| What is Customer Relationship Management? | | | | need CRM. Your success would not last long if you |
| Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in simple | | | | did not manage your customer information. The |
| terms is the process of tracking all aspects of the | | | | options for how you manage that information can be |
| relationship you have with your customers. This | | | | quite varied. There are Customer Relationship |
| begins with cultivating them as a Lead, through the | | | | Management (CRM) software programs available that |
| sales process and follow up as an on-going customer. | | | | will no doubt provide you with the functions you |
| It involves collection of contact and company | | | | need to manage all your customer information, and |
| information (Contact Management), tracking of sales | | | | then some. Many of those programs come at a great |
| and sales related data (Sales Management), and | | | | cost, and with a great deal of complexity. When |
| organization and maintenance of customer follow up | | | | looking for a solution to your CRM needs, focus on |
| (Customer Management). In some businesses CRM | | | | one concept: What does my business need from |
| may also integrate Accounting, Invoicing, Order | | | | Customer Relationship Management? |
| Processing, Reconciliation, Inventory Tracking, | | | | The primary thing to keep in mind as you look for a |
| Support and other processes. Customer Relationship | | | | Customer Relationship Management solution is to |
| Management is a system for keeping a history of all | | | | focus on the functions you need for your business. |
| the information for those customers you wish to | | | | There are literally hundreds of software programs |
| keep, and keep happy. | | | | that provide some kind of Customer Relationship |
| Where does Customer Relationship Management | | | | Management functionality. Contact Management, Lead |
| start? | | | | Management, Sales Management, Accounting, |
| The starting point for most Customer Relationship | | | | Marketing, and so on can all be components of CRM. |
| Management (CRM) is the collection and organization | | | | Some programs include every possible aspect of |
| of contact information. This is typically known as | | | | Customer Relationship Management, and can cost |
| Contact Management. The Contact Management | | | | hundreds of thousands of dollars to purchase and |
| portion of CRM involves the collection of information | | | | implement. Instead of looking for a program that |
| about the people and companies you work with. This | | | | does everything that could possibly be needed from |
| includes basic information such as names, addresses, | | | | CRM, look for one that does what YOU need. |
| phone numbers, and email addresses for people and | | | | If you need to manage your clients and accounts |
| companies. Good Contact Management also provides | | | | well, look for a good Contact Manager. If you need |
| a reviewable history of all the communication and | | | | to manage your leads, prospects and sales, find a |
| activities related to your customers, at both the | | | | good Sales Force Automation program. Do you |
| contact and company level. Customer Relationship | | | | already use a program like Outlook for email and |
| Management (CRM) after all, is all about the | | | | calendar? Look for a program that integrates well |
| "Customer", so begin with good management of the | | | | with Outlook. Focus on the features and functions |
| vital contact information. | | | | you need and will use on a daily basis, then find the |
| Do I need Customer Relationship Management? | | | | program that provides them. Having a ton of bells |
| Asking if you need Customer Relationship | | | | and whistles is great, unless you don't use them. |
| Management (CRM) is like asking if you need | | | | Then it just becomes a waste of money, and |
| Customers. Of course you do. If you wish to run a | | | | ultimately time and productivity for the users. |
| successful business, you need Customers, and you | | | | |