CRM (customer relationship management)

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a widely implemented strategy for managing a company’s interactions with customers, clients and sales prospects.

Many organizations turn to CRM software to help them manage their customer relationships. Many CRM vendors offer Web-based tools (cloud computing) and software as a service (SaaS), which are accessed via a secure Internet connection and displayed in a Web browser.

Benefits of Customer Relationship Management :

•     Quality and efficiency
•     Decrease in overall costs
•     Decision support
•     Enterprise ability
•     Customer Attention
•     Increase profitability

Here are some modules common to most of packaged CRM Software:

Sales Force Automation

•     Contact management
•     Contact management software stores, tracks and manages contacts, leads of an enterprise.
•     Lead management
•     Enterprise Lead management software enables an organization to manage, track and forecast sales leads. Also helps  understand and improve conversion rates.

eCRM or Web based CRM

•     Self Service CRM
•     Self service CRM (eCRM) software Enables web based customer interaction, automation of email, call logs, web site analytics, campaign management.
•     Survey Management Software
•     Survey Software automates an enterprise's Electronic Surveys, Polls, Questionnaires and enables understand customer preferences.

Customer Service

•     Call Center Software

A call center is a sophisticated voice operations center that provides a full range of high-volume, inbound or outbound call-handling services, typically including customer support, operator services and directory assistance. It generally refers to reservations centers, help desks, information lines or customer service centers. A call center consists of a complex telecommunication infrastructures, sophisticated computer systems and skilled service representatives organized to effectively manage the incoming and outgoing telephone calls. CRM call center module captures the vast amount of data in call center operation, prioritize call center service, and direct incoming calls to the appropriate service representatives.

•     Help Desk Software

Help desk software can improve customer satisfaction and productivity by automating customer support processes. Basic features of help desk software includes requests submission, email notification, searching Knowledge Base and administration interfaces. Web-based helpdesk software allows users to search support knowledge base so that users can either find the answer online without calling a support representative or ask more specific questions when they do need to talk to a live person for support.

Partner Relationship Management

•     Contract Management Software

Contract Management Software enables an enterprise to create, track and manage partnerships, contracts, agreements.
Example: Upside Software, Accruent Software, diCarta, I-Many.

•     Distribution management  Software

Distribution Management System, which simplifies and manages each phase of your distribution chain from customers, ordering, delivery, payment, inventory, and right through to services management. Distribution Management System facilitates the coordination of sales work in a best possible way.