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Hardware Requirements

Integration - Allow data from various channels to be integrated easily (equipment you use the system to allow different channels to be integrated, process and payment, logistics, data is captured)

Accessibility - Allow access to both office-based and off-site staff (office or not office can still access information, insurance agent make you sign offline documents and then access into the online system)

Compatibility - Must be compatible with existing systems in the company (hardware must be compatible with existing hardware/software)

Scalability - Able to accommodate future increases in data and users (have the scalability to have space for future space for more users, now 10,000 customers in 3 years 1 million customers)

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Deployment Requirements

Cloud Computing (buy space from the cloud)
- Data stored in a third-party database
- Restricted customisation
- Lower initial investment
- IT expertise is not required
- Maintenance is managed by the third party
- Security is managed by the third party

On-Premise
- Data stored locally
- Full customisation
- Higher initial investment
- IT expertise required
- Maintenance is in house
- Security is managed internally

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User Requirements

Usability - It should be user-friendly which refers to ensure that customers know how to use

Flexibility - It should cater to the needs of different users which refers to capturing different things at different time

Performance - It should perform its tasks reliably

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CRM consists of all forms of CRM which include Marketing, Sales and Customer Service, relying on customer-related data. It is critical to CRM performance based on proficiency in acquiring, enhancing, storing, analyzing and using customer-related data. It is not only about customers but also for customers.

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Channel Partner, Sales, Service, Finance, Warehouse, and Marketing has interactions with customers and are integrated to form a consolidated database. Therefore, allowing staff from various departments to have full knowledge of their customers and deliver a consistent message to them.

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1) Define the database functions

This consist of strategic CRM (customer acquisition plan, customer retention plan, customer development plan), Analytical CRM and Operational CRM (marketing automation, sales force automation, service automation).

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2) Define the information requirements

We need to know the type, amount and accuracy of data are dependent on the needs of individual companies. For example, if it is an RP student finding resources regarding their school information will OASIS or Amazon be a better platform? It will be OASIS since it is an RP website containing RP students' information.

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3) Identify the information sources

Sales Data (e.g. purchase history)
Financial Data (e.g. payment history)
Marketing Data (e.g. loyalty programme)
Service Data (e.g. enquiry history)
Others (e.g. social media, internet)

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4) Populate the database

Data cleaning consists of;
verify to validate to de-duplicate to merge purge

Poor maintained customer database leads to;
Operational Inefficiency - Resources are wasted on mining inaccurate and outdated data
Poor Customer Experience - Inconsistent service offered to customers

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5) Maintain the database

Desirable Database Attributes (STARTS)

Shareable - Ensure different users can access the same data at the same time
Transportable - Ensure different users can access the data from different locatiosn
Accurate - Ensure the information is accurate and updated
Relevant - Ensure users have access to appropriate data to work efficiently
Timely - Ensure users can access the data whenever needed
Secured - Ensure data, especially sensitive information is protected

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Need to protect customer data, especially confidential information to prevent any leakage or misuse.

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Applies technology to marketing processes such as sending automated messages via email, social media, text, etc. MA is marketing processes and campaigns across multiple channels automatically.

Companies can send automated messages across email, web, social media, and text according to sets of instructions. Automation helps staff with efficiency but also creates a more personalised experience for customers.

Allows right message to be sent to the right customer at the right time via the right channel.

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Marketing Campaigns

Campaign Management
- It is a sequence of activities designed to introduce and promote products and services. Campaign Management helps implement and monitor the results of marketing activities. There are algorithms and specific rules to execute campaigns with little or no human intervention. It will be delivered through a selection of targeted contacts, customisation of message and delivery of message via preferred channels.

Event-Based Marketing
- Only occurs when an event triggers a communication or offer (e.g. triggered emails). It has a high success rate because it is timely and relevant to customers and these campaigns are usually initiated by contextual events or customer behaviour.
- Such trigger messages could be abandoned cart, welcome, anniversary, post-purchase and win-back.

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Digital Marketing

Social Media Management

Publishing - Enabling companies to publish the content automatically at a preferred time and frequency
Engagement - Enhances engagement as social media mentions and posts (including untagged posts) are collated
Analytics - Easy monitoring and comparison of performance across various social media platforms
Advertising- Effective implementation of targeted marketing as ads will only be displayed to the specific target audience

Web Analytics
- Allow companies to understand the behaviour of website visitors through identifying traffic sources and figuring out what can bring in most website sessions to focus marketing campaigns on those sources accordingly. For example, having software to display relevant information proactively at different touch points and customer journey becomes more customised maximising conversion rates.

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Strategic Management

Loyalty Management
- Through MA software allow companies to develop and operate customer loyalty programmes on a grand scale efficiently.

Marketing Analytics and Reports
- Present a comprehensive view of the entire marketing strategy, enabling management to assess the effectiveness of every marketing campaign, offer and channel. Data such as email, social media, website etc. Through analysing specific issues, management can fine-tune campaigns to achieve better overall results.

