CRM Development

Development

Thoughtful and thorough development can avoid many of the challenges and obstacles faced in using and implementing a customer relationship management system. With shifts in competition and the increasing reliance by corporations on CRM systems, development of software has become more important than ever.Technical communicators can play a significant role in developing software that is usable and easy to navigate


Marketing
CRM systems for marketing track and measure campaigns over multiple channels, such as email, search, social media, telephone and direct mail. These systems track clicks, responses, leads and deals.
Customer service and support.
CRMs can be used to create, assign and manage requests made by customers, such as call center software which help direct customers to agents.[2] CRM software can also be used to identify and reward loyal customers over a period of time.
Appointments.
Appointment CRMs automatically provide suitable appointment times to customers via e-mail or the web, which are then synchronized with the representative or agent's calendar.[citation needed]
Small business[edit source | editbeta]
For small businesses a CRM system may simply consist of a contact manager system which integrates emails, documents, jobs, faxes, and scheduling for individual accounts.[citation needed] CRM systems available for specific markets (legal, finance) frequently focus on event management and relationship tracking as opposed to financial return on investment (ROI).
Social media[edit source | editbeta]
CRM often makes use of social media to build up customer relationship. Some CRM systems integrate social media sites like Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google Plus to track and communicate with customers sharing opinions and experiences with a company, products and services.[3] Trends identified through social media allow businesses to make more accurate decisions on which products to supply.
Non-profit and membership-based.
Systems for non-profit and membership-based organizations help track constituents, fund-raising, demographics, membership levels, membership directories, volunteering and communication with individuals.
Adoption Issues

In 2003, a Gartner report estimated that more than $1 billion had been spent on software that was not being used. According to KEN Insights, less than 40 percent of 1,275 participating companies had end-user adoption rates above 90 percent.[4] Many corporations only use CRM systems on a partial or fragmented basis.[5][citation needed] In a 2007 survey from the UK, four-fifths of senior executives reported that their biggest challenge is getting their staff to use the systems they had installed. 43 percent of respondents said they use less than half the functionality of their existing system.
Market Leaders

The CRM market grew by 12.5 percent in 2008, from revenue of $8.13 billion in 2007 to $9.15 billion in 2008.[7] The following table lists the top vendors in 2006–2008 (figures in millions of US dollars) published in Gartner studies.[8][9]