Customer relationship management

Customer relationship management is an information industry term for methodologies, software and usually Internet capabilities that help an enterprise manage customer relationships in an organized way. For example, an enterprise might build a database of its customers that describes relationships in sufficient detail so that management, salespeople, people providing service and perhaps the customer directly could access information, match customer needs with product plans and offerings, remind customers of service requirements, know what other products a customer had purchased and so forth. Successful development, implementation, use and support of customer relationship management systems can provide a significant advantage to the user, but often, there are obstacles that obstruct the user from using the system to its full potential. Instances of a CRM attempting to contain a large, complex group of data can become cumbersome and difficult to understand for an ill-trained user. Additionally, an interface that is difficult to navigate or understand can hinder the CRM's effectiveness, causing users to pick and choose which areas of the system to be used, while others may be pushed aside. This fragmented implementation can cause inherent challenges, as only certain parts are used and the system is not fully functional. The increased use of customer relationship management software has also led to an industry-wide shift in evaluating the role of the developer in designing and maintaining its software. Companies are urged to consider the overall impact of a viable CRM software suite and the potential for good or bad in its use. This encyclopaedia is to provide useful insights to the consumers, sellers, policy makers, government, industrialist and to research scholars, consumer council, academicians in the field of behavioural sciences and consumer studies.