CRM Crystal Ball
Professional services firm Braun Consulting, a company that provides its clients with the strategy and technology to deploy customer-centric solutions, has released a report that looks at the future of customer relationship management. “Top CRM Trends for 2002” outlines what Braun believes are the 11 most important elements based on the current economic environment and the industry momentum carrying into the latter part of 2001.
The report’s findings come as a result of the work that some of the highest ranking Braun consultants have done with their Fortune 500 clients. Braun has identified these key points as methods for retaining the best customers and acquiring new ones, using fully executable technology and strategic thinking. According to Braun, the top CRM trends for the coming year are:
- In a down economy, highly successful companies will invest more in customers, not less
- Companies will compete for customer share, not market share
- CRM will evolve to CVM (customer value management)
- Companies will heighten their focus on data analysis and organization to avoid information roadblocks
- Companies will realize customer satisfaction doesn’t translate to loyalty
- Companies will focus on “thoughtware,” not software
- Companies will stitch their customer channels together
- Companies will embrace PRM (partner relationship management) as a means to maximize value to end-customers
- Companies will create CRM platforms and plug in best-of-breed applications
- Companies will shift to a long-term focus
- 2002 will be a year of implementation and follow-up
Chicago-based Braun Consulting takes best practices and past successes and combines them with strategic insights, industry-specific business expertise and advanced technology capabilities to build customized solutions that meet individual client needs.
Robyn Greenspan, an independent researcher and speaker, is interested in innovation, market trends and information technology. She was a participant in the AI Summit and also took part in the IEEE International Conference on Edge Computing, International SOA Symposium series and the International Cloud Symposium series. She graduated from Temple University. She was previously the communications and research manager for the AMS, an internationally recognized professional association that advances knowledge in the IT and business management areas.
