Talk to any IT director off-the-record about client relationship management (CRM) systems, and you are likely to get a wry smile. It is the expression of someone who has entered the hazardous minefield that represents the way most law firms store and manage client and contact information. Their expression often reflects the fact that they have succeeded despite the considerable resistance to change that most CRM implementations often encounter.
But occasionally you meet one who shows the scars of implementing CRM. Someone who dared to challenge corporate culture on confidentiality without top-level support, or tried to enforce a system of updating contact records without fee earner approval. Although they gain little publicity, such implementations are painful reminders that a CRM implementation can fall into disuse despite the best of intentions.
