CRM CALLENGE - STORYTELLING

Challenge    I‘ve been chosen to be the project manager for an ongoing struggling project in my  organization. The objective was about implementing a solution which shall serve diverse  groups of business users from different departments (Marketing, Commercial, Customer  happiness, publishing services, etc...) in the organization. All stakeholders were relying on  this project to help them to manage their services and activities throughout this solution. I  realized the previous team didn’t listen carefully to the users neither show empathy with the  real needs, they have just decided that a CRM (Customers Relationship Management) system  will solve their problems.    Selection    I have selected the storytelling tool - not to be innovative - but to find a proper solution to the  real problems encountering by the users on daily basis. Prior to the implementation,  identifying the real scope was my main concern on the first place, then the right solution will  come accordingly. Selecting the storytelling tool was the most appropriate tool to show the  users a similar story/user journey which can really touch their pains and encourage them to  engage and discuss the solution opportunities.    Application    I have started inviting several vendors to propose their solutions, I have also worked closely  with them to prepare the presentations in the way of storytelling characteristics; having  followed a very clear events in every scenario, avoided any technical term to sympathize with  the business user backgrounds and keep them on track with the proposed solution. I ensured  having questions which liaison to the user real problems, to get more attention and  engagement, followed by a satisfied answers and solutions.    I have invited the business users, and this time we didn’t call it presentation or meeting, I ‘ve  called it “Workshop”, so users can feel that they are part of figuring out the right solution not  taking the decisions on behalf of them.    After the workshops, we ended up with a new scope which is more realistic and figured out  that the CRM is not the right solution to cover all problems. So we have divided the original  scope to be three scopes. And we have descope the first project and established two more  initiatives to include the other two new scopes.    The idea of applying the storytelling tool worked in an effective way. Both satisfaction and  enthusiasm by the attendees were perceived throughout communications and collaborations  during and after the workshops.

Insights    I have learned that users are way simpler what presenters believe. Proposing a solution or an  idea in a story way by using simple words sequence will be more effective than using the  technical jargons.  Storytelling will bring relief to users and they will be more encouraged to interact with the  proposed solution and share their knowledge and ideas.    Approach    I hope by next time, will be having more time to apply the visualization tool by creating  different prototypes so we can get more clarity to the solution for end users. Selecting the  storytelling tool was a good idea for this case. I will be pushing the design thinking approach  in my organization and trying to apply it on all projects; hopefully the management will give  me time to do so.

