Released on = August 10, 2007, 11:14 pm

Press Release Author = David Wong

Industry = Software

Press Release Summary = Remember when you shopped at the corner store where the
owner knew all his customers by name? People often lament the loss of this personal
touch in business. After all, it\'s hardly possible for a company with a vast product
line and a global customer base. Well think again, because Customer Relationship
Management (CRM) allows you to create that personal touch and gain the trust and
loyalty of your customers. Read on and find out how.

Press Release Body = Remember when you shopped at the corner store where the owner
knew all his customers by name? He knew your tastes and needs and could often
predict what you\'d buy. And you rewarded him with your continued custom and loyalty.
People often lament the loss of this personal touch in business. After all, it\'s
hardly possible for a company with a vast product line and a global customer base.
Well think again, because Customer Relationship Management (CRM) allows you to
create that personal touch and gain the trust and loyalty of your customers. Read on
and find out how.

Customers are the greatest asset your business has so it makes sense to take care of
them as much as possible. For one thing, serving existing customers is very cost
effective in the long run (acquiring new customers costs up to five times as much as
serving existing ones). What\'s more, this reputation for service enhances your
company\'s reputation which leads to even more business. It\'s a win-win situation,
but how do you manage it in the modern complex business environment? That\'s where
CRM comes in.

With its origins in database marketing, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is
essentially a strategic use of IT to develop your relationship with your customers.
CRM software uses sophisticated data analysis to glean insights into customer
behaviour and requirements. This lets you so determine their precise wants and
needs. And equally importantly, it makes sure that information is in the hands of
those who actually deal with your customers so they can deliver what the customer
wants and needs.

To illustrate the value of CRM to your company, we\'ll look at three major
applications: sales force productivity, customer service, and marketing
effectiveness.

CRM boost sales force productivity in many ways. Firstly, it provides accurate the
up-to-date information that the sales force needs. But strategic CRM also provides
the tools to put that data into use. This empowers your sales team. They can now
focus totally on the customer\'s needs without being distracted by the mechanics of
the operation.

For this to happen, you need a CRM solution that enables your sales operation to
share information. This will allow them to instantaneously create custom quotes and
proposals and configure products and services to meet customer needs. It\'s
essentially a matter of personalisation and all part of providing an exceptional
customer experience.

Next we\'ll look at how CRM works in the all important field of customer service.
Customer service involves forging a relationship with your customers. It requires
developing responsiveness to their needs. This requires information that is timely,
accurate, and readily available to those who need it. It\'s a vital way to
differentiate your business. And let\'s not forget after-sales service. CRM gives you
the tools to follow up on all customer transactions and let your customers know
you\'re there to support them.

Finally, there\'s the all important factor of marketing effectiveness. CRM\'s role
here is to use technology to create, automate, manage and track the efficacy of your
marketing programs. This means firstly having the right tools. These tools will give
you a clear picture of your market and so allow you to develop targeted and
personalised marketing campaigns. What\'s more, they will enable you to optimally
allocate funds and produce accurate forecasts. Targeting your campaigns will be
improved too. For example, you can set up a system to group together customers with
similar profiles to target with a marketing campaign.

Essentially, CRM is the application of IT to the age-old methodology of taking care
of your customers. The man in the corner shop could keep all the data in his head.
But in the complexity and volatility of the modern business environment, you need
the strategic IT driven CRM solution. Using effective CRM can mean the difference
between success and failure. Efficiency translates into increased customer
satisfaction, your competitive edge, and ultimately, improved ROI.

Web Site = http://www.brightblue.com.au/

Contact Details = bbs@tbi.com.au