Performance Tools for CRM

Customer relationship management is a very complex field with many facets. A useful tool would be the CRM scorecard to describe and improve performance holistically.

Customer relationship management or CRM refers to the many facets of creating, maintaining, and improving an organization’s relationships with its clients and customers. It can be broken down into a few broad divisions that consist of more or less distinct processes. One would be new acquisitions, or forming relationships, such as by selling products or providing services to new customers. Another would be upselling, which refers to upgrading the relationship with a client by providing them with more expensive products and services. Still another is cross selling, or broadening the relationship with customers by selling them new products. Customer retention and customer service are the last two broad aspects that deal with keeping the customer base happy and coming back for more through various support activities. Thus, it can be seen that customer relationship management consists of many facets – fortunately, a CRM scorecard is a powerful tool for describing, monitoring, and improving CRM performance.

A scorecard, in the business sense, refers to a strategic management tool that aims to take into account all of the various factors and aspects of an organization’s condition and performance. The balanced scorecard approach consists of attempting to describe an organization through its financial, customer, growth and development, and internal business process aspects. The term balanced scorecard was used in reference to the prevailing attitudes when it was first introduced, which focused too much solely on financial measures of success. This paradigm aimed to provide a more holistic picture of the organization by also taking into account the various other non-financial factors that play roles that are just as important.

In practical terms, this approach consists of selecting a set of metrics (or measurable quantities) that together would be able to describe each of the four aspects of an organization. Now, there are very many possible selections for these quantities and thus, it is very important to have a well thought out process to determine which ones to use.

In many cases, it is most beneficial to start with a top down analysis of the organization’s various functions and responsibilities. In particular, with respect to customer relationship management, it would be best to define the different kinds of customers that the company serves, and the needs and requirements of each. This should be done by first looking at what the organization as a whole aims to do and is equipped to do, or in other words, by formulating a coherent mission. Then, more specific goals would follow this overall mission, depending on the particular functions and processes of each department and smaller part of the group.

The CRM scorecard would then be populated by the key performance indicators relevant to the various defined goals. A particular department would then have a different scorecard from other departments, and this specificity will help give managers a better view of what is happening, and also what needs to happen. The proper formulation and implementation of such a scorecard is sure to be a boon to any CRM manager.

CRM Support Articles about CRM Customer relationship management, metrics, scorecard

Customer relationship management forms an important part of many business strategies; and hence, using powerful tools such as CRM metrics properly is vital to the success of many companies.

Customer relationship management is a business strategy that puts focus on creating, maintaining, and improving working relationships with an organization’s clients. It is applicable to almost any organization because, after all, a company that does not put its customers’ interests first is destined for failure. Now, customer relationship management or CRM is no simple strategy, and consists of considering the many varied aspects and processes involved. The most common approach towards getting a handle on such a business system is through the judicious choice and tracking of CRM metrics.

Metrics help managers and employees alike clarify their goals and visualize concretely what success would look like. Some leaders and executives set goals and objectives merely by throwing around buzzwords and other terms that just “sound nice”. While this may seem well and good to them, their employees are more often than not left in the dark as to how to go about fulfilling these unclear goals. Lofty goals, no matter how grand sounding, will not lead to any progress if they are not formulated clearly and in a measurable manner. This is as true for CRM as for any other system or business model.

Metrics help clarify goals because the process of selecting metrics to monitor forces managers to better define what exactly the company’s objectives are. That is, these quantities should be chosen in close association with the formulation of objectives, all the way from the most general down to the most specific. Apart from this, data-based management yields, in most cases, a more accurate view of organizational circumstances and performance. Of course, as with any business strategy, success will depend on proper planning, execution, and follow-through.

Clear goals and a clear way to measure performance, taken together, form the basis for a feedback loop that will be of great help in regulating any company. Since achievement and progress become possible to be measured, managers and employees will be more aware, at all times, whether they are moving closer or further from success.

