CRM - What's This?

CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management - sometimes also known as Contact Management. The idea of these systems is to make sure that all communications between you and your customer are logged so that every enquiry or query is dealt with and every possible lead followed up.

CRM is used for active sales and marketing too and most systems will allow you to load lists of prospects from external sources and use the system to generate letters, manage telemarketing and track the progress of sales opportunities from the initial enquiry through to the sale and beyond.

CRM packages come in all shapes and sizes, from very simple off-the-shelf contact management software to complex systems that can be integrated with your other business systems. Many CRM packages can also be bought on a subscription or hosted basis - where users access the system over the web. This means you don't have to install or maintain the software, all that work is done for you.

One of the most common causes of failure in CRM is that staff, often in sales, are reluctant to use the system so it's worth taking care over the selection. Advice from a specialist consultant who's used and implemented systems will make sure that you pick the right one and set it up so that your staff are willing and able to gain the benefits.