New CRM Platform. Same Old Data Issues.

Why CRM transformation isn't just a technology decision

Campaigns are taking longer to deliver than you would like, you don’t have the reporting you need to give you confidence to make the right decisions, or customer data exists across the business but making this actionable for your customer engagement journeys is just proving too tricky. This can often lead to the question, “Do we need a new platform?” The answer can quickly become ‘yes’, as the focus on the platform is understandable.

However, more than likely, solving these problems needs to be something much broader. Whether you’re reviewing your CRM platform, exploring a customer data strategy, investing in personalisation or assessing AI readiness, technology will almost certainly be part of the conversation. Though to truly get the outcomes you need, the discussion must move beyond features, integrations and implementation plans as the sole problem solvers.

Teams need to look at ownership, overall decision-making, prioritisation, data governance, team structures and broader ways of working to get to the heart of the solution. This isn’t  because platform choices aren’t important, as they certainly are, however there are wider factors that ultimately determine how effectively this technology will get used within your organisation. Most organisations don’t set out to create complexity, but as their efforts mature and the business scales you find that new channels are introduced, technology gets added to solve a problem, customer experience start to evolve and external macro factors change commercial priorities.

Teams then have to adapt to keep the pace of these changes and over time, this can result in customer engagement spread across multiple systems, processes and different teams owning their individual parts. This might paint a very well recognised picture, a CRM ecosystem that has evolved over time, shaped by changing priorities, new technologies and growing customer expectations. It can be quick at this stage, to jump to platform discussions, as something within a CRMs teams control.

However, at this point, it is often also one of the reasons that taking a step back and asking some important questions can be invaluable. Questions such as:

• How are customer decisions made?

• Who ultimately owns the customer experience?

• How easily can customer data be activated?

• How are priorities agreed between technology and customer experience?

• Where does delivery slow down?

• How do teams work together when parts of the customer experience is split?

• What is preventing the organisation from moving faster with their CRM activity?

These conversations rarely feature in a platform demo, but they can have a huge influence on whether a transformation delivers the outcomes the business is looking for and what you truly need for effective transformation. This also allows teams to start discussing the broader topics around data ownership, governance, reporting definitions, team structures and delivery processes and tease out areas that need improving that goes far broader than the technology itself. These conversations will also prove invaluable if the decision is made to change platforms and onboard new technology.

At this stage, if the evaluation still highlights technology limitations, the platform discussion itself will be the easy part, as it can then be centred on customer journeys, personalisation, automation and future-state capabilities, within the guardrails of business ways of working. Most modern CRM platforms can support far more than many organisations are currently asking of them. The question is often less about what the technology can do and more about how effectively the organisation can use it.

For example:

• Can teams access the right data?

• Can teams move ideas from concept to execution efficiently?

• Is there clarity around ownership and decision-making?

• Can personalisation be delivered at scale?

• Can teams work together effectively across CRM, digital, eCommerce, data and customer insight functions?

These are often the conversations that have the biggest influence on transformation outcomes. The organisations that get the most value from CRM transformation usually spend time looking at both sides of the equation. Both the technology they’re investing in and the operating environment needed to make that technology successful.

That’s where much of our work at Shaw/Scott sits. We help organisations navigate CRM transformation, customer data strategy, personalisation, AI readiness and marketing technology change. This can start with platform selection, if an organisation has identified that need. However, looking at this against the backdrop of understanding current capabilities and how people, processes, data and technology works together to support the customer experience the business wants to create, is where the real opportunities sit.

A new CRM platform can be a powerful enabler. But the organisations that see the greatest return from transformation are rarely focused on technology alone. They’re using transformation as an opportunity to improve how customer decisions are made, how teams work together, how customer data is activated and how technology supports the wider customer experience.

That’s where lasting value comes from.

---

Frequently Asked Questions

● Do I need a new CRM platform?

Not necessarily. A new platform can unlock new capabilities, but it’s important to understand whether the biggest barriers sit within the technology itself or elsewhere. In many organisations, ownership, governance, team structures, processes and data activation have just as much impact on outcomes as the platform being used.

● Why do some CRM transformation programmes deliver better outcomes than others?

The platform matters, but it’s rarely the only factor. The most successful programmes tend to focus on how people, processes, data and technology work together. That includes everything from customer data and governance through to team structures, prioritisation and delivery processes. When these areas are aligned, organisations are better placed to turn technology investment into measurable business outcomes.

● What should I assess before selecting a CRM platform?

Alongside features and functionality, consider customer data readiness, internal capabilities, ownership structures, team design, delivery processes, measurement frameworks and future customer experience ambitions. These factors can have a significant impact on the success of any CRM implementation.

● What is a CRM operating model?

A CRM operating model defines how teams, processes, data and technology work together to deliver customer engagement.

It covers areas such as ownership, governance, prioritisation, planning, measurement and delivery, as well as the structure of the teams responsible for CRM.

This includes how CRM, customer insight, data, digital, eCommerce and marketing teams collaborate, how decisions are made and who is accountable for outcomes.

A strong operating model helps organisations turn customer strategy into consistent execution and realise greater value from their technology investments.

● How does AI fit into CRM transformation?

AI can support personalisation, decisioning, content creation and customer engagement. The value organisations realise from AI is often linked to the quality of their data, customer strategy, governance, operating model and operational processes. AI tends to amplify what already exists.

● Planning a CRM transformation, platform review or AI initiative?

Technology decisions are important, but they’re only part of the picture.

The organisations that realise the greatest value from CRM transformation typically spend time understanding how customer strategy, data, operating models, team structures and technology need to work together to support their goals.

---

If you’re reviewing your CRM capability, assessing future technology options or exploring opportunities to improve customer engagement, we’d be happy to share our perspective.

Get in touch via our simple online contact form to discuss your objectives or request a copy of our CRM Transformation Readiness Checklist.