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