So, for customer relationship management in particular, metric choice is also quite important, because this will be linked to the objective of the organization initiative. This will be linked to many factors, including the organization’s size, level of maturity, customer base, and so on. For instance, a telecommunications company interested in improving its level of customer service might track metrics, like call time, hold time, number of repeat calls, customer satisfaction, and number of topics discussed per contact. A company dealing in direct sales, on the other hand, might track metrics, like average revenue per salesman, number of repeat customers per salesman, number of new customers, and so on.

CRM metrics are thus as varied and wide-ranging as CRM itself. This should not be overwhelming, but rather should inspire confidence in the fact that metrics should be able to handle matters adequately. That is, backed with the proper strategies, goal-setting, and planning, selecting the right quantities to monitor and then putting in place the right system will yield good results for any CRM initiative.

CRM Support Articles about CRM business strategy, CRM, metrics

What is GuestWare: Build specially for the hospitality industry; GuestWare is a one of a kind CRM (customer relationship management) software that can be used to build customer loyalty. Apart from this, GuestWare CRM can also be used to provide professional management support to any hospitality business. Working at great lengths to improve your hotel or motel business, GuestWare delivers better customer satisfaction and lower operating margins that result in increased revenues.

Modules in GuestWare: GuestWare CRM is a Non-customizable application suite for hotel CRM needs and includes various software modules that make it easier for a user to efficiently manage his hotel/motel business. All modules under GroupWare CRM are classified under three basic headings namely, Customer loyalty, service delivery and quality management.

Analytics module of GuestWare: Analytics modules help in measuring the performance of a hotel/motel.  Analytics modules included in GuestWare CRM are:

Customer Loyalty

• Guest Recognition: This module helps in recognizing ways by which you can maintain customer loyalty with minimal effort.
• Loyalty management: This module of GuestWare provides hotels with the facility to implement guest loyalty programs without hassles involved in managing these programs.

Service Delivery

• Incident Tracking: Making it efficient for every GuestWare hotel to collect valuable customer response easily, this module arranges logbook information to improve follow-ups and provide better implementation of customer feedback.
• Rapid Response: Improves follow-ups, helps in faster response logging and provides reports for easier understanding of the processes that are not up to the mark.
• Communication Server: While optional, this module of GuestWare allows its users to combine two-way messaging with other GuestWare modules to provide on-time services.

Quality Management

• Comment cards: This module helps in efficiently managing customer feedback.
• Facilities Maintenance: Provides efficient ways to manage maintenance tasks in a hospitality business.
• Enterprise Quality Management: This module provides reports and graphs that can be accessed by regional managers to access various details about the hotel business.

Website: http://www.guestware.com/

 Author: Diversified Computer Corporation

Pricing range: On request

Platform: GuestWare is a desktop-based CRM application

crm-performance Hotel CRM

What is Pythagoras CRM? – Pythagoras CRM is a customer relationship management solution that is made especially for hospitality businesses or sports and leisure clubs. Quick, efficient and easy to use, Pythagoras CRM can help you improve your business by allowing you to provide excellent customer care services with timely response to all your client feedbacks and suggestions. Pythagoras CRM is not only just a CRM software but helps you take your hospitality business to the next level by allowing you to provide best service to your guests.

Modules in Pythagoras CRM: Allowing you to deliver high quality service across all communication channels, Pythagoras CRM provides quick and easy to use environment with its CRM modules. With Pythagoras CRM, not only will you be able to improve your customer interaction, you will also be able to increase your customer base significantly. Some of the modules available in Pythagoras CRM are:

• Email Marketing Module
• Lead Management Module
• Marketing Automation Module
• Workflow and Process Automation

Analytics modules of Pythagoras CRM: Allowing you to intelligently manage information pertaining to all your clients, Pythagoras CRM allows you to know your customers by heart! Providing what a hospitality business really wants, Pythagoras CRM makes it really easy for you to provide VIP service to your clients thereby making them happy and helping your business reach heights never seen before. Given below is a list of some of the modules that allow a business to evaluate its performance:

• Dashboards for analysis: Availability of dashboard provides users of Pythagoras CRM with the facility to gather various data and evaluate it according to their needs.
• Reporting Module: By accounting all data under one central repository like Pythagoras CRM, users can also generate various charts and reports to get detailed illustrations of their productivity.
• Business Intelligence Module: With the business intelligence module included in Pythagoras CRM, users can easily compare various parameters of their business and improve on their shortcomings.

