Can you handle CRM?

CRM suites tackle sales-force management, customer communications (call centres, email and Web chats), internal help-desk operations, and even self-service Web sites.

But in trying to do everything, some CRM packages wind up doing nothing. By some estimates, half of CRM implementations ultimately fail. The reason: Every business is just a little different and wants to perform each CRM function just a little differently. And CRM software is, by its nature, completely customisable.

Historically, the CRM suites from Siebel, J.D. Edwards, Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft, among others, have been delivered in their raw forms as little more than templates ready to be customised with the features, functions and connections to external systems for a particular customer.

It then becomes the job of the consultant, integrator and/or service provider to determine the scope of the project and start planning--with plenty of customer interaction. As Lee White of Answerthink says, "The biggest problem is just getting all the [people] within the customer's organisation to agree" on project parameters.

Can you handle CRM?

1.   Intro      2.   One size doesn't fit all      3.   Open arms across the bay      4.   Components for success      5.   Customer relief management

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