What is CRM? Is CRM an outdated concept? What customer management and engagement tools are available in the market? How has the market changed? What are the market trends oriented toward the customer? What tool(s) do I need to automate my customer relationship processes?

These and other questions represent the major headaches for most companies that are considering implementing an IT solution aimed at capturing more leads, energizing their pipeline, providing higher-quality service to their existing customer base, and—perhaps most challenging—retaining customers.

Before venturing to “bet” on any IT tool, organizations must have a clear understanding of the company’s overall strategy as well as the Mission & Vision of the units responsible for customer operations.

The first mistake is to assign CRM exclusively to the Information Technology department, as if it were merely an IT tool or specific software to be implemented for certain users within a company.

CRM, Customer Engagement, Customer Centric… or whatever name we choose, represents just one component within a company’s global strategy that focuses on the customer (service, satisfaction, loyalty, and profitability). Therefore, it is crucial that all Departments, People, Processes, and Technology are fully aligned when making decisions about the change that would come with adopting a new solution.

Focusing on CRM from an IT perspective as a solution that helps us understand and satisfy the customer, we can affirm that it is undergoing constant evolution due to changes in consumer behavior. Although the essence of the CRM philosophy remains the same, the processes and the technology have transformed over the years. That’s why platforms like Salesforce.com are continuously evolving to adapt to this latest industrial revolution.

TheStoneCloud (Advanced Solutions Center of Excellence of the Axpe Consulting Group) was created to offer comprehensive services in the Digital Transformation of an organization. It provides everything from defining the strategic model and advising on the technological environment to the implementation and integration of the solution, along with post-go-live support to ensure optimal operation and adoption of the tool.

At Axpe Consulting, we successfully support our clients in Salesforce projects.

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