Website: http://www.pythagoras.co.uk/crm_hospitality_leisure.aspx

Author: Pythagoras Communications Ltd.

Price Range: Price on demand

Platform: On site desktop based platform

crm-performance Hotel CRM

What is POS/OE4? – POS/OE4 is a customer relationship management software that aims at providing advanced CRM facility to everyone. While it is basically a customer tracking system, POS/OE 4 can serve as an excellent tool for businesses related to hospitality industry. PO/OE 4 supports various methods by which the data of a customer can included in the software.

Modules in POS/OE4: Ability to include everything from the name of the customer to the ship-to address and customer notes is provided by various modules of POS/OE4. Apart from this basic facility, users can also link separate customer records with each other using other modules. Some of the modules that are provided in POS/OE4 are:

• Event/CC Management Module:
• Customer payment/order Module:
• Graph Module:
• Appointments Module:
• Communications Management Module:

Analytics modules of POS/OE4: POS/OE 4 is a CRM that will not only allow you to deliver excellent customer services, it will also allow you to keep your customers happier and much more content with your services. While you will be providing excellent customer care, you will also be able to estimate various processes of your business and evaluate their workings. Given below is a list of some of the modules that allow a business to evaluate its performance:

• Graphs: If getting a graphical view of the processes that are running at your hospitality business is what you want; POS/OE4 is the right choice for you.
• Event/CC management Module: Tracking events like customer loyalty can be beneficial for the business but doing so will often need humongous management efforts. The Event/CC management Module of POS/OE4 allows users to manage and track all events efficiently, and thus provides extreme usability.
• Customer payment/order Module: By providing a user with the facility to create easy to use views of customer orders/payment records and invoices, POS/OE4 makes it really easy to generate cumulative data on revenues generated.

Website: http://www.eesco.com/?q=Main

Author: EES Companies

Price Range: Price on demand

Platform: On site desktop based platform

crm-performance Hotel CRM

What is NetHotel CRM? – NetHotel CRM is a customer relationship management software that aims at providing advanced CRM facility catered especially for hospitality industry. By allowing users to get a cumulative analysis of their customer relationship skills, NetHotel CRM allows a business to increase its revenues. By using such methods to increase customer satisfaction, a hospitality business makes it possible to raise their loyal guests as well as profitability.

Modules in NetHotel CRM: Going for customer centric business strategies is the most important aspect for any business related to hospitality industry. While it is a tailor made solution, Serenata’s NetHotel CRM is a solution that can be scaled according to the modules and tuned to the situation as needed. Some of the modules that are provided in NetHotel CRM are:

• NetHotel Centeral Profile
• NetHotel Centeral Profile Lookup
• NetHotel Loyalty
• NetHotel Campaign Management
• NetHotel Sales

Analytics modules of NetHotel CRM:

Given below is a list of some of the modules that allow a business to evaluate its performance:

• NetHotel Loyalty: Providing extended support to Customer loyalty programs organized by your business, NetHotel Loyalty module can make it really easy for you to deliver well managed programs and get intelligent data to support your program.
• NetHotel Campaign Management: Effective campaign management is more important for any business. With the use of NetHotel Campaign Management module, users can get instant results on the performance of these marketing efforts. While performance results can be used by a business to evaluate their processes, this module is also important for a business to find the faults in the marketing process.
• NetHotel Sales: Providing comprehensive account and sales management, this module provides top of the line sales management.

