GlaxoSmithKline NZ - CRM Case Study

There was a strong need for team buy-in to a proven Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software package. To ensure adoption was high and to safeguard the future of such an investment GlaxoSmithKline employed SRD Group, an organisation that focuses on merging teams and technology (CRM case study).

GlaxoSmithKline (NZ)'s Consumer Healthcare operates in the fiercely competitive environment of retail and fast moving consumer goods in New Zealand. The Sales, Marketing and Distribution of these products is a constant and fluid battle with many changing variables experienced all the time.

The need to be able to understand what consumers want and how they want it, to drive the consumers into the stores to purchase the products is largely the responsibility of the marketers. Ensuring that the various Supermarket chains and Pharmacy outlets support the products, buy them and then help with promotions and stock facings is both a combination of the marketing effort and the sales team, but largely the sales team.

Understanding and knowing as much as you can about the customer  “in this case the Supermarkets and Pharmacy stores that stock your products”,  and the contacts within that store, is fundamental to the success of the organisation. It is for this reason that GSK Consumer Healthcare invested in CRM software.

This CRM software, known as 'd.a.v.e.' (data.added.value.exchange) enables the team to:

• Record all important customer interaction.
• Capture competitive information by category.
• Enhance communication between sales and marketing.
• Have visibility of planned store Promotions.
• Set Store Objectives and track their progress.
• Achieve Monthly Priorities set by Head Office.
• Enter Product Ranging information by product SKU.
  
  

The software is a proven application; it was however only one of the components to a successful implementation. The other was ensuring that the day to day processes employed by the Territory Managers, Account Managers, Marketing and Management team were in tune with the software and vice versa.

There was also a very strong need to ensure that the team bought into the new application and supported the change to the system.

This meant that the team needed to understand the concept of what the introduction of such an application could do for them, others within the company and the company overall. To ensure adoption was high and to safeguard the future of such an investment GSK employed SRD Group, an organisation that focuses on merging teams and technology.

SRD Group - Merging GlaxoSmithKline Teams & Technology

SRD Group, according to Andrew Leakey - National Sales Manager, has been “invaluable in terms of their input”. He goes on to say;

 “SRD Group helped us by introducing the following:

Conceptual Training  “getting the team to understand why we were introducing this technology, what were the benefits and potential barriers, how they could help and very importantly, giving them a chance to provide feedback on the project. Basically, getting the buy-in to start the project off on the right foot.”

Best Practice Development and Training  “having best practice in your own area of expertise is something we must do quite well to be such a successful company. However, when introducing something new in an area where there is limited experience then it is better to use the skills of others who do have the knowledge and expertise.”

SRD Group were able to introduce concepts of Best Practice for CRM usage to the team that were congruent with, or adding value to, what they had to do on a daily, weekly or monthly basis.

The Best Practice Training and subsequent Mentoring Sessions reinforced all of these best practices and helped the team integrate d.a.v.e into their daily role.

Application Management “a lot of CRM projects have the initial drive for success with a Project Manager doing their level best to make it work. Some do it more successfully than others but generally there comes a time, not too far after implementation, that the excitement wears off and Project Managers move on.”

Standards, training and drive soon drops off and so does the focus on gaining a return on investment. The project is possibly re-visited at some point in the future when someone suggests 'we should do more CRM'.

We did not want this to happen at GSK so we employed SRD Group as a partner in the ongoing management of d.a.v.e, our CRM system. They remain very close to the project by not only 'inspecting what we expect' in terms of the CRM but by constantly helping us utilise d.a.v.e in line with any strategic or tactical initiatives.

One of their roles is to develop the skills of our internal administrator and liaise with key GSK staff and the vendor to continually enhance d.a.v.e to meet the needs of the business.

SRD Group have also given us another 'expert' on our CRM system, so that any changes in our structure does not mean that we lose the systems knowledge due to the expertise being spread too thinly. This is a common trap.

They are in effect a non-technical CRM partner that ensures the realisation of business objectives through the software by focusing on the People and Process side of the equation. They are helping us to ensure we continually get the best out of d.a.v.e.”