Microsoft Dynamics CRM Implementation in Telstra: A Case Study

This case study explores Telstra Corporation Limited's implementation of an electronic Customer Relationship Management (e-CRM) system, specifically Microsoft Dynamics CRM, to address customer service issues and improve business processes. Telstra faced challenges such as customer complaints and declining market position, prompting the adoption of e-CRM to enhance sales, marketing, and service sectors. The implementation process involved creating a dedicated team, developing a change management plan, forecasting budgets, and managing ethical considerations and risks like data accuracy and software dependency. The initiative proved successful in reducing customer service complaints and streamlining administrative processes. Recommendations for further improvement include providing periodical training, tracking customer behavior, and utilizing the system for sales automation. The case concludes that e-CRM is crucial for rebuilding customer relationships, and Telstra's experience demonstrates its effectiveness in addressing business challenges.

E-CRM Implementation in Telstra
Corporation Limited
Name of the Student
Name of the University

Introduction
 An electronic business is the conduct of few
business procedures (Payne and Frow 2013).
 E-commerce is a part of e-business that is being
used several popular organizations.
 To make e-commerce even better and to maintain
better relation with customers, e-CRM software is
being implemented.

Brief Background of Telstra
 Telstra Corporation Limited was founded in year, 1975
and had been serving their customers for 44 years.
 It is the largest telecommunications organization in
Australia with millions of customers (Telstra.com.au.
2019).
 They build and provide data services, internet access,
fixed line, telecommunications networks, pay
television, market voices, mobile telephony and
several others.

Issues Faced by Telstra
 Although, Telstra is extremely effective in their
services, in the year 2013, they have faced a major
issue related to customer services.
 They received complaints from their customers that
the customer services were ineffective.
 These complaints affected their profit majorly and
the market position declined.
 To deal with the issue, they decided to implement an
e-CRM initiative of Microsoft Dynamics CRM system.

Nature of e-CRM Initiative of Telstra
 Microsoft Dynamics CRM system is a customer
relationship management software, developed by
Microsoft.
 It mainly focuses on sales, marketing as well as
service sectors for making them more effective
(Badwan et al. 2017).
 A proprietary framework is also developed to
customize data and use all the business applications.

Process of Implementing Microsoft
Dynamics CRM
Telstra has followed a proper process for
implementation of Microsoft Dynamics CRM in their
business and the steps are as follows:
 Creation of an e-CRM Implementation Team.
 Creation of a Change Management Plan.
 Forecasting budget of CRM Implementation.
 Rolling out of an E-CRM (Payne and Frow 2013).
 Initiation of e-CRM go live.

Ethical Issues faced during E-CRM
Implementation
The ethical issues that Telstra has faced during
implementation of e-CRM initiative are as follows
 Collecting customer data with proper customer
verification.
 Storing of e-CRM data by authority to customers to
control their data (H. Nguyen and S. Waring 2013).
 Utilizing e-CRM data after maintenance of confidentiality
and integrity.
 Disposing e-CRM data when they are not in use any more.

Risks faced during e-CRM
Implementation
The risks that are being faced by Telstra while implementing
e-CRM initiative in their business are as follows:
 Difficult implementation as data might be inaccurate and
business processes might not be aligned properly.
 Higher expenses for maintenance of software.
 Software is completely dependent on Web and hence
scalability is lost.
 Over automation and thus returns were diminished.

Success Rate of e-CRM Initiative in Telstra
 The success rate of e-CRM initiative of Microsoft
Dynamics CRM in Telstra Corporation Limited is
extremely high.
 The customer service complaints were reduced
gradually after this software was implemented in Telstra.
 All the browsers supported this software and hence
making the software more user friendly (Telstra.com.au.
2019).
 Allowed streamlining of administrative processes within
services.

Recommendations for Further
Improvement
The recommendations for further improvement of e-
CRM initiative in Telstra are as follows:
 Providing periodical training to all employees
regarding the software.
 Tracking customer behaviour in the entire sales
cycle.
 Using Microsoft Dynamics CRM as standalone Sales
Automation system.

Conclusion
Therefore, conclusion can be drawn that e-CRM is one
of the major and the most significant software that
helps to rebuild relationships with customers in a
better manner. Telstra, after implementing Microsoft
Dynamics CRM software in their business, were being
able to deal with the issues like customer service
complaints, streamlining of business processes and
many more.

References
Badwan, J.J., Al Shobaki, M.J., Naser, S.S.A. and Amuna, Y.M.A., 2017.
Adopting technology for customer relationship management in higher
educational institutions. International Journal of Engineering and
Information Systems (IJEAIS), 1(1), pp.20-28.
H. Nguyen, T. and S. Waring, T., 2013. The adoption of customer
relationship management (CRM) technology in SMEs: An empirical
study. Journal of Small Business and Enterprise Development, 20(4),
pp.824-848.
Payne, A. and Frow, P., 2013. Strategic customer management:
Integrating relationship marketing and CRM. Cambridge University Press.
Telstra.com.au. 2019. [online]. Accessed from
https://www.telstra.com.au/ [Accessed on 28 Apr. 2019].