An intuitive CRM Application fosters usability and user experience

update software AG | info@update.com | www.update.com
White Paper
User-friendly CRM
An intuitive CRM application fosters usability and superior user experience
Copyright update software AG
Changes and errors excepted

update software AG | info@update.com | www.update.com 2/11
Contents
CRM: Perfect support for business processes 3
Professional customer relationship management....................................................................................3
From functional to optimal user support .............................................................................................3
Users in the spotlight: new qualities of CRM systems 4
Experience Management as a success factor .........................................................................................4
Benefits and advantages of CRM systems optimized for usability and user experience........................................4
Return on Investment ...............................................................................................................5
Usability levels and factors 6
Effective, efficient, and satisfying ....................................................................................................6
Context as an additional success factor for user experience ......................................................................8
User-oriented approach for the introduction of CRM applications 9
Focusing on the user.....................................................................................................................9
The phases of the user-centered design process (UCD process)...................................................................9
Analysis & Innovation................................................................................................................9
Prototyping & Design ................................................................................................................9
Evaluation.............................................................................................................................9
Use case for introduction of a CRM application.................................................................................... 10
Assesment Phase ................................................................................................................... 10
Setup Phase......................................................................................................................... 10
Rollout Phase....................................................................................................................... 10
Enhancement ....................................................................................................................... 10
Conclusion: Strategic view of usability, user experience and user interface design 11
This document is a cooperation between update software AG and USECON .................................................. 11

CRM:
Perfect support for business processes
Professional customer relationship management
Business success today is defined increasingly by the building
and effective management of all customer relationships.
Successful CRM systems map customer-relevant business
processes for sales, marketing, and service.
Particularly in competitive industries, it is vital to be able to
evaluate your customer relationships at all times in order to
take appropriate measures. CRM systems offer ideal
assistance with this, from initial contact to staying in touch
with regular customers.
Operational activities should be supported as well as
possible, allowing for efficient work to be done. Here, high-
quality CRM systems distinguish themselves as high-
performance solutions that can be adapted flexibly to user
needs and scaled at any time.
The paradigm shift from simply collecting data to evaluating
and using it has already been completed. Well-maintained
customer and lead data provide a basis for taking
appropriate actions and activities.
From functional to optimal user support
New generation CRM systems must do more than just support
and provide tracking of customer-relevant business
processes.
Optimized usability and a consistent focus on a positive
user experience are enabled through a user interface
design that is well conceived and executed.
If these factors are not taken into appropriate consideration,
user acceptance suffers. Users do not want to work with
overloaded business applications to do their daily work.
Since user acceptance is determined largely by usability and
user experience criteria, these factors play a central role in
the selection and ultimate success of a CRM installation at a
company. Insufficient usability or negative user experiences
reduce the usage rate and the quality of the data, making it
difficult for the CRM application to succeed. Employees may
record relevant data inadequately, leading management to
draw incorrect conclusions from the employees' reported
data.
User-optimized strategies, systems, and processes can
counteract this and help to optimize the introduction and
usage of CRM applications. Usability and user experience
therefore are key factors even during the selection process.

2
Burns, M. (2012) The State Of Customer Experience, 2012. Forrester Research Inc. Cambridge, USA
http://www.forrester.com/home#/The+State+Of+Customer+Experience+2012/quickscan/-/E-RES61249
Users in the spotlight:
new qualities of CRM systems
User experience is a broad concept that involves many different factors:
A person's perceptions and responses that result from the use or anticipated use of a product,
system or service.
Definition of "user experience" according to ISO standard 9241-2101
One of the most important aspects of the user experience for CRM systems is their usability.
Usability is defined as how the user can use a CRM system to achieve specified goals in an
effective, efficient, and in satisfactory fashion.
Building on the definition of "usability" according to ISO standard 9241-210
Experience Management as a success factor
In the area of enterprise applications, providers try to
combat competitive pressure with an expanded functional
scope and a longer list of features. The trend toward "more
functions than in the last release" becomes a problem if with
increasing requirements the user's needs are forgotten.
In contrast to this, the goal is to connect experience
management, the optimal design of product and service
experiences with a positive user experience from the
point of view of the future user.
The focus is on users with their ideas, needs, and also
concerns. As well in established market segments, product
features that exceed standard qualities have a significant
effect on purchasing decisions, customer loyalty, and brand
loyalty. Usability, user experience, and user interface design
become "business tools" that have a lasting influence on the
success of a product and represent a significant
differentiating feature. "Customer experience" refers to how
these concepts are taken into consideration regarding price,
image, and customer contact with a company across all
channels.
In a current study by Forrester Research "The State Of
Customer Experience, 2012"2
75% of the companies surveyed
name customer experience (on the executive level) as the
determining factor that companies want to use to distinguish
themselves from their direct competition and all companies
in each industry.
Benefits and advantages of CRM systems optimized for usability and user experience
The optimization of the usability and user experience of CRM
applications requires the systematic deployment of
appropriate measures as part of a user-centered design
process (see page 9). These measures represent investments
that must pay off in the medium and long term.
Recommendations call for investing at least 10% of the
development budget in usability activities.
Key performance indicators (KPIs) are defined to facilitate
quantifying the results of optimized usability or user
experience. The return on investment (ROI) in user
experience measures can thus be made "visible" in the
changes of the indicators even in the business context.
fig. 1: Experience Management/Source: USECON
1
ISO 9241-210:2010 Ergonomics of human-system interaction - Part 210: Human-centred design for interactive systems. ISO, Geneva, Switzerland
http://www.iso.org/iso/iso_catalogue/catalogue_tc/catalogue_detail.htm?csnumber=52075

