Empowering People with Information and Analysis

You may have seen some of Microsoft's new People Ready ads promoting the message that software should empower a businesses most important asset, its people. A recent article published by Microsoft called Technology is the Tool, People are the Key, talks about the value of using technology to deliver useful information to people.

Often, software provides too much information to the user, complicating business processes and overwhelming them. This has been a particular problem for CRM implementations. Businesses have made significant investments on CRM systems that collect and present large amounts of data but fail to deliver the information that people want or in the way they want it.

"...managers complain that information overload can slow decision-making and actually impede a business's efforts. The solution, say analysts, is to use technology to untie the knot sometimes created by information, not tangle it further."

When challenged with a great deal of information, data analysis can be an effective tool to summarize, describe and compare information in a way that promotes decisions-making rather than impeding it. Analysis of CRM information can yield important insights that empower people to take action with confidence. Employees are able to interact with customers armed with the knowledge of customer trends and patterns of behavior. Good CRM analytics and information allows people to leverage their own skills and experience for the benefit of the business. Creating actionable insight is a key for businesses of all types to maximize the value of their CRM data.

"As author John Naisbitt said many years ago, we are drowning in information, but starved for knowledge. Today's technology must do more than simply vacuum up more information. It must deploy that information in the service of those who use it. That creates knowledge about how to better serve customers, develop innovative ideas, or speed time to market for great products. When information is put to work in the service of a business and its employees, rather than as an obstacle or a daunting task, great things happen."