Oracle Fusion CRM - Bringing IT closer to Business

Back in 1999, when I was getting started with Siebel 99 and things were very simple. I will be able load database, application server, tools and the client all in 1 machine and do it all by myself. Any configuration changes or customizations will only take few days to a week. The IT team size were usually small with 4 to 5 resources handling requirements to developing specifications to developing the code to deployment. For a small scope of changing fields and business rules, I was directly working with business users to gather requirements, develop design documents, develop the code, work with business users to test the functionality and deploy them to production all by myself in matter of days. At that time there were no SOX compliance , lengthy IT policies and procedures, segregation of duties, IT hierarchy to get no. of signatures, architects to satisfy and coordination between several different teams to satisfy business changes.

In the last decade IT organizations have grown, matured, and become hierarchical to deal with. "Not that there is anything wrong with that" but the business users feel the pain when they go through any scope change for field additions, business rules changes or minor enhancements. In the CRM enterprise world it is categorized as release changes. It takes months to make those changes and wait until the next release windows occurs.

With Fusion CRM that is going to change. Fusion CRM comes with application composer that can be leveraged by non IT users to make those changes and have it reflected in the system immediately rather than waiting for IT or release cycle. This will increase the user adaption since CRM system evolves over a period of time.

Runtime Vs Design time customizations

Runtime customizations are done by non IT user using Fusion CRM application composer. These customizations and extensions are surfaced to all or to a subset of Oracle Fusion Applications users, and range from changing the look and feel of a UI page, to customizing standard business objects, adding a new business object and associated pages and application functionality, changing workflows, defining security for new objects, and customizing reports.

Design time customizations and extensions include more complex changes, such as creating SOA composites or creating new batch jobs, and they require deployment into the runtime environment. Design time customizations are most often done by Java developers using Oracle Jdeveloper.

In my 10+ years of CRM experience, I will categorize 60 - 70% of changes are runtime customizations if you are adhering to out-of-box functionality. I'm not saying open up runtime customizations to all business users. But define a role/team within business who are experienced with the tool and comfortable in making the changes. This will dramatically reduce the turn around time for changes, increase user adaption and bring IT closer to business.

Check it out for yourself in this demo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RREIVNxYkM

Feel free to add your comments.

How Oracle Fusion CRM can win against Salesforce.com?

Many of us including myself who are in enterprise CRM space clearly see the market shift that's currently happening with enterprise CRM software. During 1998-2005 Siebel CRM came out as a leader in enterprise CRM spanning across many industry verticals and covering wide variety of functionality from lead to quote and quote to order and covering many of traditional channels through which customers interact. All this changed couple of years ago when social, mobile and cloud became mainstream. After Siebel acquisition, Oracle embarked on a 6 year journey to build "Fusion Applications" as an answer to next generation technologies. It is definitely the right approach, right tools, right people and right timing. However even after unveiling Fusion applications GA release back in Oct 2011 (6 months before) do you think it has gained momentum among current and new customers?

On Feb 23rd, In Q4 earnings estimates conference call for salesforce.com, CEO Marc Benioff quoted "

In all, we signed more than 100 7-figure transactions and 9 8-figure transactions in the quarter. And as I've been foreshadowing, I'm thrilled to announce that since closing the fourth quarter, we've already topped ourselves by signing our first ever 9-figure transaction in the opening days of Q1. Well that's alarming for Oracle… Because of salesforce.com's clear strategy with cloud, Social and mobile they started expanding into the large enterprise world. CIO's today are pressured to expand their legacy CRM to include social, extend the CRM applications to mobile to satisfy their sales and marketing groups and reduce their On-premise foot print to save money. And they need to do this in 2-3 months and not 2-3 years. So where did they go? Guess? That is what is reflected in salesforce.com Q4 earnings.

I believe the race is not over yet and Oracle Fusion CRM has a long runway if we take new approach and adopt to some of the ideas we have seen it in the marketplace. Here are some of them

1. Make it available: During Open World Larry Ellison unveiled the Oracle public cloud with Fusion applications including Fusion CRM. Now what happens when you register to get trial access? Nothing..! Do the same with salesforce.com you will get an immediate response with a link to check it out..! To be successful you need to open it up to everyone who can get their hands to

2. It’s all about the Apps: Either it is mobile or enterprise the Apps game is heating up. You don't stop by just saying "Fusion CRM" is built on open standards. Help partners, developers, ISV (Independent Software Vendor) and your customers to build & Share the applications. This is the fastest way to deploy new applications rather than developing from scratch. There is a reason why force.com App exchange is having around 135,000 Apps to be consumed

3. Cannibalize your current product with a new product, if you don't your competitor will: There are several thousand Siebel installations at customers and they all are part of "Applications unlimited" as long as they choose to keep it. This may sound right from a revenue stream perspective but it doesn’t mean that they will keep running the same application for next 5-6 years. It is in every CIO's priority list to connect with their customers through social media. That means a clear message is "Fusion CRM is the way to go…the sooner the better"

In summary, Oracle needs to sharpen its message and act fast to save customers who are jumping ship and use this opportunity to make Fusion CRM the next enterprise CRM leader.

You got any suggestions for Oracle? Keep adding them in the comments section