CRM: learning to relate

Despite all the hype surrounding customer relationship management (CRM) systems, there's more to managing a good relationship than just technology. CRM is about evaluating your business processes, managing your sales channels and, perhaps most terrifying of all, rationalising your customer base. Technology can only ever act as a facilitator to all this.

But all the same rules apply to introducing front-office systems as they did to implementing back-office ones dealing with enterprise resource planning. Beware of vendor promises. Scope out what you want beforehand and see which supplier's packages fit your requirements. Expect roll out to take time and money, but don't allow consultants and systems integrators to have a free rein or costs will skyrocket.

Here we look at the issues, speak to the industry players and see what the analysts have to say about navigating the CRM minefield.