Its findings are the basis for determining the appropriate CRM vision and strategy for the organisation. This is done by working out how well existing customer facing business processes work and how they could be improved. It is during this phase that the system is built and put into use. Vital elements that must not be neglected here include data sourcing and management and on-going communication with the affected communities through training and other activities. It is not always possible to take a direct path from start to finish with a CRM project.
Steps are often iterative.
Backtracking to address missed steps is sometimes needed to overcome project problems. Frequently senior managers decide they need to 'do CRM' and instruct project managers to install a system without sufficient thought or preparation. In these circumstances, the overall strategy and vision are lacking, senior management support is patchy and insufficient or inappropriate resources are allocated. Often the organisational change issues are just ignored. This is why so many CRM projects fall short of expectations or fail completely.