CRM 2.0 is the glue that binds successful Sales and Marketing 2.0 initiatives together, but let's be clear - technology by itself is no substitute for establishing the necessary focus, priority and process. But there's no doubt that the intelligent application of CRM 2.0 technologies can dramatically reinforce and accelerate Sales and Marketing 2.0 programmes.
Traditional, company-centric conventional CRM systems fail to exploit the potential of Sales and Marketing 2.0 because they fail to integrate or involve the prospects and customers other than as records in the system.
A Platform for Collaboration
CRM 2.0 is designed to facilitate open, collaborative, and mutually advantageous relationships between sales, marketing and other customer-facing departments and between vendors, their customers and prospects.
It recognises that fact that the balance of information power has shifted irreversibly from vendors to buyers, and that one of the key roles of CRM is to help ensure that the vendor gets found when the prospect is researching the marketing and searching for solutions.
It understands that prospects and customers are immersed in ecosystems (we collectively refer to them as the BuyerSphere) that influence their thinking and direct their actions, and that vendors need to identify, monitor and engage with these multiple dynamic touchpoints.
Key Capabilities of CRM 2.0
CRM 2.0 incorporates many of the powerful interactive technologies that underpin Web 2.0, including support for user-generated content, collaborative working, corporate wikis and business social networking. But we think of it as less a collection of technologies than a different mindset about the role and potential of CRM.
CRM 2.0 offers a dynamic platform for collaborative interaction between the vendors and their prospects and customers, and between sales, marketing and all other customer-facing departments. CRM 2.0 systems tap into the power of internet search and social networking, and offer one place to go for a 360 degree view of the customer acquisition and development cycle.
Dramatic Improvement in User Acceptance
Salesforce.com's chatter offers an excellent example of how today's leading CRM vendors of offering what we would characterise as "Facebook for the Enterprise", tightly integrated into the user's working environment. The interactive, user-centric design of CRM 2.0 systems has had a dramatic impact on user acceptance.
Traditional CRM systems were often foisted on an unwilling sales organisation. Entering information was often seen as a chore, rather than something of inherent value to the sales person. As a result, traditional CRM systems were frequently characterised by data quality and completeness problems. It's no wonder that so many traditional CRM investments failed to deliver the promised results.
We've observed a dramatic difference with well-implemented CRM 2.0 systems. Sales adoption is typically very high - because the sales people see that there's something in it for them in keeping the information up to date and complete. These systems often stimulate a tidal wave of co-operation that brings the best best minds in the company together to create and implement winning sales and marketing strategies.
How we Help...
We are vendor agnostic. We help clients to define their CRM 2.0 needs, to select the appropriate solution, and to implement the system in a way that maximises the potential of Sales and Marketing 2.0.
We could help you achieve the same. To find out more, please call us on +44 118 975 0595, email us at info@inflexion-point.com, or contact us here.