Customer Relationship Management (CRM) And Its Applications In The

Manufacturing And Service Industry - Fransisca Andreani

In this modern era, many companies have used different ways to improve
their Customer Relationship Management (CRM). In particular, the company
strives to provide services that are personal in nature so that it can provide high
satisfaction to its customers, both as stakeholders and shareholders. Therefore, it
is hoped that a strong value chain will be established between them through
customer relationships. To be able to improve CRM, companies are able to make
quite expensive investments and advanced technology that is able to provide
maximum service to customers. On the other hand, many software companies sell
and offer these system applications, Web applications such as e-mail marketing
and the dot-coms
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a series of approaches and
systems based on information technology (IT-Based System) that are useful for
establishing closer and open business relationships and enabling two-way
communication between companies and their customers, both as stakeholders and
shareholders. CRM is a business strategy consisting of software and services
designed not only to increase profits and revenues but also to ensure customer
satisfaction. Customs Relationship Management strives to provide an integrated
approach to all aspects of the company in relation to its customers, which
includes:
marketing and fulfillment, customer and support, sales, contact and account
management and about retention and loyalty programs. The purpose of this
system is that by using technology, it is hoped that there will be a strong
relationship between the company and its customers.
CRM allows companies to identify and target their best customers, namely
those who benefit the company, so that they can be retained as loyal customers for
the long term. They are expected to provide greater profits for the company. In
addition, CRM allows real time customization and personalization of products and
services based on the wants, needs, buying habits and life cycle of the customer.
CRM also monitors ata every time there is contact between the customer and the
company. CRM allows companies to provide consistent and excellent service and
support to all the contacts their customers want so that customers have a pleasant
experience. All of these advantages provide strategic business value for the
company as well as perceived value for customers. The advantage of CRM is
clear, namely it can process and provide convenience for sales, marketing, and
service personnel with better and more complete customer information. With
CRM, either operational costs or the sales cycle can be reduced optimally. On the
sales side, automation of the sales process can be very simple. CRM helps reduce
the sales cycle by having relevant customer information available at all times,
enabling work to be more efficient. With the automation of marketing functions
such as campaign design and management, email marketing, lead assignment and
management, companies can improve the efficiency and effectivenes of the
marketing department. This automation can target potential customers, key
resources and geographic information that helps the sales cycle
Either customer service or call center operations will be able to use CRM
to assist staff with up-to-date and up-to-date information on all transactions that
occur in this section. With automated service request management, knowledge
bases and call routing, staff can be more productive by ensuring that all customer
service requests are answered and any customer problems are resolved more
quickly. Because the staff has direct access to customer records, they can
anticipate every opportunity/problem that exists to obtain service solutions. In
return, customers will get excellent service so as to increase customers retention
and loyalty.
Using a CRM database in business will help the company to know the
flow of all activities from telephone calls for sales orders to service requests. With
the centralization of all communications that occur with customers in one place
will increase efficiency. When there is consistency, the ability to measure and
manage human resources and all processes that occur will be formed. The
application of CMR is not only for technology companies but also for
pharmaceutical companies, which is able to boost sales and improve relationships
with the most basic relationships. With CRM, pharmaceutical companies will be
able to identify which doctors are proactive with their marketing personnel,
calculate the potential revenue generated from their relationship with these
doctors, and forge closer relationships with doctors who recommend their drugs to
patients. Kos Pharmaceutical Inc., a pharmaceutical company that produces drugs
for coronary heart and lung disease, implemented CRM in 2003 with 500 of its
marketing personnel. The marketing staff is growing and has better
communication between them, especially when they visit the same doctor. The
doctors feel comfortable because it turns out that these different marketing
personnel are able to provide continuous information
Furthermore, the computer company Hewlett Packard (HP) implemented a
variety of CRM software on a large scale in all its distribution channels using the
eBusiness Applications package from Siebel Systems, Inc. This system is able to
consolidate its sales distribution channels directly and indirectly, including
thousands of direct-sales representatives, marketing professionals, contact-center
representatives, partner resellers. The project is able to integrate 50,000 users of
the system. Hewlett-Packard hopes to reap multiple benefits from its various
distribution channels with this system, thereby increasing its operational
efficiency, saving tens of millions of dollars.
With CRM, companies are able to increase their marketing efforts by
utilizing existing databases, including products or services previously purchased
by customers and information on other market segmentation. A car repair
company, for example, will maintain a database of its customers' oil changes.
Based on this data, companies can send postcards to remind customers when it's
time for customers to make their next vehicle oil change. Likewise, a florist can
use his customer database to call and make a special offer on his product for
Mother's Day or Valentine's Day. Companies that use the internet for their
operational activities benefit from this database approach, they are able to
communicate with their customers via the website or email, and this means that
the whole effort is put in not only to aim at a specific target but also because the
cost is very low.
 Another application is the application of CRM in education, namely Petra
Christian University, Surabaya. Through the website, customers can access
various information online. For external parties, prospective students can obtain
information about the faculties and majors in UKP as well as their accreditation
status, university agendas such as new student admissions, internal and external
university activities. In addition, they can also access announcements of new
student admissions online or by telephone, which means that they do not need to
come in person. Library data such as collection books and reservoirs, journals,
final assignments are also available on this website. Students can also do
guardianship and view data on Study Plan Cards / KRS, Study Results Cards /
KHS, credit points via the internet. As for internal circles, officials, lecturers and
employees have a place to communicate via email groups. Here they can carry out
two-way internal communication between teaching and support staff and the
officials concerned online. Guardian lecturers can also access student portfolios
and communicate through this web.
From the explanation of CMR and its application in several manufacturing
and service fields, it can be concluded that CRM is an important thing that needs
to be considered by companies that are ready to compete in the era of
globalization. Companies must be able to accommodate the wishes of both
stakeholders and shareholders if they want to grow. The success and failure of a
company depends on its ability to forge a harmonious relationship with its
customers. To realize and establish this harmonious relationship, companies can
take advantage of IT-Based programs and related software that are able to assist
companies in realizing efficiency and effectiveness of company performance.
CRM applications can be used by manufacturing and service companies
and what is important for companies to consider is choosing the right software
application and according to what is needed. The key to the success of CRM is
understanding the overall relationship/cooperation that occurs within the
organization/company, both internally and externally by utilizing IT-Based
programs and software. These programs and software must be able to provide
convenience and benefits to both parties. For customers, these programs and
software should be easy to use, effective and. On the other hand, at the same time,
companies also benefit from increasing company efficiency and productivity as
well as providing consistent services and experiences for their customers through
various means and media that users can choose from. Thus, a harmonious value
chain will be created in the long term.