What You Need to Know About CRM

1. It's all about the customer. Some companies focus too much on expensive CRM programs and elaborate IT departments and not enough on what is at the core of CRM. CRM programs need to be designed to appeal to the business' customers. The best Call Centers are the ones which customers find easy to navigate. The best CRM vendors have the customer satisfaction in mind when designing their CRM applications.

2. On-demand is the way to go. Many vendors offer traditional CRM programs and service. I believe, however, that On-demand CRM is the way to go. On-demand CRM is different from traditional methods in that instead of requiring companies to hire new IT people, and use extensive resources to implement elaborate CRM programs, the software comes with support. On-demand CRM is no longer the "bring your own IT department" approach. Many vendors like Salesforce.com, Siebel, and NetSuite offer On-demand solutions that are great for businesses just getting into the CRM market.

3. Customer Relationship Management is not just software. Some businesses would like it to be simply software, but it will never be as simple as that. Customer Relationship Management is an ongoing learning process. The business must learn from the customer and change accordingly. The closer a business gets to its customer, the better. CRM applications and strategies are the methods through which the business can access, analyze, and learn from customer Data. Knowing what CRM applications are actually for is a very important step in understanding how to be successful when implementing CRM practices.

4. It is important to understand that there are hundreds of CRM vendors out there. Many of the vendors claim to be number one, but if you look closely, they may be number one in only one category. Other companies say that they are number one in CRM, but there is no basis for their statement. It is important for companies to choose the right vendor that will attend to all of their CRM needs. This may not always be the most expensive, "number one" company. On the contrary, some simple companies offer CRM solutions that are highly effective. Some of the major CRM providers are Siebel, Salesforce.com, NetSuite, IBM, Microsoft, and SAP.

5. The best CRM technology can be very helpful for any business. Some CRM applications can now be accessed via BlackBerry devices. Major vendors are constantly updating their software and improving their service. It is a good idea to stay as current as possible in terms of CRM technology. However, always remember to balance technology with customer service. There is no substitute for old-fashioned customer service, the most basic of all CRM ideals.

Customer Relationship Management can be very beneficial for a business if it is carried out properly. It is important to keep the customer in mind at all times when you are implementing CRM practices into your business. Remember that there are quite a few CRM vendors out there, and it is important to choose the vendor that is best for your company. Customer Relationship Management seems like a very daunting idea for someone who has never used it before, but if you follow these steps, you will surely see the benefits of successful CRM.

Frank Dazerton is very interested in Customer Relationship Management and writes for CRM Lowdown.

---

The Number 1 Rule for Businesses - Be Professional

Have you ever walked into a store and things looked... Read More

Complaining Consumers

The salesman's job is to be well informed; extremely well... Read More

The 7 Principles of Business Integrity

If you have integrity, nothing else matters. If you don't... Read More

Making The Most Of Newsletters

Newsletters can be wonderful tools for communicating with your customers... Read More

Clients... and 38 ways to communicate with them

As Alan Weiss (guru to the savvy consultant) says: "It... Read More

Empowering Customer Service Vital

It never fails to amaze me how many companies have... Read More

Putting The Service Back In Customer Service

The future of customer service is here. Technology has made... Read More

Customer Service - How Good Are YOU?

At 8.30 am a wealthy client (on his way to... Read More

Are You A Coward? I Was

Over the last month, I have come to hate emails... Read More

Say It With Humor

When you own a business, you may find yourself in... Read More

Proofs of Delivery and Logistics: Speeding Throughput and Avoiding Pitfalls

It should be a straightforward business scenario: making sure that... Read More

Stellar Customer Service in 10 Simple Steps

If you're like me, you've had plenty of experience with... Read More

We Sell For Less and Our Stores Are a Mess!

What kind of image do you present when marketing your... Read More

Dont Work with Jerks: How to Recognize a Difficult Client Early

Five minutes into the call I knew this client was... Read More

How To Use Your Current Customers

Jay instructed a customer of his to offer a rare... Read More

The Consumer Power

While most companies talk about consumer friendliness, customer centricity, customer... Read More

Customer Service and Marketing that Works

Go into many businesses today and try and get service,... Read More

Absence Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

However, in the world of business, this cliché may not... Read More

Loyalty Programs May Keep Customers Coming Back ? But First You?ve Got to Earn their Trust

Remember trading stamps? If you're over 40, chances are you... Read More

How to Win the Hearts of Your Customers and Friends

Those of us doing business over the internet have to... Read More

Customer First Customer Service

The world of customer service is rapidly changing. Thirty years... Read More

Communicating for Profit and Customer Satisfaction

The President of a 200+ store division of a major... Read More

Learning from Your Employees and Customers Complaints

Listening to complaints, whether they're reasonable or not, is a... Read More

How CRM Software Works -- Creating Customer Satisfaction with a Click

When people ask, "What is CRM?" the literal answer is,... Read More

Customer Service, Italian Style

Nowadays, we complain nearly all of the time about how... Read More

Why Communication Skills Dont Work In Customer Service

Every time my firm conducts communication skills training, we know... Read More

Revealed ? A Simple Formula For Success! Exceeding Expectations

Delight = Customer Expectation plus 1. This was the simple... Read More

Dealing with Disgruntled Customers

No matter how hard you try, in business you simply... Read More

Your Voice Print

"Mountains are built one pebble at a time and climbed... Read More

Adjustment DENIED

It's just a simple thing ? I bought a new... Read More

Customer Service - A Lost Art?

Is customer service a lost art? Before you answer that... Read More

Develop Loyal Customers for a Lifetime ? part 2 (11 ? 20)

Traditional marketing strategies encourage business owners to continually grow their... Read More

The Death of the Loyal Customer

One of my classes in management focused on the repeat... Read More