting’s. We are not able to obtain or analyse the performance of our team or details in general without the CRM. And most importantly we need to implement the software in a month’s time. This is the objective or task we are often assigned with, and we are wonderstruck every time. To add on, the software thing has been and will be the most stressed upon aspects by our clients in our consulting journey.


But the hard truth, in majority of cases the objective is assigned without knowing the basic requisites or the humungous challenge it holds in itself. The unthinkable aspect being the time frame given to us for its implantation.


We are always at dilemma on how to make the entrepreneurs understand the complexity and the time taken for any such CRM’s implementation and its repercussion among the team and the organization as a whole.


Because however hard we try to make them understand, they revert back with the software and its ease and benefits from across the social media. The short bursts of contents in Insta, FB, LinkedIn all undermining the fact that we can implement any software in just a snap of a finger. What worries us the most is that the service providers as such too, propagate the same idea that software is just a matter of time, even without knowing its complications and end up all, high and dry through midway.


Just as the entrepreneurs begin to realize the actual task and its time duration, the losses have already been made. They are forced to follow the old system and the idea of a CRM, which actually is the need of the hour will be forgotten for ever.


And no, having the best software in the industry too, doesn’t guarantee you success. The case study of one of the leading American retail giants – Target is one of the best testimonies to the complexities involved.


Target America, currently a $100 Billion company, in 2011 decided to expand into Canada with the support of the best CRM – SAP and assisted by Accenture. The walk through in the park for Target, right? But the question here is why Accenture, when Target can single handedly build its won team for the SAP implementation. Target knew the complexities involved and its huge technical requirements. So, they hired the partners who were the best in the industry. SAP the best CRM, Accenture the leading consulting. The track record of SAP & Accenture, were beyond doubt and also the other industry leaders were using the same SAP.


But surprisingly Target Canada had to stop its operations in Canada, with chaos in its warehouse and inventory management systems. Eventually moving out of Canada due to cardinal mistakes in its SAP implementation.


Meanwhile is the same land, the leader of the retail had moved to SAP with a projection of 3 years to be completed in 2010, completed the SAP implementation successfully in 2014.


Lessons, existing software had to be customized to meet the Canadian requirements, for example the unit of measurement and currency had to be changed. With the humongous amount of SKU’s, the task sounding trivial had a large implication.


Secondly, the time needed can vary drastically in line with the complexities in the projects, which can be gauged only during implementations or development.


Third and a vital lesson, the resistance from the team because they are not aware of its implications.


Also there is this tedious task of having two interfaces of data entries until the software is implemented.


The cardinal factors to keep in mind the during any software implementation are

1. Define the Project Goals
   • The Requirements that the software must accomplish
   • The desired look and feel of the application

2. The Budget
   • The Spend – is it for the whole CRM, or Module wise.
   • The mode of payments

3. The Time
   • Software Development
   • Software Testing


We at Leappoint, with our experience in software automations and with the team who have had first-hand knowledge in bringing about the CRM implementations can be your able partner to assist you in the transformation.


Once again, reminding that the Angel is always costly and time consuming, a multi effort task which requires a lot of patience, perseverance and finally an all-round team support.