3
Nielsen, J. Usability ROI Declining, But Still Strong http://www.useit.com/alertbox/roi.html (called up December 2012)
Return on Investment
The question is what return on investment (ROI) can be
achieved with respect to the various KPIs. In long-term
studies, the internationally renowned Nielsen Norman Group
showed that a deployment of approximately 12% of the
development budget for usability measures results in an
average increase of 100% in the KPIs.3
Generally, there is a distinction made between internal and
external ROI drivers. Internal drivers have an effect "within
the company" (e.g. on the company's own employees,
structures, and processes) and external drivers have an
effect "from the company on the market" (e.g. on
customers, sales, support, and training).
Internal ROI drivers
» Increased user productivity
» Fewer operational errors
» Reduced training costs for the company
» Savings in development thanks to iterative design
» Reduced need for ongoing user support
External ROI drivers
» Increased sales figures and greater customer satisfaction
» Reduced customer support costs
» Savings in development thanks to step-by-step design
» Reduced training costs for the customer
» Increased perception of company value
(image, branding, etc.)
Positive ROI drivers in the CRM enviroment
In the CRM environment, the following, among other factors, are regarded as positive ROI drivers:
» Quick user acceptance on introduction
A new CRM system that is planned and integrated
according to user needs enjoys greater acceptance than
an out-of-the-box system when introduced at a
company. Even companies in the same industry are too
different for one-size-fits-all solutions.
» Higher rates of use
As a positive consequence of acceptance, usage rates
and the usage of the software increase. The rejection
rate can be reduced to a minimum with good usability
and user experience. Over time, the CRM application is
not regarded as a tiresome task, but as a tool that
improves a person's own performance and makes daily
work easier.
» Improved data quality
From the point of view of a company that deploys a
CRM application for customer relationship
management, faster acceptance and higher usage rates
result in better data quality. On this basis, employees
can make business decisions that suit the situation and
have a positive effect on their company's success.
» Reduced error rates
Thanks to a user-oriented user interface design, errors
can be minimized. This, in turn, has a positive effect
on the data quality and on user satisfaction.
» User satisfaction
In a typical business setting, employees often use the
system for many hours a day. The concern is not to
suggest to users that CRM applications are pure
entertainment like using a game console;
However, for users' acceptance and identification with
the tasks assigned to them, the CRM system must have
certain hedonic qualities. This means that use must
trigger a good, comfortable, and desirable feeling in
the user. Factors that have a positive effect here are,
for example, a professional and modern design, room
to interact, and personal identification with the
product.
» Less training required thanks to intuitive operation
If the CRM system offers patterns of interaction that
are familiar to the user (e.g. existing processes, similar
software products, etc.), the learning curve is no
obstacle. New functions are perceived as intuitive.
From the company's point of view, the advantage is
that little initial training and less follow-up training is
required. This metric is of interest not only to
departments with a high employee turnover rate, but
also for each new introduction of additional functions
in the CRM system.
» More precise depiction of business processes with
guided processes
In addition to sophisticated design, clear guidance
through the CRM application is one of the most
important benefits. Users do not want to have to focus
on the user interface. They want to update customer
data, enter data from a sales appointment or create a
new offer. In short: they want to perform their tasks
effectively and efficiently. Only if business processes
are mapped as usual will users be satisfied, the
appropriate data will be input, and the system will be
used.

