Since the implementation of Oracle’s Siebel CRM On Demand in April 2006, our firm’s management and culture have been changed and reshaped. Now every one is talking in CRM and dreaming about CRM. As the common language of Fortune 500 Richman’s club, CRM has also played an important role in my execution of daily work.  It has become my bread, butter and the icing of my cake.  Recalling this technically-demanding but spiritually-fulfilling journey, I can summarize the overwhelming benefits into five simple lines.

• Siebel CRM On Demand provides me a 360-degree view of my clients

The CRM system has the following flowchart: Potential client consultation -> Input information of potential clients to CRM -> Free evaluation and feedback -> Retaining and Contract -> Case Set up > Attorney work and Clerk Work -> File application -> Input receipt notice from USCIS to CRM -> Notification of Client for the Receipt > Input the decision notice to CRM -> Inform clients the result of the case.  Seibel CRM track leads through the entire lifecycle—from qualification to close. Review client history all the way back to the original lead. Save client emails, add new contact data, even customize screen views. Following the flowchart, I can have 360 degree view of every single case that has been generated by me or assigned to me. This complete view enables me to maneuver client through the process at ease, arrange practical schedule to file the case, and advise client properly in face of circumstance changes.  

• Siebel CRM enables me to see not only the trees, but also the entire forest.

Siebel CRM simplifies and automates my caseloads, and divided all my cases into three categories: Case-in-process, case-pending, and case-closed.  By viewing my case data in each category, I can know my current caseload and plan my next step. Based on the accurate information, I can execute on leads and opportunities. This feature not only benefits my work, but also helps me arrange my vacation, and safeguard my precious family time.  With the account information and client data in one place, I can manage my cases more easily and file cases in greater volume and faster.

Because all our three offices in Houston, Chicago and New York have deployed the same system, I, and every member of our firm, always have the information we need to approach our clients with the right solution. When team member works with a single source of truth, the entire firms sees and focuses on the client, we build client loyalty. And since our firm owns the client information and relationship, we will be assured that the knowledge each team member gained on the job stays with our firm. So our colleague’s departure and transition will not cause negative impact to our firm’s clients.

• Siebel CRM provides all up-to-date client information at my fingertips.

Through Siebel CRM, my assistant, Ms. Wei Dong consistently and diligently gives me the up-to-date information that I need. From this perspective, CRM does not just solve problems, it truly build client satisfaction. And high client satisfaction translates to increased revenue into my pocket.

Because I can easily get access to accurate client service history, I am able to deliver consistent service experience. With Siebel CRM, attorneys in our firm can capture all service information in one centralized location, manage service requests, track related activities and client e-mails from Microsoft Outlook, and associate known solutions to incoming requests. A 360-degree view of the clients helps our attorneys-in-charge have access and visibility into all client service issues.

• Siebel CRM allows my left hand know what my right hand is doing.

To allow the left hand of our business know what the right hand is doing, we need to integrate all the silos of information and processes in our firm to quickly, easily get the big picture and operate more efficiently. And Siebel CRM has helped us do that. Siebel CRM is such an ideal solution available that it provides Web Services support as well as pre-built integration to Oracle business applications and other applications to fully integrate our extended enterprise with the power of CRM. Now we are getting true real-time integration capabilities that go beyond simple data sharing and enable us to deploy end-to-end business processes across applications.

• Siebel CRM makes me feel like a boss, and also make my clients feel like a boss.

With CRM, I can set up my calendar and share it with others. Each attorney’s schedule is open to every user at the firm. Legal assistants can access and know each attorney’s schedule and make new arrangements. In addition, the calendar feature in the CRM system has an alarm function, the attorney will be reminded by the calendar right on time to check client’s status and take a proper action.  Furthermore, Siebel has powerful tabulate features, which can help us assort, analyze and manage all information in the system. For instance, we can sort and tabulate special kinds of cases, in terms of lead attorney, clients’ academic degree, clients’ employer, and so on. We constantly conduct research based on this feature to improve our services. Moreover, CRM features and widgets allow everyone in our team to send tasks to the others, and request the others to perform and report.  This bossy feature creates an ad hoc “boss” position for everyone to demand, to supervise, and to indulge shared-control.  After our clients know about our CRM culture and language, they surely understand that at Zhang & Associates, it is a team of professionals, not a single attorney, who is working on and taking care of his/her case. This assurance of quality and a sense of control make our client feel like a boss too.

By successfully implementing the win-win CRM solutions, we are all the bosses in control. Everyone can prevail, and nobody should fail.