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How to Win the Game of Thrones with CRM Part 1: Better Data = Better Decisions

Post Author: Joe D365 |

Game of Thrones is a series where characters' fates are influenced by what information they have, who they trust, what types of relationships they build, and how many alliances they can forge. We can’t help but wonder what would happen if CRM (Customer Relationship Management) software existed in Westeros. Perhaps things would be going differently for our favorite characters? In this three-part blog series, we’ll examine the ways CRM for Microsoft Dynamics 365 could help you change your fate in the dangerous quest for the Iron Throne.

Better Data = Better Decisions

When you’re making decisions with only the “best information” available at the time, sometimes those decisions backfire. Inaccurate data can lead to miscommunications, incorrect predictions, poor hiring decisions, and a bad allotment of resources. We see these very things happening repeatedly in Westeros and when you play the game of thrones, well… we’d all prefer to win. So how exactly can CRM help you make better decisions?

Contact and Lead Management

CRM can help you manage all of your contact and lead data in a centralized system. You can also track everything from a contact’s preferred communications to a full customer history and a log of interactions. With CRM as your platform for managing contacts and leads, you avoid inaccurate data and have everything you need to know about a particular contact located in one place.

For example, if someone changes their allegiance or breaks an agreement with you, you can simply update their record in CRM to reflect that change. You can also spin up a workflow to ensure that these contacts are removed from specific mailing lists or you can disqualify or deactivate that record if necessary. By doing this you can make sure that you’re not sending these contacts the wrong information or accidentally inviting newfound enemies to your wedding…we’re looking at you House Stark!

How to Win the Game of Thrones with CRM Part 1: Better Data = Better Decisions

HBO

 

Forecasting and Asset Allocation

A Lannister always pays their debts—but not everyone has that kind of cash on hand. If you are working with limited resources, it’s really important to make the right decisions on how best to invest your time and money. CRM is a great tool for forecasting as it gives you the ability to examine large amounts of data and easily identify trends. Having the right data in this area will help you make sure that you don’t order too much inventory or misjudge your working capital needs over time.

Stannis Baratheon is good example of how bad data can result in bad decision-making in terms of people and assets. Throughout his journey, he frequently misjudged his resources, was overconfident, and conducted shady deals as a part of many last minute decisions. A pretty big source of bad data came from his trust in Melisandre, who convinced Stannis that his success was due to her work and influence. He took this information at face value and despite warnings from his friends like Davos, he continued to push forward with his campaign—using up resources and causing many of his soldiers to defect.

By keeping bad “employees” around and continuing to make critical decisions based on inaccurate and incomplete data, Stannis suffered grave consequences and ultimately saw the loss of everything he hoped to gain. A CRM system in this case would make an invaluable tool for tracking, reporting, and forecasting. With the ability to draw upon and examine more accurate data, you won’t have to make hasty decisions and cause major pitfalls like Stannis.

Reddit

Reddit

Bad decisions are not always made by bad decision makers; oftentimes it’s the quality of the data that is to blame when things go wrong. As we’ve seen throughout Game of Thrones, many characters we know and love have made some pretty bad mistakes due to bad data. With CRM, you have a great platform to help you make better decisions and set you on your way to winning that Iron Throne.

Stay tuned for part two of this blog series where we will examine the ways CRM can prevent you from losing key customers! In the meantime, check out our Why CRM site to learn more about how CRM can help you make better decisions.

Happy CRM’ing!

How to Win the Game of Thrones with CRM Part 2: Stop Losing Customers

How to Win the Game of Thrones with CRM Part 3: Managing Rapid Growth

 

Joe CRM
By Joe D365
Joe D365 is a Microsoft Dynamics 365 superhero who runs on pure Dynamics adrenaline. As the face of PowerObjects, Joe D365’s mission is to reveal innovative ways to use Dynamics 365 and bring the application to more businesses and organizations around the world.

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