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Why looking at the big picture is key to success or failure in CRM

Written by Sabine Kirchem | Jul 2, 2025 6:00:00 AM

Companies often think of CRM on a small scale. They fine-tune campaigns, enhance touchpoints, and implement systems, but they don't look at the big picture, the bird' s-eye view. However, this perspective is crucial if we want CRM to have a long-term effect. This is exactly what the chapter “The Exploded View as a Frame of Reference for More Successful CRM” is all about.

My key takeaways from the chapter are:

  • Failures in CRM are often due to structural issues - and cannot be solved by individual measures.
  • The so-called Exploded View shows companies exactly what and where adjustments need to be made, from the customer to the data.
  • The great strength lies in the change of perspective: with the customer, market, company and employee perspectives all being brought together.
  • The implementation is carried out top-down in the analysis and bottom-up in the realisation - simple but effective.
  • This model is both theory and practice: it has been used many times and provides a clear framework for roadmaps and change design. 

My conclusion: Anyone looking to develop CRM strategically will find this a helpful framework: clear, understandable, and immediately applicable. For me, the Exploded View is a must-know in the CRM context.  

🔗 To the book on Springer

This blog post is based on the chapter “The Exploded  View as a Frame of Reference for More Successful CRM” by Hans Albrecht Bartels and Jonathan Möller from the book “CRM Goes Digital – Design and Use of Digital Customer Interface in Marketing, Sales and Service”, published in 2024 by Springer Gabler Publishing House.