Training Workshop on Disseminating MDG Indicators and Statistical Information

1. Building Relationships with Users SystematicallyA big Strategic Challenge for Statistical Agencies Training Workshop on Disseminating MDG Indicators and Statistical Information Astana, Kazakhstan, 23-25 November 2009 Petteri Baer, Regional Adviser, UNECE

2. Why a CRM-System? (1) History: • Dozens of separate customer lists and small databases were in use in Statistics Finland with no connection between them • =>No means for centralised updating of data • Efficiency of marketing campaigns was fairly low due to abundant quantities of erroneous contact information • Need to centralize the whole organization’s customer data to one location

3. Why a CRM-System? (2) • Introduction of the CRM System was a way to bring a more systematic approach to the customer service and marketing of the NSI • Means to improve Statistics Finland’s inter-unit co-operation • Target group selection, reporting, analyses, customer feedback, project management • CRM assisted in strengthening the corporate image of the NSI

4. Why a CRM-System? (3) • There was also a clear need for a modern invoicing and customer relationship management system • A separate Invoicing System (“Intime”) was in use • Desirability to develop and implement the new system to be in interaction with the already existing systems

5. Why a CRM-System? (4) • There was usually very little knowledge about the customer’s previous activities with other units in Statistics Finland • => Every time when contacting Statistics Finland’s different units a “new” customer relationship was created • =>Confusion

6. Expected benefits • Improved customer satisfaction • Way to strengthen customer relationships • A systematic, uniform and clear customer process • Clear monitoring and planning through the system • Efficiency and better productivity

7. Development process (1) • The CRM-project started in the year 1996 • Interviews with management and staff, creating overview of needs and expectations, definition of need structures • After 1½ years: A challenging work and implementation plan • Excursions to companies having a CRM system • Meetings with CRM system suppliers

8. Development process (2) • Decision on purchasing the Applix software in 1999 • Start of the building of the customer database • Initial data converted from the invoicing system Intime, crosschecked with Statistics Finland’s Business Register • The system was customized for the operational environment of the CSO • Instalment and testing of the new system • 32 pilot users tested the pros and cons of different software

9. System launch and introduction process • Launched in the year 2000 • Information meetings for staff members introducing CRM and the benefits of the new tool • Telephone and e-mail-support • Personal guidance at user’s workstations • Written instructions for use • Training events organised in computer classes

10. Obstacles on the path of the introduction of the new system (1) • The system is a tool for the whole of Statistics Finland, not just for individual units => Active user groups could be larger • External customer registers are not automatically updated into the system (both benefit and obstacle)

11. Obstacles on the path of the introduction of the new system (2) • Technical problems • Users do not care enough about the maintenance of the customer information • Users do not have enough time for learning to use the system and for using it continuously

12. Customer Database FunctionsInformation providers Information users Customerservice Customers Developmentprojects Customerintelligence Contactintelligence Lead intelligence Mana-gement Customer database Campaignintelligence Product development Informationretrievals Project intelligence Quoteintelligence Adminis-tration Marketing Project groups Sales

13. Functions of the CRM System in Statistics Finland (1) • Project management and invoicing • Project -> Offer -> Agreement -> Invoice • Easy to follow every stage of the project • Campaign management and target group selection • Selected customers can be searched by means of customer database variables for targeting marketing campaigns • Helps to divide campaigns into different stages and makes monitoring of each stage easier

14. Functions of the CRM System in Statistics Finland (2) • Campaign management and target group selection (continued) • Helps to divide campaigns into different stages and makes monitoring of each stage easier

15. Functions of the CRM System in Statistics Finland (3) • Reporting • Large amount of different reports • Reports can be formed easily by Statistics Finland • Several individual important functions • Sales diary • Queries • User lists

16. Three-dimensional account concept

17. Three dimensional account concept, Contents of information • Account (principal customer) • Principal branch, account category, VAT-number…etc. • Gathers customer information together • Customer • Address information, purchase history, projects, offers, agreements, segment …etc. • Contact person • Name, title, role, phone, mobile, fax, e-mail, sales diary entries, purchase history…etc.

21. Connections and updates of the CRM-system in Statistics Finland (2005) Intime Intime publication purchase history 1/ per day STOJ Operational Guidance and Planning System 1/ per day Blue book Saleslead register of potential customer 2 / per year AdeEko Financial Administration System Account category 1 / per month Customer category 1 / per day

22. Gained benefits by the introduction of a developed CRM System • Centralised system • Helps to co-ordinate joint activities • Easier to avoid double entries • More focused direct marketing by means of versatile target group selection • Monitoring of customer processes considerably easier - possible to systematise activities • Knowledge about previous actions with the customer helps plan future actions

23. Number and share of users of the CRM System in Statistics Finland • In Statistics Finland the amount of staff amounts to approximately 1 000 persons • The CRM System has at the moment 250 users, around 100 of whom are active users • The object of further work is to integrate more daily routines into the system • Invoicing and project management functions are used particularly actively • This provides abundant information on customer relations

24. Development made possible by the CRM-System (1) • Compilation of uniform practices and programmes for selected customer groups • More effective sales activities - e.g. cross selling between different products and different units • Profitability and efficiency can be attained by more accurate targeting of activities and campaigns

25. Development made possible by the CRM-System (2) • Continuous development of the system by collecting information on different user and user group’s needs • Integration into new and existing administrative systems

26. Segmentation of customers • A more detailed segmentation of the customer database is underway in 2005-2006 • Executed with SQL-programming by means of different database variables e.g. business bookkeeping accounts, branches and partial name searches. • Also manual updating needed • By segmenting our customer database we are successful in achievement of deeper and more meaningful understanding of how customers interact with the CSO

27. Corporations and enterprises Educational Institutions Local Government Bodies Organisations Foreign customers Central Government Libraries Research Institutions Others Without segment value (in 2005) 13 466 2 344 2 258 1 464 802 681 657 520 35 1 433 Number of customers according to Segments, End of 2005

28. The CRM-System is useful because… • The entire organisation benefits from the information the system provides • Helps to analyse the customer structures and developments • Direct- and telemarketing campaigns are more effective • Helps to monitor the success (or non-success) of different relation building activities taken • Provides a good basis for customer surveys and customer relations

29. Conclusion • You cannot learn to swim if you don’t go into the water! • Thank you for your attention! • petteri.baer@unece.org