4
Hannich, F., Jenni, C., Beerli, B., Mandl, T., Rüeger, B. (2012) Swiss CRM 2012, Use and Trends in Swiss Companies. ZHAW School of Management and Law, Center for
Marketing Management. Winthertur, Switzerland
http://www.zhaw.ch/management/zmm/forschung-und-entwicklung/studien/swiss-crm.html
Usability levels and factors
From the consumer products market, it is known that
customer requirements of products can be summarized this
way: "easy, clear, quick, intelligent, and sophisticated." A
pure technical function shouldn’t be a “nice to have,” it
should be included standard.
Users take their positive experiences with online shops,
search engines, Web mailers, and social media platforms
into their workplace. They make similar demands for the
operation of software in the professional environment; this
includes the CRM system.
Effective, efficient, and satisfying
In a study released in 2012 by the Zurich University of
Applied Sciences about CRM use at Swiss companies4
, study
participants were quizzed about CRM problems. As of 2011,
the main problems (multiple mentions were possible)
included the topics "no clearly-defined CRM processes"
(40.4%) and "no detailed and maintained customer data"
(35.6%). It is clear from these insights that designers of CRM
applications must not just consider these hurdles, but
actively work to overcome them.
The criteria listed in the usability definition (effective,
efficient, and satisfactory) therefore play a significant role
in CRM applications.
update.CRM leads you step by step through your business processes thanks to:
» Clearly defined start and end points
» Visualizations of complex processes and graphical depictions of process steps and metrics
» Visualizations adapted to the progress of the process
» Configurable prerequisites, which must be fulfilled by the users
in order to reach the next process phase
» Orientation according to guidelines for all of your business processes
» Self-explanatory user interface requiring less training,but resulting in better data quality and fewer
error
Effectiveness means that users must be able to perform
their tasks with the system. CRM processes are often
detailed and complex. To be able to make the right
decisions, users need context-related information at the
right time, in the right place. Systems that should support
these processes often offer a broad functional scope. Users
have to learn to select the appropriate functions in each
step in order to perform the given task successfully. The
user interface (graphical interface of the application)
greatly contributes to the user's success.
The criterion efficiency becomes especially notable when
the concern is completion of tasks that occupy many users
for the majority of their time. Non user-optimized CRM
systems contain considerable "productivity killers" at these
points. This idle time is often just a few seconds, but
multiplied by hundreds of users in the organization, there is
great potential for optimizing the resources deployed. A
clear mapping of processes and clear structures are essential
starting points for employees' improved performance.
fig. 2: Definition of Usability/Source: USECON

5
Peppers, D., Rogers, M. (2010) Customer Experience in Retail Banking. Efma and Peppers & Rogers Group
http://www.efma.com/index.php/content/publications_studies_surveys_efma/detail/EN/1/262/1-8NYN3
The satisfaction with a system expresses to what extent the
users identify with the tool they use every day. CRM systems
that from the very first day of the "go live" provide a
pleasant user experience have a higher acceptance rate and
run less danger of landing on a "technological dead-end
street”.
Users' satisfaction is best revealed by recognizable benefits
of the CRM application. Benefits in the CRM environment
define whether users gain insights from the long-term data
in order to take appropriate steps.
An example of recognizable benefits is obvious in service-
intensive industries such as banking where there is a lot of
customer data that often is collected over long periods of
time and for all phases of a customer's life. The benefit for
the user in this type of industry is the greatest if the CRM
system transforms the data recorded into insights that can
become the bases for decision-making. The study "Customer
Experience in Retail Banking" by the Pepper & Rogers Group5
indicates a particular need to catch up here.
Progressive CRM solutions that fulfill these usability criteria
are focused on users' actual needs and assist especially with
the following three aspects:
» Clear mapping of the processes in the system (user
goals, flows)
This is how established business processes and
formulated workflows are supported as well as possible.
Users find their usual procedures for real customer
management reflected in the CRM system.
» Clear structure of the application (information,
functions)
Users can orient themselves quickly in the various steps
with the functions they need available when they need
them. The names of process steps, functions, and
navigation elements should also be tailored to a
company’s specific industry. Users of the CRM system can
thus learn quickly and move in a world of familiar terms.
» Appealing user interface design (User Interface)
In addition to clearly-mapped processes and clear
structures, the user interface elements make an
essential contribution to easy operation. The correct use
of buttons, links, tabs, icons, etc. helps users make the
right decisions. In addition, errors are avoided and tasks
are performed more efficiently. With the formation of
visual hierarchies (emphasis of elements through size
and/or color), operating elements can be prioritized in
order to support the task flow.
The Top 3 optimization points
update's new CRM generation has been optimized with respect to these criteria, with a
focus on the following three aspects:
» Goal-oriented guidance through complex work processes
» Clear navigation across different functional areas of the application
» Easy finding of information and its structured display
fig. 3: Screenshot process framework update.CRM/Source: update software AG

