As we saw earlier in the chapter, a CRM implementation needs the involvement of an entire team of participants. Yes, the executive sponsor and the project manager are of particular importance, but each person or group representing the team is important, and must be continually involved in the process from the beginning till the end.
This continual involvement, coupled with the ongoing effective and frequent communications between all team members, is the one thing that all successful CRM implementations have in common.
Like the introduction of any new business initiative, people know when they are truly involved, or just being invited to meetings guided by an elite few in an attempt to win their cooperation.
The team members who are in management positions should typically be involved in the odd pre-meeting meeting to ensure that they are familiar with a specific CRM system, or a solution to a business problem, in advance. They can then back it up in front of the whole...