Re-inventing CRM for the Customer-centric Organization

The CRM industry has always been in a unique position to contribute greatly to the future success of their customers. Yet, numerous studies have shown that the impact of CRM on an organization’s performance is simply not where one would expect given the enormous investments companies are making. The simple truth is that technology, by itself, cannot create business outcomes. It can help people get tasks done; but without a broader look at how an organization functions, what purpose it serves, and how the various parts and pieces inter-relate, more advanced implementations of CRM technology become problematic. As consumers of CRM we’re essentially betting that a functional one-size-fits-all experience is good enough to achieve our desired business outcomes, and propel us beyond our competitors (who are using the same technology). I believe CRM vendors should do more to take advantage of this position.

[pullquote]the context must shift from products, tools and features to a framework usi…