Context as an additional success factor for user experience
Especially for CRM applications, the context in which the
system is used is decisive for its design. Essentially the
following are important in distinguishing context: the
temporal, spatial, organizational, subject-specific, and
infrastructure dimensions.
For example, the usage scenario "office" differs significantly
from the usage scenario "on the road" or from an advising
situation "on-site at the customer." Depending on the
physical context, users need different information and they
have different ways of accessing the data they need.
The update.CRM Suite offers the right CRM solution for every situation:
» The Web-based main CRM application for update.CRM
» Mobile CRM for the road
» The CRM.pad, a native iPad application, for the sales team
» Plug-ins for avoiding a change of application
» Various connector solutions for optimal incorporation into your system
This means that the display of the data must be adapted to
the end user device in question. With their large screens,
desktop devices offer different display possibilities than
tablets or smartphones, which require reduced or other
displays due to their smaller screens. In the mobile CRM
environment, visit preparation and the dashboard with the
essential information are two key uses.
But the industry in question is also a user context. The needs
of users in manufacturing, construction and construction
supply, financial services, and in the life science and
consumer goods sectors overlap only in part and each
requires a different CRM industry solution.
update.CRM relies on 25 years of industy experience and, thanks to ist wealth of industry-specific
expertise, provides the best possible support for your business processes:
Industry Life Sciences
Financial Services
Consumer
Goods
fig. 4: Product overview update.CRM/Source: update software AG

User-oriented approach
for the introduction of CRM applications
In practice, the needs of actual users and the use context
are often considered very late, and then not all of the
insights flow into the decision to buy or adapt a CMS system.
For this reason it is important to include users from the very
beginning, as well as during the various stages of system
development. Experienced managers therefore focus on the
users during development in order to develop products that
are optimal from the customer's point of view.
Focusing on the user
In order to design the usability and user experience
optimally on all levels, various questions must be answered
in the course of developing systems:
» What users (groups) will use the application?
» What tasks will the users perform?
» In which context will the application be used?
» How are workflows mapped optimally in the system?
» What functions are required for optimal support?
» How should a user appropriate interface look like?
To find appropriate answers, it is important to incorporate
users right from the beginning of system development – as
well as during the various stages of development – into the
five phases of the "user-centered design process." A
significant characteristic of this procedure is that the various
phases can be run through repeatedly if necessary. Optimal
results for the various user groups are possible this way. At
the same time, the resources allocated for the
implementation are deployed in a goal-oriented fashion.The
user-centered design (UCD) process can be expressed in any
procedural model, whether a strict waterfall model or an
agile procedure such as scrum or extreme programming.
The phases of the user-centered design process (UCD process)
Crucial for success is the selection of methods in the phases
of the UCD process. The right mix of methods depends on
the requirements of the project in question. The early
inclusion of all stakeholders into product development is
also crucial, so that the different perspectives and
requirements can be addressed. On the development side,
this includes the departments, the developers, and the
design; on the user side, the various user groups.
Analysis & Innovation
During the analysis phase, the user requirements and goals
for the use of the system are gathered. In the innovation
phase, the users' requirements serve as the basis for
concrete ideas. In this phase, experienced users can make
an especially valuable contribution to the initial integration
and later enhancement of a CRM product. The users' many
years of industry experience and extensive practical
knowledge offer great potential for product innovations.
Prototyping & Design
In the design phase, solutions are suggested for the interface
design to be developed or optimized. Designs can be the
form of screens and rough or fine concepts. In this phase,
expert-based methods (e.g. usability reviews) are also used
to incorporate realtime feedback into the design.
Evaluation
Finally, in the evaluation phase, the users' feedback is
collected and the success of the user interface is evaluated
through usability tests. Thus, clear statements can be made
about the strengths and weaknesses and concrete
recommendations made for improvement.
fig. 5: User-centred Design Process/Source:USECON

