SHEFFIELD, England . Leonardo da Vinci said that .simplicity is the ultimate sophistication.. If that is indeed the case, the new generation of Customer Relationship Management has become quite refined.
CRM has transformed from bulky to business friendly, as the applications have become easier to implement, allowing users to build a line of business workflow that can be picked up and used almost instantly. In a nutshell, CRM is keeping things simple, which is exactly what businesses and their customers have demanded.
The biggest single reason CRM is getting better in the new generation is because there are many competitive offerings in the market at all levels, said Sarah Laycock of Tierlinear, maker of the CRM solution BT BizBox. With having to understand your customer being critical to survival, all businesses large or small are now looking to CRM solutions to help them stay competitive.
Solutions used to be one-size fits all. Buyers were stuck with bloated software that had more flash than substance and too many unusable bells and whistles that stupefied users and slowed down the workflow. But the revolution of CRM being built on platforms that are completely customizable has taken the challenge out of the game.
The Web 2.0 concept of "collaborative functionality" has streamlined CRM applications like Tierlinear.s web-based BizBox. Its CRM solution can be accessed by any company member from anywhere they have access to an Internet enabled device. Meanwhile, it's affordable for the small business. The BizBox solution also covers a wide area of functionality, which means customers only have to invest in one CRM solution to cover all their business needs. BT BizBox is also a simple to use solution, which has been built on customer requirements. Therefore, the function it contains is actually demanded and required by customers.
The Web 2.0 concept engages the customer in forums and discussions on all aspects of the product development to make sure that a solution is purely built to meet the needs of a customer, said Laycock. With the need for CRM solutions increasing in small businesses, the need to make sure they are suitable for them is critical. Furthermore, with the increasing number of competitor offerings in the marketplace, the easiest and quickest way to engage with your customers is via forums and blogs. As more and more small businesses move to the Internet, the more they rely on forums and online support for their applications..
Connection with consumers online has become an absolute necessity. The retail industry uses customer reviews as a powerful marketing tool, taking its cue from a recent survey that said almost half who recalled seeing customer product reviews cited them as the primary factor in their decision to purchase.
Giving power to the people when creating a product doesn.t stop at reviews and software applications. These days, it cuts across all industries, even taking flight. In 2006, Virgin America, a new low-cost airline launched by British entrepreneur Richard Branson, operated under the mantra to .build an airline people will love. Building from the ground up, Virgin didn't just consult industry insiders and airline executives. They went to the people. In fact, the company message to travelers on its website reads: "In building a brand new airline from the ground up, our goal was to bring the fun back to flying. To get there, we knew we had to ask a different kind of question: How would you design an airline?"
Apparently, the people wanted these planes wired. USB ports, two WiFi access points on board, Ethernet at every seat, along with comfy leather seats and mood lighting. Virgin measures everything by connecting online with its customers, responding to how they feel about fares to the interactive components of their Web site. The airline even had its customers name its fleet by launching their "nameourplanes.com" initiative.
Getting the customer involved in creation has been Tierlinear's goal with BT BizBox from the outset. Further development of the product has been and will continue to be generated through various forms, including the BT BizBox User Community.
The latest planned functions being unveiled at BT BizBox are wide-ranging, and include a new form of customer reporting that will have the ability to be exported into PDF files. BT BizBox will also implement a document creation tool and British Telecom.s conference call system in its next upgrade.
The improved reporting will help customers to manage their customers by fully understanding their behavior,. said Laycock. Ability to email will allow BT BizBox customers to run marketing campaigns. The conference call functionality will provide more way of staying in contact with their customers and the route optimization, permissions tool and document creation will all help to increase the effectiveness of the customer, which in turn will enable them to better serve their customers..
CONTACT INFORMATION:
Sarah Laycock
Tierlinear Ltd.
Email: slaycock@tierlinear.com
Phone: (0) 7920 106998
