Q. What happens when a new CRM project kicks off?
A. The first question is ‘what does the client want to achieve?’ Everything else flows from this. It’s vital we understand what the client needs the CRM system to do and precisely how it will help solve their objectives. Avanade needs to then work out the right methodology and identify any wider organizational challenges that need to be answered.
We also think of the long term impact of each CRM project. Will it be an ‘agile’ or ‘waterfall’ model of development — in other words, will it be an organic and constantly changing deployment or will we be planning the specific needs in advance?
Q. What’s the best thing a customer has ever said about you?
A. Clients appreciate that I can clearly understand their requirements and, in conjunction with the Avanade development team, translate that into a workable CRM design. It comes from being a good listener and working out how the final CRM solution can deliver results.
Q. What gets you out of bed in the morning?
A. I like interacting with customers. I like to understand where they want to go and then translate their vision into technology. It’s about more than CRM — it’s about understanding their landscape, platforms and all the things they want to do. That’s the bit that gets me out of bed, really. The more I’m doing that, the happier I am. I enjoy the challenge of creating a CRM architecture that ticks all the right boxes. But it’s not just about the final product, it’s the process of getting there, often helping the client better understand their own workflows and processes, and delivering systems on time and on budget.
Q. Tell us one weird fact about yourself.
A. I don’t think it counts as unusual but I do love sailing and skiing!