Customer Relationship Management (Chapter 11)

Pre-transaction elements

precede the sale and include customer service policies, the mission statement, organizational structure, and system flexibility

A successful CRM program is both

simple and complex

Sales Force Automation

(SFA) Used for documenting field activities, communications with the home office, and retrieving sales history in the field.

Step 1. Creating the CRM Plan:

- Objectives of the CRM program - CRM's fit with corporate strategy - New applications to be purchased or developed - Integration or replacement of existing legacy systems - Personnel Requirements - personnel, training, policies, upgrades, and maintenance - The costs and time frame for implementation

Cloud Computing (Software as a Service)

- ala carte and on demand offerings accessed via web browser - Changing the cost structure of CRM applications EX: get service without buying software; no need to take of updates; company's start out doing this to make sure the software works for you and you don't have to commit

Call Centers (or Customer Contact Centers)

-Can categorize calls -Determine average resolution time -Increasing customer satisfaction levels -Provide input to forecast future demand -Improve the productivity of the overall staff "There's nothing worse than calling your service provider and finding out that you know more than the person on the other end of the line" Neil Armstrong, Marketing Director at UK broadband service provider PlusNet

6 Steps to a Successful CRM Program

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Trends in CRM

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GROUP EXERCISE IN SLIDES

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Customer Relationship Management

Building and maintaining profitable long-term customer relationships

Step 4 - Integrate Existing CRM Applications

CRM is a collection of various applications implemented over time. - Customer contact mechanisms need to be coordinated so that every CRM user in the firm knows about all of the activity associated with each customer. - Centralized database or data warehouse containing all customer information.

Social Media

Creating and cultivating virtual communities around product or brand is a powerful way to engage consumers

Field Service Management

Customers can communicate directly with product specialists using wireless devices and the right diagnosis can be made quickly EX: Direct TV installation

Relationship Marketing or Permission Marketing

Customers self-select the type and time of communication they want. Requires software and active customer participation. [Mobile marketing and QR Codes.] EX: Subscribe to our newsletter or our partner's newsletter

Customer Value Determination

Determine customer lifetime value so that appropriate communications, benefits, services or policies can be established for each customer segment.

Step 2 - Involve CRM users from Outset

Employees should understand how it affects their jobs - Create a project team with members from all affected organizational areas. - Test with a pilot application (involve CRM users so they don't feel threatened)

Knowledge Management

Enables quick decision making, better customer service, and a better-equipped and happy sales staff.

Predicting Customer Behaviors

Facilitates forecasting the likelihood of customers' purchases

Customer Service Elements

Next slides + definitions

Event Based Marketing

Offer the right products and services to customers at the right time. Offer individual promotions tied to specific events. (EX: Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Christmas)

What does Customer Service actually mean?

Performance measures are often designed around satisfying the Seven R's. These kinds of services can come at a cost. "Seven R's Rule" the right product the right quantity the right quality the right place the right time the right customer the right costs IN ADDITION --> + the right documentation = the Perfect Order

Churn Reduction

Reducing customer defections (5% improvement in customer retention can result in a 75% increase in profits)

Customer Data Privacy

Rules and laws regarding invasion of privacy include Patriot Act in the US and Internet Privacy Law in the EU

Sales Territory Management

Sales managers obtain information on each sales rep's activities

Lead Management

Sales reps can follow prescribed tactics when dealing with prospects to aid in closing the deal. EX: discounts or financing, free delivery, etc.

Step 5 - Establish Performance Measures

This allows the firm to: - Determine if objectives have been met - Compare actual to planned variance (take action to correct issues)

Sales Activity Management

Tool offering sales reps a guided sequence of sales activities

Personalizing Customer Communications

Understanding customer behaviors and preferences, allows a firm to customize communications aimed as specific groups of customers and is likely to result in greater levels of sales. --Clickstream: tracking how a customer navigates a website can help tailor a website's images, ads or discounts based on past usage of the site.

Website Self-Service

Web sites act as support mechanisms for call centers. Customers can access their account information and operating hours, contact information, etc.

For CRM to be successful...

a company must find ways to meet its customers needs; otherwise, just as any firm would react with a non-performing supplier, the customer goes elsewhere and takes years worth of future purchases with them.

Because many companies do not sell their products directly to end-product consumers, ...

companies may also need to train and certify that their intermediate customers are able to adequately represent their company's products. EX: CVS said they didn't have prescription for mclaury, however, it was their wholesaler that did not have the product which is mclaury's pharm. company's customer. (the wholesaler made the pharm. company look bad through CVS and end customers)

Just as companies must create methods for finding and developing good suppliers,...

companies must create methods for becoming and staying good suppliers themselves **Supply relationship and Customer relationship management is essentially the same, except you are on either side**

Target Marketing Efforts

e-mail or direct mail saves labor and postage, reduces chances of being a nuisance --> different generations don't like the same things; EX: video games

CRM is simple that it...

involves training users and treating customers right, to make them feel valued.

CRM is complex that it...

it also means finding affordable ways to identify (potentially millions of) customers and their needs, and then designing customer contact strategies geared toward creating customer satisfaction and loyalty among your segments of customers. (EX: Customer service help desks)

Segmenting Customers

Grouping customers to create specialized communications about products

Step 6 - Providing CRM Training for All Users

- Provide and require training for all of the initial users and then provide training on an ongoing basis as applications are added - Training can also help convince key users like sales, call center, and marketing personnel of the benefits and uses of CRM applications --> training shows value of the system to those who were previously opposed

What to do to maintain the customer relationship..

-Focusing on customer requirements -Delivering products and services in a manner resulting in high levels of customer satisfaction

How to maintain customer relationships

-Talking to customers -Understanding their behavior and their requirements -Building a system to satisfy those requirements

Measuring Customer Satisfaction

Customers are frequently given opportunities to provide feedback about a product, service, or organization

Step 3 - Select the Right Application and Provider

Find an appropriate application and determine the extent of customization - Visit trade shows, read trade literature, hire consultant, etc. - Compare based on performance, security, reporting capabilities, system availability, etc.

Customer Defection Analysis

Finding methods to retain customers. "Finding a new customer costs fives times as much as keeping an old customer"

Automated Sales Force Tools

Following Slides

Key Tools and Components of CRM

Following slides w/ definitions

Cross Selling

Selling additional products as the result of an initial purchase (e.g., e-mails from Amazon.com describing other products bought by people who purchased one or more of the items you just purchased.) EX: Stores: Pancake mix, syrup, etc. are placed within the same aisle

Post-transaction elements

occur after the sale and include warranty repair capabilities, complaint resolution, product returns, and operating information

Transaction elements

occur during the sale and include the order lead time, the order processing capabilities and the distribution system accuracy