Electronic CRM can simply be defined as the introduction of technologies and the internet in order to ensure that customers enjoy the maximum experience from the organisation irrespective of the channel that they have chosen to interact with the organisation.
It helps a customer-centric enterprise to formulate rules that will cover business processes across the organisation which ensures that the organisation is able to retain its customers, and not lose them to competitors.
OBJECTIVE OF THIS ARTICLE At the end of this chapter, readers should be able to understand · The role of technology in a customer-centric enterprise. · They will also understand that it not possible to have a customer-centric enterprise without the deployment of the internet or other technology as enables.
What is E-CRM? Electronic CRM can simply be defined as the introduction of technologies and the internet in order to ensure that customers enjoy the maximum experience from the organisation irrespective of the channel that they have chosen to interact with the organisation.
It helps a customer-centric enterprise to formulate rules that will cover business processes across the organisation which ensures that the organisation is able to retain its customers, and not lose them to competitors.
E-CRM covers many aspects of the organisation. It involves the deployment of applications that captures contacts, accounts, opportunities, activities, marketing, customer support, sales and service-related process in the organisation.
Differences between CRM and Electronic CRM
#1 E-CRM is web integrated CRM
Under conventional CRM, we have an organisation that tries to meet customers’ needs and do business from their perspective without giving customers the upper hand or leaving them with a choice.
In E-CRM, we have a web-integrated service point which allows customers to dictate the pace of things. It is meant to improve efficiency and the rate of customer satisfaction.
It is also meant to ensure that the organisation have direct contact with customers as much as possible.
#2 Technology and Architecture
Under CRM, customers’ information is completed and integrated into one single database which is made available to the various departments in the organisation.
This allows the staff to be able to have access to the customer database anytime they want to resolve issues that have to do with them.
Through the use of the Internet also, E-GRM allows Internet customers to relate with their organisation through their preferred means of communication.
This makes the personalization of services easier.
#3 Enterprise-Wide Web Experience
E.CRM gives room for the deployment of the Internet across the various part of the organisation.
Through the deployment of E-CRM, various departments in an organisation are no longer constrained by walls.
They can now share customers’ information and resolve customers’ issues using the Internet as an enabler.
#4 Customer Facing Web Front
E-GRM provides direct access to interfaces and performs other functions which are not directly available to traditional CRM users.
It integrates different functions that can be performed in order to retain the customer. These functions are all web-based.
#5 Integration of Multiple Channels
One other thing that gives E-CRM the upper hand over and above traditional CRM is that it integrates various channels.
Customers that like to go to the branches can also transact business with the organization online.
Lack of integration in the traditional CRM which is the order of the day in Nigeria frustrates customers who might not be at liberty to relate with the organization across multiple channels.
In most banks in Nigeria for example, customers that withdraw from the counter are charged one hundred naira, this is because they are expected to use the Automated Teller Machine.
This is not one of the qualities of a customer-centred enterprise. You should note that E-CRM encompasses the whole of CRM and CRM is gradually evolving into E-CRM.
