In today's competitive business environment, a successful CRM strategy cannot be
implemented by only installing and integrating a software package designed to support
CRM processes. A holistic approach to CRM is vital for an effective and efficient
CRM policy. This approach includes training of employees, a modification of business
processes based on customers' needs and an adoption of relevant IT-systems (including
soft- and maybe software) and/or usage of IT-Services that enable the organization
or company to follow its CRM strategy. CRM-Services can even redundantize the acquisition
of additional hardware or CRM software-licenses.
The term CRM is used to describe either the software or the whole business strategy
oriented on customer needs. The second one is the description which is correct. The
main misconception of CRM is that it is only software, instead of whole business
strategy.Major areas of CRM focus on service automated processes, personal information
gathering and processing, and self-service. It attempts to integrate and automate
the various customer serving processes within a company.