Customer Relationship Management System

Management Information Systems

What are customer relationship management systems? How do they benefit business?

The role of customer relationship management systems (CRM) in businesses is to organize the many sources of data regarding existing and potential new customers so that coordinated, concerted strategies can be created to increase revenues, profits and customer satisfaction. Often these sources of data are stored in databases that are not integrated with each other. One of the vital benefits that CRM systems deliver is integrating all customer-based data into a single view of the customer, a strategy businesses often refer to as becoming “customer centric.” In the CRM industry this is also called getting a 360 degree view of the customer.

CRM systems benefit businesses in several key areas of their business strategies. First, the attracting of potential customers to the business is often based on and lead escalation software which forwards sales opportunities to sales offices for follow-up. CRM systems are also critical for marketing strategies as their analytics applications give businesses insights into what potential customers prefer and need. Businesses also use CRM applications for ensuring their customers have a high degree of satisfaction with their products and services. CRM systems are vital for businesses, supporting their strategies to generate revenue profitability while ensuring a high level of customer satisfaction that leads to customer retention over time.

In conclusion the greatest challenge for businesses choosing to integrate customer data together to support their sales, marketing and service strategies in a CRM strategy need to realize that changing how people work is the biggest challenge of all. CRM as the foundation of business strategies must also concentrate on assisting every customer-facing employee with being given the best possible information to make the touch points or moments of truth with customers as productive and valuable to the customers as possible.

The are aligned with giving customers the necessary insights they need to get to their goals quickly. Businesses that attain this level of performance with their customers earn customer loyalty, trust and retention over time.

Unit Two writing assignment: Name and describe the capabilities of a DBMS.

The concept of the Database Management System (DBMS) is to act as a central repository of data that is organized in structured records, accessible through a variety of techniques including through Structured Query Language (SQL). The three components of a DBMS are the data definition language, data dictionary and data manipulation language.

The functions of these three critical components allow DMBS to scale in functionality to meet the needs of businesses. Data definition language is used for defining the specific format and attributes of each data element in the database. As a result, when any database is created it is critical for system analysts to work with those actually using the database to understand and plan for how they will respond to their unique needs specifically at the field level. Second, the data dictionary defines each specific data element and its interrelationships to other data elements in the database. In designing any DBMS this is a critical task as it defines how the data elements will be used for fulfilling database queries from users. The third element is the data manipulation language, which is used for completing queries of the databases and creating customized reports based on the needs and interests of users throughout a business. Taken together these three components form the foundation of any DBMS.

DBMS systems are the basis for many enterprise-class applications including accounting and financial management systems, manufacturing systems including those used for Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) and also integral to CRM and supply chain systems as well. DMBS structures have become increasingly relational in nature, providing agility and flexibility in responding to the queries users have, often used for constructing reports to measure strategy results. The role of DBMS systems as the foundation of enterprise it infrastructure has become commonplace as well.

Unit Three writing assignment: How are partner relationship management (PRM) and (ERM) related to customer relationship management (CRM)?

As the primary objective of CRM is to provide businesses with a 360 degree view of their customers, Partner Relationship Management (PRM) is used for providing companies a 360 degree view of their distribution channel partners. Employee Relationship Management (ERM) systems also use the same foundation of CRM, yet the focus of these specific types of systems are on employees instead of customers.

Many businesses that rely on indirect channels of distribution for a significant proportion of their revenue rely on PRM systems to manage their channels through automated applications often delivered in security-protected portals or websites. Included in these portals are applications for managing sales lead generation programs, reimbursement of advertising that distribution channel partners have paid for, and applications that give distribution channel partners the ability to track their orders and also place new sales orders. As the book points out, Levi’s Jeans relies on indirect channels for the majority of their revenue, and as is common in the apparel industry, the company also provides support for advertising expenses on the part of their distribution channel partners. All of these tasks and processes are handled through the PRM online portals.

ECM systems are also often managed through Web-enabled portals so Human Resources managers can better serve employees and manage their benefits. Within these Web portals employee objectives, performance appraisals, employee-based compensation and employee training schedules and results are all tracked.

Just as with CRM systems, PRM and ECM systems also rely on an extensive level of integration between systems that may have been operating independently and isolated in the past. The greater the level of integration between systems with distribution channel partners in the case of PRM systems, or employees in the case of ECM systems, the greater the effectiveness of these systems. Being more responsive and informed in serving channel partners and assisting employees is possible when these two types of systems are launched and maintained well.

Unit Four writing assignment: What is project management? List and describe the project management activities and variables addressed by project management.

Project management is the discipline of attaining objectives that are constrained by cost and time considerations, relying on the application of frameworks, project management techniques including knowledge of project scheduling methodologies to ensure the project is accomplished on time. Project management is comprised of ten specific activities that form the foundation of the project plans used for attaining project objectives. There are five specific variables that project management must balance objectives against to ensure project success as well.

In automating the project management process, software companies have taken the ten specific activities of discussed here to form the foundation of their applications. These ten specific activities are commonly implemented both in manually-based and automated project management projects as well. The activities include planning the work and defining the objectives, assessing risks, estimating resources required to accomplish the work, organizing the work, acquiring human and material resources, assigning tasks, directing activities, controlling project execution, reporting progress, and analyzing the results. Many software applications provide a variety of graphical interfaces for portraying progress to project goals relative to these ten activities including support Gantt and PERT charts for example. In addition to these ten activities projects must contend with scope, time, cost, quality and risk variability in the pursuit of project objectives.

In conclusion, project management as a discipline has progressed rapidly due to the use of enterprise-wide applications that automate the ten activities that form the foundation of its methodology or approach to getting objectives accomplished. The use of in software applications takes into account the five variables of scope, time, cost, quality and risk variability, providing project managers with trade-offs between these variables necessary for project goals to be accomplished.