From complex challenge to successful transformation
The trigger
For Chamber of Commerce (KVK), a key focus is the human element. Therefore, there is a strong emphasis on customer experience. The central question is: how can we provide the largest group of customers with a standardised yet personalised experience? After a tender process, a completely new Salesforce CRM system was implemented in collaboration with Deloitte —within the established time and budget constraints.
Matthijs Boom, Partner in the Public Sector at Deloitte, remarked: "This was an extensive project. Integrating a new system with over sixty other applications necessitates meticulous preparation. We faced many challenges. What stood out in this project was the successful collaboration."
KVK had a considerable journey ahead. The existing bespoke system was no longer sufficient. Employees were inadequately supported, and there were issues with integration and performance—all detrimental to customer interactions. Therefore, a customer interaction strategy was developed, followed by a search for a modern, future-proof solution through a tender process.
The project was regarded from the beginning as a true transformation, rather than simply 'ticking a technical box'. It was also thoroughly checked whether the requirements indeed aligned with the preferred platform. This approach helped to get the project off to a quick start and subsequently allowed the entire process to run more smoothly.
KVK and Deloitte: dynamic collaboration
The solution
Angelique van Eijk, Programme Manager for KVK, remarked: "Our primary objective was to utilise Salesforce processes as much as possible to minimise the need for customisation. We established teams for processes, migration, and integration, alongside a change team, and appointed process managers from the relevant departments. This allowed KVK to leverage a considerable amount of expertise. Deloitte, as a critical partner, carried out a comprehensive assessment. The collaboration between the various stakeholders fostered an efficient and dynamic environment."
To ensure that employees would adopt the new system, several factors were crucial: support and a critical viewpoint from the Management Board, frequent meetings to keep stakeholders engaged in the project, and feedback from the personas who would be using the system. Van Eijk stated: "You must also be bold enough to actively promote it." The challenge was significant: reducing 70 million records to just 18 million, all of which needed to be carefully and reliably integrated into a new environment.
"Have the courage to make choices, but continue to engage in conversation with each other."
The impact
It has proved to be worthwhile. Rolf Kramer, Project Leader at Deloitte, stated: "KVK employees now have a better understanding of customer and contact history and can more easily document matters. Whether it concerns an information request, a requested extract from the records, or any services being utilised—all relevant interactions and data are immediately accessible. This enables entrepreneurs who call KVK to be assisted more quickly and effectively. And we were able to achieve all of this through strong collaboration while adhering to the timeline and budget. It’s a remarkable combination."
Several lessons from the project include:
- Ensure a methodological framework that makes the programme and results predictable; strictly adhere to planning and resources.
- Identify risks in advance and prepare mitigating measures.
- Have the courage to make tough decisions, but always engage in conversation using a collective perspective (the 'we' form).
- Do not assume that the entire organisation shares your passion. Make people feel that you take them seriously, but remain factual to avoid getting bogged down in emotions and opinions.
- Organise support within the Management Board and be a valued conversation partner. Their critical questions and boundaries keep you sharp. The organisation sees that support, which strengthens the buy-in.
A solid foundation for future initiatives
The end of the transition simultaneously marks the beginning of a new phase. Bram van den Neste, Product Owner CRM at KVK, noted: "The new system lays a robust foundation for customer self-service. It also facilitates a fresh focus in our service delivery, such as making KVK's advisory function more prominent. We are introducing a personalised environment with customer portals.
Furthermore, there are possibilities for newsletters and enhanced personalisation: this enables us to better resonate with entrepreneurs' experiences across various interactions and different lifecycle stages. Additionally, AI will increasingly take on an important role for us, particularly in further automating manual processes."
The people
Rolf Kramer
Matthijs Boom
Jeroen Louman
Vincent Eijkelenkamp
Marcel Harinck
Hendrikus Dijkstra
Anouk Velzeboer
Jolien de Graaf
Jasper Regts
Ruud Bokdam
Floor Soomers
Sander de Koster
Xen Reyes
Maarten de Beer
Tijn van Veen
Serban Blebea
