Few moons ago, our dinner conversation topic was about CRM. I shared with my wife, a very simple analogy, that I had used to teach my first batch of trainees back in 2011.
(I started my story like how Sheldon explained about the basics of astronomy to Penny š , a typical mansplaining, but it quickly turned into a very interesting conversation instead of just being drama and comedy. š)
Before the days of Supermarkets and Chain stores, stationery shops generally used to be ‘Full-Service Shops’ where customers have to ask the staff what they want and the staff will get them for the customer. These shops (a typical mom-and-pop store) don’t have the resources to host or use a full-fledged CRM system, but they still had CRM implemented. Do you know how?
Let’s take Jony.
Jony, a kid, visits a stationery shop in his new neighbourhood to get a pencil. The shopkeeper Mary greets Jony and asks him what he needs. After giving him a pencil, Mary asks if he needs an eraser too. Two days later, Jony comes back to get a ball pen but Mary suggests he get a fountain pen instead. They have a casual chat about where he lives, his parents and where he studies. Mary comes to know that Jony likes to paint and shows him a new collection of quick-drying paints. Jony enquires about the cost and says he will save money to buy it later. A few days later, Jony visits the shop again saying his penās nib broke. Mary fixes the pen for free and reminds him of the paint kit. Jony was very happy to get the pen fixed for free and in his happiness buys the new painting kit.
I told my wife – ‘This is CRM’. Mary enquiring about Jony is ‘Know your customer (Customer Nurturing)’. Selling the Paint Kit is ‘Marketing’. Giving Eraser along with Pencil is ‘Cross Selling’. Suggesting to buy a fountain pen over ball pen is ‘Up selling’. Fixing the pen is ‘Customer Service’ and finally a happy customer resulting in increased ‘Customer Satisfaction’.
If I had told this is to my experienced colleagues, they would have brushed me aside, as this is known story to them š.
Thanks to the Microsoft’s PowerUp Program helping people around the globe to learn about low code apps / PowerApps / Power Platform, my wife, a Mathematics teacher with a Master’s in mathematics and with very little technology or IT background, is able to get her hands dirty in Power Platform.
While she is very happy for learning something new and interesting, I’m very happy that my wife thinks, I’m doing a great job in my field š. I also admire and feel proud that she is doing this along with being a Mom and a Teacher. A multi-tasker, yes.
As I’m writing this article, with a swollen ankle because I just couldn’t even multi-task walking and talking, I got involved in a new topic about Logic Apps and Power Automate. We discussed and she gave more reasons / samples to better explain the two. š„¹
I don’t have a clear reason, but, That, and all other such discussions gave me peace and happiness.
Hoping for many more intriguing discussions!
Cheers and yes, thanks to Microsoft.
(By the way, check out this page, I asked Bing AI to extend the Jony Story and it gave me an awesome response!)
mgrb 