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Increase Scale and Scope of Campaigns
- Through automating campaigns creates more efficiency, it allows campaigns scalable beyond marketing team size and allows multiple campaigns to be created, executed across various channels and managed at the same time.

Personalised Customer Journey
- Allows unique targeted content at customers' stages of purchasing decision which allows for personalised content. MA simplifies the process of getting the right content to the right customer at right time.

Increase Customer Reach
- Potential number of customers a company can reach through marketing channel or campaign. Through MA it increases online engagement and social media activity which increases a company's reach over time. Therefore, increasing its online presence improves the company's search engine optimisation, enhancing its visibility.

Data-Driven Measurement
- Allow effortlessly embrace big data and collect valuable intelligence. Through marketing campaigns, it can be monitored precisely through measurable data captured in the system. MA helps data to be updated in real-time for management to plan and make smarter and accurate data-driven decisions.

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SFA helps with sales management tasks and sales workflow helps with productive parts of their job which is selling. SFA helps to complement sales teams and help them to work more efficiently. The features include providing customer contacts, logging past interactions, scheduling emails & appointments and tracking responses.

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Contact Management
- Dashboard of contact information, profiles, interactions, purchases and all other activities. The contains tools for building, sharing and updating contact lists, making appointments and contact tracking.

Lead Management
- This feature allows companies to create, assign, segment and perform real-time lead tracking.

Opportunity Management
- This is a potential revenue-generating customer which needs to be tracked for completion. This function enables real-time data accessibility opportunity milestone tracking and sales forecasting.

Reports and Analysis
- Includes customisable reports, performance insights, sales forecasts, etc. This is imperative for all SFA software.

Reports and Analysis - Pipeline Management
- Visual screenshot of where opportunities are in the sales process which allows companies to ascertain opportunities that may require special attention.

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Document Management - Updated and accessible to the sales staff which are resources such as sales-related documents like brochures, price lists, product specifications, etc.

Product Configuration - Allowing sales staff and customers to design and customise products, services or solutions easily. Customisation is part of the value proposition.

Proposal Generation - Having a higher win rate as it enables sales staff to customise proposals and general price quotations quickly and reliably

Order Management - Eliminates manual processing and accelerates the internal approval process to shorten the order-to-cash cycle as sales staff are able to convert proposals into orders once the decision to purchase is made.

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Increase Productivity
- Proposals, price quotations and orders can be generated quickly and accurately and companies can enjoy a reduction in sales administration time by 14%

Enhance Customer Experience
- Response time for customers' sales enquiries and sales requests is greatly reduced. It allows customers to be a part of the design stage which modifies the specification to their preference. Companies can enjoy an 18% reduction in the sales cycle.

Improve Profitability
- Better understanding of opportunities need higher chances for upselling and cross-selling. Companies can enjoy 30% in sales conversion.

Effective Team Management
- Visibility of all sales activities are a more accurate assessment of the sales pipeline. Through better utilisation of resources based on timely reports and analysis allows for availability of real-time information for realistic sales forecast and decision making.

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Enable support departments to manage customers' enquiries and issues more efficiently, it allows staff to focus on customers' issues rather than scribbling notes and searching for information. SA helps reduce manpower significantly as it reduces the need for support staff to ask repetitive questions and for customers to put on hold.

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Case Management
- Case management covers the full cycle of activities from initial notification of the issue to the time that the case is closed. This feature ensure enquiry or issue is routed to right staff for solution, support staff will receive assigned cases on a real-time basis.

Communication Management
- It is used to acknowledge customers' service requests, make a service appointment, update on service tasks, etc. Allows receiving and distribution of incoming communication from customers. Staff are able to respond effectively to enquiries and issues regardless of channels used by customers.

Knowledge Based Articles
It- Useful for new staff to learn faster and help experienced staff to find information about rare or difficult problems.

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Customer Self Service
- Reduce demand on support staff through having websites, mobile applications and telephony systems such as Chatbot, IVR and AI.

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Agent Management
- Enables managers to plan the manpower deployment efficiently which allows managers to have visibility of all staff's availability and performance.

Service Analytics
- Provide managers with statistics to measure effectiveness and efficiency of individual support staff which allows management team to have a better visibility across channels which will give them a clearer insights of customers' experience from a broader perspective.

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Efficient Management of Cases
- Customers are available to 24/7 self-service options which allows responses to customers' queries within minutes. Customers' queries can be routed to appropriate staff with relevant knowledge and skills and this allows for clearer work flow and SA allows for better monitoring and tracking of cases

Positive Customer Experience
- Analyzation of customer profiles, past interactions which allows personalization solution. Improves customer engagement through more interactive communication channels. This will allow support staff to provide more complete and appropriate assistance.

Cost Effective
- Reduce manpower cost since there self-service function to cater to customers. It reduces service and customer handle cost through higher first time resolution rate.