Customer relationship management implementation

Irrespective of the implementation approach, consolidating ERP systems will be the single most important topic for companies wanting to create a viable platform for IT investments that will finally start to fulfill the promises offered by tools such as CRM (Customer Relationship Management). 

These and other questions are natural. A trap is trying to correct basic process flaws with complex software. The consequences of the confusion can be seen in the implementation of one popular application — Customer Relationship Management (CRM). It is certainly a supply chain application, located in Figure 25.1 at the interface between the company and its customers. 

Payne A., Prow P., 2006, Customer Relationship Management From Strategy to Implementation, Journal of Marketing Management, 22(1/2), pp. 135-168. 

The researchers attributed the failure of CRM installations to one central factor the assumption on the part of management that the software would manage the customer relationship. The reality is that CRM is a bundling of customer strategy and processes, supported by software. The researchers recommended avoiding the following four perils in implementing CRM. These cautions are applicable to any systems effort. 

As this strategy is implemented new supply chains m have to be developed for unrelated products. Each supply chain requires a form of management and each supply chain has a critical supplier in it. This supplier needs to be identified, and the relationships that will be required must be developed. If the diversification is accomplished by a merger or acquisition, the supply chain may have to be adjusted to the arrangements used by the acquiring compaity. Maity times there are new suppliers and customers involved in this type of diversification so the supply chain will grow substantially if it is not managed. 

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