Vendors Aren't Offering Enough, Author SaysVendors Aren't Offering Enough, Author Says

Kenneth Blanchard knows a thing or two about building strong customer relationships. The best-selling author of books such as The One-Minute Manager and Raving Fans: A Revolutionary Approach To Customer Service says CRM apps can go a long way to achieving that goal--which is why his consulting and training business, The Ken Blanchard Companies, implemented a Siebel system last May. As many other companies can attest, he's found that getting the technology in place is just the beginning.

"The biggest problem with any information system is the human problem," says Blanchard, who was in Chicago this week keynoting the DCI's CRM Conference. Employees need encouragement and training to use systems properly. But when it comes to vendors' follow-through in this area, Blanchard isn't exactly a raving fan.

"The problem with many vendors is they have a lousy coaching system," he says. "They put the thing in and say, 'I'm outta here.'" To ensure customer satisfaction, Blanchard says, vendors need to stick around when things get messy--not with technology, but with people. "The most important part of implementing any kind of system isn't what happens when you're there," says Blanchard. "It's what happens when you're not there. To make sure it goes well, vendors need to have a coaching and follow-up system.

What vendors currently offer isn't nearly enough, he says. "They all offer a little training, but then they disappear ... You try to get them to help you, and they're already on to the next client." He points out that when people are learning something new, they usually go through several phases: enthusiastic beginner (you're excited but don't know what you're doing), disillusioned learner (it's always harder than you thought it would be), capable but cautious, and finally arriving at self-directed achiever. Vendors don't move customers through that entire cycle right now, he says. "They ought to have a philosophy that sells not just the technology, but the follow-up process that helps people move from dependence to independence."