1. Evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of using Customer Relationship Management
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) defines how organizations interact with their customers. CRM comprises of strategies and processes of acquiring and retaining selective customers in order to make superior return for the company (Formant, 2000). It integrates marketing, sales, customer service and the supply chain functions of the organization to offer high quality customer value
According to Schmitt (2003), CRM is a complex process, which focuses on generating a two way relationship between the organization and its customers. Further, Kincaid (2003) viewed CRM as “the strategic use of information, process, technology, and people to manage the customer relationship with the company”. Therefore, it is worthy to mention that technology plays a crucial role in CRM. For instance, Vodafone; the British multinational company uses technology to conduct several CRM activities. Vodafone has mentioned that they desire to get much better understanding about their customers by providing multiple access channels to their staff and partners. The company expect and have experienced increase in customer loyalty while reducing their operation cost with time (Vodafone, 2015).
Now a days numerous companies are using customer centric strategies, programs, tools, and technologies for effective CRM (Schmitt, 2003). As suggested by Greenberg (2010, p.17), the customer is now at the hub of the business
CRM is a process that turns the customer’s data into customers’ loyalty through activities which is collecting customers’ data, analysing customer data and identify target customers, developing CRM through programs and implement CRM programs.
CRM as we know it today has evolved out of a variety of stand-alone technologies, such as call centers, and sales force automation systems. During the 1980s companies had begun to notice that it was possible to consolidate these disparate technologies. Insurance companies and banks, in particular, saw a golden marketing opportunity in the customer data they had gathered. Call centers began to conduct outbound calls such as up-selling where they would persuade the customer to purchase: more products from their line, upgrades, or other add-ons and so on. Soon enough customers began to be seen as a single entity across all departments, which led to a single view of ‘the customer’. Customers soon got used to CRM care and
Chen, I, J. and Popovich, K. (2003) Understanding customer relationship management (CRM). People, process and technology. Business process management journal, Vol. 9 No 5. Retrieved from http://cis.csuohio.edu/~ichen/CRM.pdf
These personnel could include front office, sales staff, and customer support and service. In each interaction opportunity with customers, CRM data is used by staff to produce rapid, informed, and, desirably, helpful decisions in order to both satisfy the customer in the present, and maintain their loyalty in the future. Though there are many approaches and techniques for CRM, all successful applications have three things in common. First, it is important to recognize that people are the most vital link between an organization and their customers. Second, the process of CRM must be tested and sophisticated, as well continuously improving. Third, there is usually a relatively large degree of technology integrated into the
An effective Customer Relationship Management (CRM) program can be used to identify, retain, satisfy and obtain customers by using technology to optimize strategies for understanding customers’ needs to manage business interactions with current, former, and prospective customers. Additionally, CRM also enables companies to maximize internal, external, marketing and customer service operations to better address the needs of the customer building a better relationship with customers that a more profitable. (Ahmad & Buttle, 2001)
Ling and Yen, 2001 assume CRM to be a vital element of a business strategy while Wayland and Cole, 1997 find it as the means to develop long term relationships with customers, given all the facts. Various experts and scholars could have various perspectives but their basic aim is to generate a remarkable customer experience. To make the most of the system lies in the hands of the organization and not the system itself. An evaluation between two stores with similar quality services and products, shows that the one with an intense customer understanding and knowledge will have its customers coming back to its store for more (Linoff and Berry 2011). They also reason that campaign management, lead tracking and call centre softwares are the components of the same CRM system. Its a radical change for most of the companies to develop a system that revolves around customer relations. The crucial points that need to be emphasized are
The main goal of Customer relationship management is to create a strong bond between customers and the company. The strong bond can be build by focusing on the two main objectives of CRM. Providing the organization and all of the employees that treat customers with a single and complete view of every customer at every touch point and across all channels and providing the customer a single and complete view of the company and its extended channels (O’Brien, A & Marakas, G. 2004).
Today, customer relationship management is very important to the business world. Most of the companies established a department and the programs to manage their relationship with the customers. Customer relationship management (CRM) is a business strategy which designed to help a company to understand and look forward to the needs of its potential and current customers (Anderson & Stang, 2000). Customer data is being collected in several different areas of the company, stored in a central database, analyzed, and distributed to key points (Anderson & Stang, 2000).The business world once was “product-centric”, the companies just provided what they could produce. However, it is now become “customer-centric”, they provide products and service
In today’s competitive market, all customer facing organizations (including banks), have realized the importance of customer insight, to grow further. A good CRM strategy is a key factor to differentiate with competitors and create good branding among customer base. Any Bank that cannot leverage CRM, have failed to improve revenue and customer satisfaction.
In order to establish a suitable CRM system and increase the success rate, understanding CRM processes is especially important. Building CRM system, there are many works need to do(). Firstly, the target customer market should be identified. Different customer strategies are focused on different target customer markets based on their profitability. Then, firms set customer objectives, for example, acquire customer satisfaction and loyalty. After that, the leaders and managers should support and commit the implementation of a CRM system. At the same time, when companies change their targets, a plan about changing
It’s very important to a business to have good customer relationships; CRM Software’s main objectives are to attract new customers while maintaining and satisfying their current customers and trying to win back the trust of former customers. Customers are one of the most important variables for a business owner to pay attention to, when trying to create a profit. Customer Relationship Management software keeps track of customer information to help the company maintain a strong relation with the customers. Good CRM Software brings together information from all databases within a company and gives
Customer Relationship Management (CRM): Customer relation management (CRM) is a cross functional enterprise system that computerizes numerous customers serving form in direct marketing, sales, customer service and accounting management. CRM allows a company to distinguish and focus on their best customer so that they can be held as a loyal customer for a longer period of time.
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is an information industry term for methodologies, software, and usually Internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. For example, an enterprise might build a database about its customers that described relationships in sufficient detail so that management, salespeople, people providing service, and perhaps the customer directly could access information, match customer needs with product plans and offerings, remind customers of service requirements, know what other products a customer had
Customer relationship management (CRM) is a term that alludes to practices, systems and innovations that organizations use to oversee and break down customer cooperation and information all through the client lifecycle, with the objective of enhancing business associations with clients, aiding customer maintenance and driving deals development. CRM frameworks are intended to arrange data on customers crosswise over various stations - or purposes of contact
Customer relationship management (CRM) is widely implemented and centralized system which offers a place for interaction under a company. An employee can handle again the repeated problem which occurred in the past by re-investigate it. Besides, CRM provides a place to identify what customers wants. Employees can track customer’s expectation by their feedback and communication that can improve their buying experience and stay interact with customer in order to understand their true needs.CRM also has ability to let the company see the customer interaction in clear picture. Different customers from different segments require different products and services, but this complex situation can handle well by CRM. Furthermore, CRM provides quality and efficiency system in the company management that helps company achieves their success by building long-term customer relationship.