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YOU_AND_CRM
| YOU AND CRM
CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is on the tip of a lot of
tongues these days, of those hoping to break through into a new
and better way of doing business. But the real strength of this
idea isn't new at all. In plain English it simply means putting
your customers first. Many successful merchants have utilized
this approach for years. They even know it's far better to refer
a customer to a competitor who can provide what they need, than
to seek to sell something in stock that isn't going to make it
in the long run. This is not fancy theory. It works. Likely the
best hardware store in your neighborhood is run with customer
support as a primary, interwoven throughout all aspects of the
business.
Who Will Run The Show? Systems Or People?
What is new about CRM as the term is being used today is the
hope of implementing a technology on a website that emulates the
interactivity a visitor feels in an offline shop. I'm a bit
skeptical about the outcome of current efforts. As a
professional programmer for many years, I've seen first hand how
seldom usability is considered in developing software. Anything
the theorist or techie types get a hold of tends to be system
driven, as opposed to people directed.
To catch a glimpse of what I mean, think of a computer program
you use often. Chances are there are some things it does not do
in the way you want it done. For example, one of my programs
uses a spell checker. But every time I start it up, it jumps
into the middle of the text window. This means I can't see the
misspelled word or the context within which it is used. So I
have to move the window. Every time I run the program.
This is nonsense, for the consensus is windows moved or
adjusted should reopen as they were left. Or at least there
should be an option to request this behavior. What do you
suppose my chances are of getting a change in this program? Zip.
And that's fact. We are all invited to accept what is offered on
a take-it-or-leave-it basis.
Will CRM Work?
This is my concern with increased interest in the technological
side of CRM. My hunch is much of it will be implemented with a
similar attitude: We hope you like it because that's it, if you
want to play in our sandbox.
To the extent technology is implemented in such fashion, it is
doomed to fail. How many sites have you abandoned because you
couldn't remember some password? Or even worse, how many sites
have you encountered that won't let you set up a new one so you
can get on with business? Nuts.
Can We Afford It?
Even if all works out nicely, this technology won't be cheap.
The underlying structure depends upon a comprehensive database,
and nobody is giving this kind of software away. My hunch is
that prices will be out of reach for small one-person
businesses, at least until they are able to produce strong
profits. For those just getting started, forget it. We're
talking of dollars in the thousands at least.
So What's One To Do?
You don't have to wait on technology to implement CRM. As
suggested earlier, it's a way of doing business that works.
Simply be sure customer support and satisfaction is the
fundamental goal of your company. Sure you want to sell, but not
at the expense of this core aspect of your business.
Here's a partial list of things you can do right now to
demonstrate that for your company, your customer comes first.
> Be sure site content is complete and easy to read.
> Make certain navigation is a dead cinch.
> Keep order forms as simple as possible.
> Throughout your site, encourage feedback in every possible
way.
> Respond quickly to email. Be sure you have answered the
question completely. And as possible, anticipate and respond to
other possible concerns as related to the question.
> Provide complete contact info at the bottom of every page on
your site. And yes, you must include a street address and a
phone number, preferably an 800 number that is answered 24 hours
a day, 7 days a week, by someone who knows what they are about.
> Provide a fax number as well; some people love paper.
> Follow up on all queries and sales. Make certain a high level
of satisfaction has been generated.
> Be sure your product or service delivers more than expected.
> Offer an unbeatable guarantee. 12 months has merit in that
customers will not feel hurried into making a decision. And
later they may not feel comfortable making a request.
CRM Technology
I'm looking forward to seeing such systems in action. And I
hope they are as effective as those designing them claim they
will be. To achieve this goal, designs must be customer directed
and controlled.
But with or without such tools, there is a lot we can do right
now to demonstrate our concern for our customers. Our bottom
line reflects how well we are doing in this matter.
About the author:
Bob McElwain Want to build a winning site? Improve one you
already have? Fix one that's busted? Get ANSWERS. Subscribe to
"STAT News" now! mailto:join-stat@lyris.dundee.net Web marketing
and consulting since 1993 Site:
Phone: 209-742-6349
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