This book focuses on Customer Relationship Management (CRM) as a tool set that exists within a larger context of processes and functions.
The benefits of CRM include decreased costs and increased customer loyalty combining to create higher profits, as well as increased internal accountability, employee satisfaction and better business intelligence. Some of the benefits are hard to quantify, and hence are rarely measured (but they can and should be, as we will see in Chapter 10).
Despite the tool vendors ' claims, CRM technology is not enough for success. It has to be embedded into solid processes.
CRM nirvana is a completely integrated set of tools that support all customer-focused activities in the company. However, partial solutions can be very successful, whether or not they eventually merge into a fully integrated solution. Piecemeal approaches are also much more likely to succeed than long, complex projects.
Despite well-publicized failures, most CRM projects are successful. Following the techniques described in this book will greatly improve your chances for success.
Mid- sized enterprises can derive great benefits from CRM, although they should not necessarily follow the complex and expensive approaches that larger companies use.
Successful CRM implementations bring IT and business functions together into the CRM team. This book focuses on a non-technical approach to CRM that can be used by both business and IT managers.
The CRM field is dynamic so updating your knowledge through current articles and conferences is important.
