duplicate leads treatment best practice in CRM application
Dear Experts
I understand there are two approaches to handle the duplicate records when same prospect enters the CRM application
approach 1) append duplicate prospect data to a single record approach 2) create duplicate record and mark it status as "Repeated/Duplicated"
approach1) if we go for append duplicate prospect data to a single record would it be possible to have a marketing analysis like current month how many leads entered into SugarCRM including the duplicate leads also would it be possible to understand prospect journey touch points through multi channel showing interest.
OR
approach2)same prospect entering through multiple channels setting duplicate records to “repeated” status would be the most straightforward to implement and link it with the original lead may provide the marketing analysis like current month how many leads entered into SugarCRM including the duplicate leads and from which all campaigns and source.
if we go for approach two then the manual operation can be applied with the same treatment that is if the already existing prospect makes enquiry to the call centre then call centre user applies the same treatment that is copy/create the existing lead and mark the status as "Repeated" and attach it to the respective campaigns
Please suggest which approach in the above is recommended and best practice , thanks in advance
I understand there are two approaches to handle the duplicate records when same prospect enters the CRM application
approach 1) append duplicate prospect data to a single record approach 2) create duplicate record and mark it status as "Repeated/Duplicated"
approach1) if we go for append duplicate prospect data to a single record would it be possible to have a marketing analysis like current month how many leads entered into SugarCRM including the duplicate leads also would it be possible to understand prospect journey touch points through multi channel showing interest.
OR
approach2)same prospect entering through multiple channels setting duplicate records to “repeated” status would be the most straightforward to implement and link it with the original lead may provide the marketing analysis like current month how many leads entered into SugarCRM including the duplicate leads and from which all campaigns and source.
if we go for approach two then the manual operation can be applied with the same treatment that is if the already existing prospect makes enquiry to the call centre then call centre user applies the same treatment that is copy/create the existing lead and mark the status as "Repeated" and attach it to the respective campaigns
Please suggest which approach in the above is recommended and best practice , thanks in advance
ASKER
Thanks Kevin for the reply.
I have asked the software developer for customization that links a duplicate prospect record to the original prospect,
if same prospect comes in multiple times through the integrations that is before the lead is Converted to Opportunity record then all are marked as "Repeated/Duplicated" and linked to the orgin lead.
if same prospect comes in multiple times after the lead is converted to to Opportunity then all these leads still marked as "repeated/duplicated" and linked to the Contact record in the lead section.
following condition considered as new lead
if lead is Dead i,e before Converted to opportunity and if after Converted and opportunity record sales stage found to be sale closed won OR sale closed lost in these cases new lead will be allowed to create as fresh lead I mean witout the "Repeated/Duplicated" Status but when try to convert NO Contact record will be allowed instead new opportunity can be created.
If we go with above approach we can measure the prospect coming through multiple channels and as well measure the markeitng campaign effectiveness,
request you suggestion please , thanks in advance.
I have asked the software developer for customization that links a duplicate prospect record to the original prospect,
if same prospect comes in multiple times through the integrations that is before the lead is Converted to Opportunity record then all are marked as "Repeated/Duplicated" and linked to the orgin lead.
if same prospect comes in multiple times after the lead is converted to to Opportunity then all these leads still marked as "repeated/duplicated" and linked to the Contact record in the lead section.
following condition considered as new lead
if lead is Dead i,e before Converted to opportunity and if after Converted and opportunity record sales stage found to be sale closed won OR sale closed lost in these cases new lead will be allowed to create as fresh lead I mean witout the "Repeated/Duplicated" Status but when try to convert NO Contact record will be allowed instead new opportunity can be created.
If we go with above approach we can measure the prospect coming through multiple channels and as well measure the markeitng campaign effectiveness,
request you suggestion please , thanks in advance.
It sounds like you have your mind made up on a plan and ways to get around the challenges, so not sure you need much more here but for what it is worth I think managing the campaigns and maintaining multiple records for the same contact should be separate issues. Campaigns table just links to an id, so there is nothing stopping you from having the same id (after you merge) show up in multiple places for reporting but think for your long-term sanity of maintaining contacts having mass amounts of duplicates will be trouble IMHO but it may be because all the companies I know using Sugar CRM or Salesforce ultimately want to track leads through beyond just accounts but into their business systems as customers. Therefore, most will let their marketing automation bring in duplicates but on conversion they de-dupe the record. If that just doesn't work for you, the other thing I know to be true is no two businesses operate exactly the same and I would go with your gut as long as you have done due diligence on what happens after conversion given lead is just one small part of a contacts life cyle (with luck).
