I developed my first CRM solution as a sales rep in 1996. I had a huge territory selling industrial paint coatings. With my own money, I bought a laptop (a small fortune back then) and developed my solution on the “Maximizer” platform. The results were amazing!
While my colleagues would have to sit at a fax machine for hours, I could type a letter on my computer and with the push of a button; my laptop would send a unique and individually personalized fax to each customer.
Within one year, I was the top salesman. My investment of time and money in CRM was paying dividends! I was subsequently promoted to a senior sales position in the Fraser Valley, and again designed a CRM solution on a different platform.
In 1999, I moved to a sales position with a larger company within the same industry. Since my new employer was not yet utilizing a CRM solution, I again created my own. I became very successful, and was asked to present my solution to company executives.
In 2003 I was asked to lead a Microsoft CRM initiative for the Canadian division of the company, with headquarters in Montreal. I accomplished this while attending university, as well as managing my sales territory with continued success.
When the Canadian division of the company was merged with the US division in 2005, I was asked to lead the massive Microsoft CRM initiative for the new North American company, as the Senior Business Management Analyst. For the next two years I was traveling and working with sales teams and executives all over North America.
In working with sales teams, I began to see alarming contradictions between their stated intent to use CRM, and covert resistance to using it. Even more surprising, I worked with highly respected sales managers that would declare the benefits and requirement of CRM usage to their salespeople during training – then backtrack once I was on my way back to the airport.
These contradictions formed the basis of my research into what I call “The CRM Dilemma”.
In 2008 I gave up my elite travel status to form my own consulting company working with smaller organizations in the beautiful Fraser Valley.
For the last fourteen years, I have continued to work with various CRM solutions, but primarily Microsoft Dynamics. I specialize in developing complex automations to overcome employee resistance, and deliver greater value to companies