E-CRM

Shreya Argrawal 

I B.Com(MM) 

          E-CRM is a customer relationship management system that is implemented electronically. In simpler terms, it means managing your relationships with customers using information technology.

           Online CRM means using a Web based system to manage the customer relationships. A provider who provides CRM services for a monthly or other periodical fee owns the Web based system.

We will first look at CRM and then look at the features of e-CRM and online CRM.

WHAT DO WE MEAN BY CRM?

        CRM is not yet defined in full detail. However, we can say that CRM means getting to know the customers closely enough to improve our products, marketing efforts and communications with customers.

         Typically, customers do not constitute a single uniform group. Instead, there would be several customer segments with each segment having slightly different needs and preferences. By identifying the different segments and their particular requirements, we can do the following:
Develop campaigns and campaign materials that work better with each customer segment
Package our offers to make it meet the unique needs of a targeted segment, say, by offering mail order services to make it convenient for customers in remote locations
Create a marketing setup that can reach particular customer segments most effectively
Train salespersons on how to sell better to specific customer segments

         CRM systems also help us manage lead generation and contacts management tasks better. While lead generation helps generate a steady flow of prospects, contacts management helps us track the prospects till they become customers.

         Effective customer relations do not stop with sales. It goes on to after-sales support, resolution of complaints and even to new sales leads in the forms of cross-selling and up-selling opportunities. CRM systems would incorporate features like a trouble ticket feature that help us manage customer support requests and complaints in a systematic and time-bound manner. Finally, CRM systems will have analytical features that would help us analyze customer interactions to generate reports of customer profiles and buying behavior. This kind of information is the basis for marketing planning and sales forecasts