Sunday, December 25, 2011

CRM

Antecedents to today's Web-based CRM solutions include packaged contact management software, which was introduced in 1990. Around that time companies began to adopt formal telemarketing programs and develop multilevel customer service solutions. By 1997 the CRM marketplace was beginning to flourish, and from 1997 to 2000 and beyond the market for front-office solutions focused on customers grew explosively. In 1999 the first packaged sales force automation (SFA) solutions became available, and custom CRM solutions appeared. PeopleSoft, a prominent developer of human resources applications and other integrated application suites for large enterprises, entered the CRM marketplace in 1999 with the acquisition of Vantive and became a leading CRM provider. Oracle, SAP, and Siebel emerged with other major product offerings. Since 1999 customer interaction with companies over the Web has grown, fueling the growth of Web-based CRM solutions.

CRM packages have several components and can be quite complex. Some CRM vendors, such as Oracle, have offered entry-level components, such as sales force automation (SFA) and customer service, for free as Web-delivered services. These free services are designed to get potential customers started on what would eventually become a more complex CRM package.

E-mail is one CRM tool that can be used to improve customer service and conduct personalized marketing campaigns. A 2001 study by AMR Research found that e-mail response management applications ranked second among leading CRM deployments in the United States, behind contact centers and ahead of Web-based self-service and sales force automation. Opportunities for CRM e-mail include newsletters, new product announcements, promotional discount offers, and traditional direct marketing campaigns, among others. E-mail can also be used to handle transactions, provide order confirmations, send personalized "thank you" messages, notify customers of shipping status, and more.

Read more: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - Crm Components And Vendors - Solutions, Mail, Web, Automation, Applications, and Service http://ecommerce.hostip.info/pages/273/Customer-Relationship-Management-CRM-CRM-COMPONENTS-VENDORS.html#ixzz1SuwUZuXx

According to eMarketer, most consumers expect to receive a response to their e-mail inquiries within six hours. Most companies were not responding that fast, however, with only 38 percent providing a response within six hours. About one-third took three days or longer to respond, and 24 percent did not respond to e-mail inquiries at all.

An April 2001 research report published in InfoWorld identified 19 leading CRM vendors. The magazine surveyed 500 readers associated with acquiring CRM software and services and who worked for companies with 100 or more employees. The survey found that preferred vendors were those that offered both CRM and non-CRM applications, with the leading CRM vendors identified as Oracle, PeopleSoft, and Siebel Systems. Other well-known CRM vendors included E.piphany, Broadvision, SAS Institute, and Wheelhouse. The study categorized the principal CRM applications as sales force automation, marketing automation, and call or service centers.

In addition to providing CRM solutions, vendors may also offer outsourced applications and hosting services. In some cases, solutions are industry-based, especially in highly competitive industries such as financial services, travel, and retail.

Read more: Customer Relationship Management (CRM) - Crm Components And Vendors - Solutions, Mail, Web, Automation, Applications, and Service http://ecommerce

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