Is your CRM system a “Big Brother?”

I typically walk into meetings when Microsoft Dynamics CRM is getting introduced to the end users and a comment is made about CRM coming into play so that management can watch what the employees are doing.  I sometimes find it funny the paranoia surrounding this concept of someone watching the end user’s every move.  While the CRM system can definitely aide in holding people accountable to achieve goals such as number of calls and number of visits, ultimately “Big Brother” is a state of mind, not a system.

CRM can facilitate in the creation of reports such as activity reports.  CRM typically is not the onset of these such reports.  There reports are put into place because management finds it necessary to have these reports.  This may be because the organization has a micromanagement mentality or individuals have given management a reason to question activities.  In these cases the CRM system may be brought into help manage this process, but it is usually not the converse, the system is brought in so management will start to micromanage.

Sometimes user acceptance of the system forces management to check system usage.  In this case, I find that while management is pulling reports to see how many calls and appointments have been done, this is normally not because management is questioning that the calls have been done, management wants to make sure the record has been entered into the system.  This can be viewed as “big brother”, but the reports are usually retired when system acceptance has taken place.  When management is comfortable that users are using the system that management has invested (usually significantly in), the interest in numbers of activities go away.

Having implemented Microsoft Dynamics CRM systems for a number of years, the most common goal for implementing a new CRM system is providing  users a tool so they can do their job easier.  If you are interested in learning more about the reporting options available in Dynamics CRM, contact our professionals at crm@mcgladrey.com or by phone at 855.437.7202.

By: Bob Kanzler – New Jersey Microsoft Dynamics CRM partner

Bob Kanzler

Principal of RSM's Dynamics 365 CE focused on our east coast clients and non profits.