| Small business/large business management and | | | | but this is easily avoided. |
| success is largely dependent upon customer | | | | Make rules for creating new profiles. Double check |
| acquisition, customer relationship enhancements, | | | | data entries so that duplicates are avoided, email |
| and customer retention, otherwise known as | | | | addresses are correct and that the data is |
| Customer Relationship Management, or CRM. | | | | inputted completely and correctly and isn't out of |
| CRM is a combination of enterprise strategies, | | | | date. Re-establish customer contact if their info |
| business processes and information technologies | | | | isn't correct or complete or is out of date....the |
| that are used to learn about customers' needs | | | | extra contact can't hurt and will make them feel |
| and behaviors in order to develop stronger | | | | special. |
| relationships with them. | | | | All aspects of CRM are now available on the Net. |
| In the not-too-far past, CRM mainly consisted of | | | | Some big name packaged CRM systems are |
| a roll-a-deck index file and a telephone and answer | | | | ACT!, Goldmine, and Epiphany. You can do a |
| machine. An enhanced CRM system would have | | | | Google search for more packaged CRM systems. |
| included an Excel spreadsheet. | | | | If you are looking for free CRM software, try |
| Today the Net offers businesses many software | | | | Open Office, a free replacement for MS-Office |
| applications that simplifies and speeds up the 3 | | | | with some enhancements. Or go to Packaged |
| cornered processes of customer acquisition, | | | | CRM systems or free systems might meet the |
| relationship enhancements and retention. CRM | | | | needs of a small business, but large businesses |
| software systems streamline CRM at each phase. | | | | generally require a custom-built, integrated CRM |
| CRM systems generally consist of a contact | | | | system. |
| manager program, snail mail and/or email | | | | What will using CRM do for your business? |
| marketing campaigns, a sales tracking program, | | | | Besides streamlining all the functions of running a |
| and a voice mail system or a multi-media contact | | | | business and saving tons of time, basically, it will |
| center. | | | | make your customers feel special by |
| On the downside, CRM systems are only as good | | | | understanding their needs and fulfilling those needs |
| as the information it contains. The old | | | | in a personal manner, which will keep them coming |
| programmer's motto "garbage in, garbage out" | | | | back for more. |
| applies to CRM data quality. | | | | Your alternative? Don't use CRM and lose 50% of |
| One of the most common reasons cited for high | | | | your customers every 5 years. Can you afford |
| failure rate of CRM systems is poor data quality, | | | | to do that? |