ASKER
So nice of you for such a great support. I just wanted to understand on what you suggest that becomes very important for as we have still not gone live. please suggest.
I thought I was being clear, so please forgive me. I have been suggesting you go with approach 1. It is much easier to capture / count the duplicates for purposes of giving credit to marketing campaigns, sales people, et cetera than it is to manage later an instance cluttered with multiples. The point of Sugar CRM is to give you better insight into the sales funnel, correct? Therefore, think about your 1 lead giving you $10K opportunity... does this opportunity grow to $100K just because you repeated the same person 10 times? If you want my opinion, it remains approach 1. Almost had me convinced but then starts with customization to get the duplicates organized, so now you would be adding a modification to system that you have to pay for and worry about during upgrades; therefore, even from a financial perspective, I have to go back to approach 1.
ASKER
Thanks Kevin. I understood but not one input from you, by default sugarcrm does to support out of the box on approach 1 this has to go for customization, the easiest to achieve approach2 ,
1. even when we go for approach2 I agree with you on manual user operation we can merge how about the integration leads pushed to Sugarcrm like web2lead, online chat, face book Ad leads,
2. lead would have moved to opportunity stage and now same prospect enters as lead how the merge can happen here, in this case should we have allow it through the integrations as "Repeated/Duplicated" and then manually merge
I am sorry hope iam not disturbing you too much
1. even when we go for approach2 I agree with you on manual user operation we can merge how about the integration leads pushed to Sugarcrm like web2lead, online chat, face book Ad leads,
2. lead would have moved to opportunity stage and now same prospect enters as lead how the merge can happen here, in this case should we have allow it through the integrations as "Repeated/Duplicated" and then manually merge
I am sorry hope iam not disturbing you too much
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What version of Sugar are you using?
ASKER
Hi Kevin
I am using 7.9 .1.0 , we had old process running, now are migrating on new process this dedupe is main hence getting this to be the best. I also agree the approach 1 is good but it requires too much customization is what understood I mean when it has to be done through the automatic merge. your suggestion will be my decision
I am using 7.9 .1.0 , we had old process running, now are migrating on new process this dedupe is main hence getting this to be the best. I also agree the approach 1 is good but it requires too much customization is what understood I mean when it has to be done through the automatic merge. your suggestion will be my decision
ASKER
Hi Kevin
Thanks for your support just before closing this case, I request you support is it possible to hide the leads/opportunities which are of status "Repeated/Duplicated" so that when users perform Global search they do not get the Repeated/Duplicated records of any module listed. please suggest can we achieve this please. thanks in advance.
Thanks for your support just before closing this case, I request you support is it possible to hide the leads/opportunities which are of status "Repeated/Duplicated" so that when users perform Global search they do not get the Repeated/Duplicated records of any module listed. please suggest can we achieve this please. thanks in advance.
I am not sure you can hide them from Global search as that either searches module or it does not from my experience. However, you can use a filter on the list view for Leads. In addition, the Global search usually only indexes items with save from the UI. If you are updating these via a SQL query to the new status, it doesn't count. Further, when you are updating them, you could put something in the name like "[Repeat] Lead Name" so when they come up on Global search the users know to skip them right away.
ASKER
Hi Kevin Cross
May I request iam i going in right direction your comments would be a great input to me please.
May I request iam i going in right direction your comments would be a great input to me please.
See comment right above this one. Global search is a module on|off system -- at least my experience with it. The only times I have seen things not show up was when I did automation|data integration straight through SQL Server. When I use API calls, the records show as if I saved from UI and as such Global Search picks them up for indexing. I do not know of another way to hide them from Global Search because of that. In other words, if your sync or activity acts through API|UI, the item will show up in the search. If your customization is SQL-based, then it won't show up in the search unless someone goes into the record from within Sugar UI.
Hope that helps!