Use case for introduction of a CRM application
The integration of high-quality CRM solutions also profits
from the user-centered procedure described above. In this
case, a step-by-step introduction and continual
enhancement of the CRM system secure long-term success.
The focus of the integration is on the requirements and
needs of future users of the CRM System. Crucial for the
success of the project is that it is managed by an industry
expert who can incorporate experience from similar projects
into the current application.
As in the user-centered design process, update software AG
relies on a systematic approach for the introduction of its
CRM solution. Based on this method, customer-specific
requirements are implemented in specific CRM applications.
In this system there are four phases, which are oriented
toward the eventual achievement of the defined company
goals.
Assesment Phase
At the beginning of the project, the goals are defined jointly
with the customer, as are the content and technical
requirements and the scope of the planned CRM system.
Thanks to the early inclusion of key users, a high rate of user
acceptance is achieved.
Setup Phase
The implementation of the CRM system relies on an
extensive industry solution that is adapted to the
requirements and needs. Thanks to the use of prototypical
processes, quick results can be achieved. In this phase, user
feedback about the processes implemented is an essential
success factor.
Rollout Phase
In this phase, the company is prepared for the activation of
the CRM system. The internal project communication and
goal-oriented user training assure the success of the CRM
introduction and acceptance in later usage. A support center
provides any support in live operation.
Enhancement
The further customization and functional expansion of an
implemented CRM solution takes place in cycles, each of
which begins with an advising session.
Approximately three months after the go-live, the principal,
together with the customer, examines the extent to which
the goals set have been achieved. Through daily work with
the CRM system, the customer knows whether the active
processes are already adapted optimally or whether they
should be adapted or added to.
So that the CRM system can grow with the customer's needs,
it is recommended that the enhance cycle be repeated once
a year. Consistent enhancement of the CRM solution creates
new opportunities. At each advising session, the principal
and the customer examine whether adaptations and
additional processes make sense and they decide about the
next steps.
fig. 6: Integration of updates CRM application /Source: update software AG

Conclusion: Strategic view of usability,
user experience and user interface design
Practical experience shows that a high level user experience
and usability strategy are becoming ever more important
and taking on a central role in company processes.
Therefore, in addition to individual usability and user
experience measures, the development and
institutionalization of a long-term and customer-centered
strategy pays off for the development, implementation, and
usage of CRM solutions.
It is crucial in the selection of a CRM system for companies
to consider those that are optimized for usability and are
adaptable to company-specific processes. This is how
usability becomes a success factor.
As this whitepaper has detailed, the consideration of and
investment in usability, user experience, and user interface
design are essential success factors in the course of the
development and introduction of CRM applications
This document is a cooperation between update software AG and USECON
About update software AG
With more than 170,000 users in more than 1,500 companies,
update software AG is one of the leading European producers of
systems for customer relationship management (CRM).
update software AG is headquartered in Vienna with subsidiaries in
Germany, Switzerland, the Netherlands, France, Hungary, the Czech
Republic, and Poland. In addition, update is represented across
Europe by established partners.
update currently employs approximately 300 people. In 2011, the
company achieved sales of EUR 31.7 million.
Since 2000, update has been listed on the German stock exchange in
Frankfurt am Main. update software AG has borne its current name
since May 2002, and Thomas Deutschmann has been the Chief
Executive Officer (CEO) of the company since November 2002. His
colleagues on the Executive Board are Arno Huber as Chief
Technology Officer (CTO) and Uwe Reumuth as Chief Financial
Officer (CFO).
www.update.com
About USECON
USECON was founded in 2001 as a spin-off of the well-known
research center CURE. Today, we are an internationally active
consulting company headquartered in Vienna, and we have
experience with more than 500 projects and 300 satisfied
customers. At USECON, the person with his needs, expectations, and
behaviors is the focus of our interest.
We specialize in consulting services for all activities in the course of
the user-oriented design of interactive systems and focus especially
on the topics of usability, user experience, user interface design,
and experience management.
Our focus is on the following experience areas: Insights & Impacts,
Design & Prototyping, Strategy & Change, and Research &
Innovation.
Our satisfied customers include, among others, A1, Bank Austria
UniCredit Group, DELL, Deutsche Telekom, ERGO
Versicherungsgruppe AG, Erste Bank, Fabasoft, KEBA, Lidl,
McDonalds, Novomatic, OEBB, OMV, UNIQA, and the Wiener
Stadtwerke.
www.usecon.com
We would be happy to provide you with additional information.
We look forward to your inquiry:
update software AG, Vienna
Mag. Birgit Harthum
Product Manager ISI
phone.: +43 (1) 878 55 – 156
mail: birgit.harthum@update.com
USECON GmbH, Vienna
Mag. Michael Bechinie
Senior Consultant
phone +43 (1) 743 5451 – 402
mail: bechinie@usecon.com
update software AG, Vienna
Nina Tiani
Product Marketing Coordinator
phone: +43 (1) 878 55 – 187
mail: nina.tiani@update.com
USECON GmbH, Vienna
Mag. Markus Murtinger
Director Consulting, Sales & Marketing
phone +43 (1) 743 5451 - 400
mail: murtinger@usecon.com

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