Website: http://www.serenata.com/index.html?http://www.serenata.com/nh_crm.html

Author: Serenata IntraWare AG

Price Range: Price on demand

Platform: On site desktop based platform

crm-performance Hotel CRM

What is Mosaik CRM? – Mosaik CRM is a customer relationship management software that can be used by users in hospitality business to improve the customer experience. A capable CRM solution, Mosaik CRM can also be used as a profile and promotional campaign management solution to assist in automation of sales force and management of customer loyalty programs. Integrated with .NET PMS and Core Central Reservation system, Mosaik CRM ensures fast, accurate as well as reliable customer information.

Modules in Mosaik CRM: Featuring a central member tool, Mosaik CRM guarantees efficient customer service by integrating central profile with central member tool. Helping hospitality organizations to take informed decisions based on intelligently organized data, this CRM can be a real asset in taking your business to the next level.  For providing advanced functionality, Mosaik CRM provides following modules:

• SoftBrands Mosaik CRM Loyalty
• SoftBrands Mosaik CRM SFA (Sales Force Automation)
• SoftBrands Mosaik CRM OLAP Reporting

Analytics modules of Mosaik CRM: Analytics modules make it possible for CRM software to measure the performance of a hospitality business. Like any other CRM, Mosaik CRM also offers its users with the facility to use build-in add-on modules to enhance the performance of the CRM and provide efficient performance measuring.

• SoftBrands Mosaik CRM Loyalty: Helping a user to measure the customer loyalty, Mosaik CRM loyalty is a module that provides various facilities with which you can manage guest loyalty programs and contests.
• SoftBrands Mosaik CRM SFA (Sales Force Automation): Providing successful sales strategy implementation on a wide scale level, Mosaik CRM allows advanced functionality for simultaneously operating all areas of sales proceeds.
•  SoftBrands Mosaik CRM OLAP Reporting: Whether it is a CRM or any other process management software, cumulative reporting plays an important role in the assessment of the capabilities shown by a program. With Mosaik CRM OLAP reporting module, users can get reporting in the form of graphs to estimate the performance of their hospitality business.

Website: http://hospitality.softbrands.com/corporate-solutions/customer-relationship-mgmt

Author: SoftBrands

Price Range: Price on demand

Platform: On site desktop based platform

crm-performance Hotel CRM

What is Libra OnDemand? – Libra OnDemand is comprehensive CRM software that can be used to increase customer satisfaction and thereby improve business revenue for a business catering to the hospitality industry. Made especially for hospitality industry, Libra OnDemand can help attain higher efficiency in hospitality business processes and thus lead to revenues, by focusing sales and marketing efforts to provide superior customer service. Offered as software-as a-service (Saas), Libra OnDemand strives to provide its users with services and tools that are designed to increase sales and deliver increased revenues to businesses taking part in the hospitality industry.

Modules in Libra OnDemand: Libra OnDemand provides not one but many advantages to a user. Leveraging the reliability of world’s most popular on-demand platform (salseforce.com), Libra OnDemand can provide advanced functionality with modules like loyalty rewards program management with sales and catering tracking functionality for a user.

Analytics modules of Libra OnDemand: Libra OnDemand contains three basic modules that extend the functionality of a complete hospitality CMS. These are:

• Loyalty Programs: By giving you the ability to easily maintain all your customer related loyalty and rewards programs, Libra OnDemand CRM provides increased customer growth pattern and this increases your revenues. The ability to manage loyalty programs not only assists in tapping more customers, with Libra OnDemand, you can easily access the customer data and evaluate it for future needs.

• Reporting and analysis: By allowing various managers and regional heads to evaluate information related to their hospitality business, Libra OnDemand provides excellent reporting and analysis in form of graphical data. Including comprehensive KPI’s for easy assessment of customer data, Libra OnDemand is a CRM that allows easy analysis of processes to assure productivity.

