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These professional services firms took their Relationship Management to the next level
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Chapter 3
Challenges when implementing new relationship technology
"Getting a sales team to join your CRM system is challenging enough. Getting your lawyers or consultants to adopt a system is even harder. That's why we make sure we bring the information to them, rather than taking up their time."
#1 challenge: adopting the system
Adoption remains one of the biggest hurdles when implementing any CRM or enterprise system. Teams shouldn't be burdened with manual data entry or upkeep—that’s why it’s time to rethink the process.
Instead of forcing users to adapt to the system, the system should adapt to them. Modern platforms should work in the background—automatically capturing interactions, identifying relationships, enriching profiles, and surfacing insights without disrupting daily workflows.
But automation alone isn’t enough. Transparency is critical. Information hoarding and siloed contacts belong to the past. Today, successful organizations prioritize shared data, collective knowledge, and firmwide visibility.
3 tips for a successful CRM implementation
- A change management strategy is essential, including a well-defined communication plan. Respond to feedback. Create short surveys, such as on easy-to-deliver functionality, to get buy-in.
- Take a phased approach in terms of functionality and user base. Do not do a big bang launch, but add new teams and user groups step by step. This means addressing smaller groups of users based on specific use cases. Gather evidence and positive experiences. And take the next step from there.
- Build dashboards and reports that push information outward. Use reports and dashboards that are easily accessible and understandable.
"Implementing a data-rich relationship intelligence system is much more about change management than yet another software implementation. That's why I recommend not doing big bang implementations, but going for gradual roll-outs."
#2 challenge: integrating the relationship intelligence system with the application landscape
Modern application platforms do more than just manage relationships—they bring together core business systems like transactional tools, time tracking, billing, and even digital asset management. That’s why any CRM or enterprise system you choose must seamlessly integrate with the rest of your tech stack.
Cloud Isn't the Future - It's the Standard
Today’s cloud and hybrid infrastructures offer a secure, scalable, and cost-effective alternative to legacy on-prem systems. What once felt risky due to compliance or security concerns is now the clear advantage. With built-in governance, constant updates, and enterprise-grade protection, the cloud has become the default choice for organizations looking to modernize with confidence.
"If you embed new technology into your teams' daily work routine, keep it simple and accessible from any application they work in, people will naturally get engaged."
The HSO approach: complete platform technologies for every firm
When it comes to digital transformation, firms need to take a holistic view. We use a platform approach - uniting and connecting people, processes and data, to take your employees to a higher level of service and delivery that customers demand.
The starting point of our approach is the day-to-day work of professionals. From project manager and consultant to director: do you have the tools to do your job as effectively and efficiently as possible?
Collaboration platforms such as Microsoft Teams provide a single central access point to all tasks and associated applications. In addition to direct contact with colleagues and clients, the ability to chat and meet, save and retrieve documents, Teams is the gateway to other apps, such as CRM and ERP. As the entry point of one's daily work it’s one of the keys to productivity, efficiency and job satisfaction.
Depending on your strategy and priorities, we (re)design, build or optimize your application landscape using Microsoft business solutions. The result is smarter automated marketing, better pipeline and opportunity management, and a smooth transition from sales to project management and finance.