Website: www.libraondemand.com

Author: Libra OnDemand

Price Range: Price on demand

Platform: Web based platform

crm-performance Hotel CRM

What is IQubz Hospitality CRM? – IQubz Hospitality         CRM is a customer relationship management software that provides many features to maintain and manage an efficient relationship with customers. Whether it is the effective management of customer feedback or management of customer loyalty program and sales automation, IQubz Hospitality CRM is the perfect way to go ahead.

Modules in IQubz Hospitality CRM: By taking care of the various tasks involved in maintaining healthy customer relationship, IQubz Hospitality CRM Enables you to search for newer business avenues while riding on improved customer relationships. IQubz Hospitality CRM has many integrated modules for central profiles, sales, marketing as well as loyalty programs. Some of the modules are:

• Hospitality Data Warehousing Module
• Central Profiles Management Module
• Marketing Automation Module
• Workflow Automation Module
• Loyalty Program Management Module
• Reporting and Analysis Module

Analytics modules of IQubz Hospitality CRM: There are various modules available with IQubz Hospitality CRM that allows a user to perform performance assessment on his/her hospitality business. Some of them are:

• Loyalty Program Management: Customers are most important business asset for a hospitality business. By providing efficient methods to track the performance of customer loyalty programs, IQubz Hospitality CRM allows a business to grow at an exponential rate.
• Sales Automation: Helps in efficient tracking of sales leads and generating opportunities for the business
• Marketing Automation: With the help of IQubz Hospitality CRM, you can execute as well as track the performance of your marketing campaigns. Giving you the ability to track email, personalized as well as promotional marketing efforts, IQubz Hospitality CRM goes a long way to help your business achieve what it never did before.
• Reporting and analysis Module: By providing consolidated reports of various important factors like marketing, sales and revenue management, users can easily learn about the performance of their hospitality business in the form of graphs.

Website: http://www.iqubz.com/solutions/CRM/

Author: IQubz

Price Range: Price on demand

Platform: Available as hosted as well as on-premise (desktop) install.

crm-performance Hotel CRM

What is Infor CRM Epiphany? – Infor CRM Epiphany is a customer relationship management solution that caters to deliver to the needs of hospitality industry. Whether you have a hotel business or manage a motel, if hospitality is your concern, look no further than Infor CRM Epiphany. Really easy to use and providing utmost usability, Infor CRM Epiphany is a tool that can provide instant gratification to all your customer relationship improvement needs.

Modules in Infor CRM Epiphany: Not only will Infor CRM Epiphany allow you to get instant results on your hospitality processes, it will also allow better management of all customer feedbacks or queries and will thereby guarantee instant service just like the customers want. With the help of various modules available in Infor CRM Epiphany, a user can perform actions that will guarantee an increase in your productivity. Some of the modules available in Infor CRM Epiphany are:

• Integrated marketing module
• Customer service module
• Targeted campaign module
• Close Loop Response Tracking Module

Analytics modules of Infor CRM Epiphany: Providing top of the line CRM abilities, Infor CRM Epiphany is effective software that can not only do what it is meant to do, it does a lot more. Including the capability to analyze campaigns and various processes in any hospitality business, Infor CRM Epiphany is software that will allow you to measure the performance of your business so that you can induce specific measures to improve your business.

Given below is a list of some of the modules that allow a business to evaluate its performance:

• Close Loop Response Tracking Module:  This module provides error free instant response tracking and allows the users of Infor CRM Epiphany to ensure quality customer service thereby increasing their revenues.
• Analyze Event Based Marketing Programs: Apart from initializing marketing programs like customer loyalty surveys and valued customer discounts, users can also analyze these event based marketing programs and then evaluate their performance.
• Reporting and analysis: With advanced reporting and analysis of various figures, Infor CRM Epiphany allows a user to get cumulative analysis of various processes in the business.

Website: http://www.infor.in/solutions/crm/industries/hospitality/

Author: Infor

Price Range: Price on demand

Platform: On site desktop based platform

crm-performance Hotel CRM