Eureka! Institutional Repository

The term Customer Relationship Management or Marketing (CRM) indicates the methodology that helps to label and attract consumers, through the process of developing interpersonal relationships (business – customer). It is a methodology that puts the customer at the heart of the business process. The goal of the client-centric character CRM is the diachronic sale and customer service, loyal to the products and services, through a specific management system. ERP systems are integrated information systems that aim to support all operational activities. These systems are not a recent idea. As early as 1970 with the MRP systems (Material Requirement Planning) had become the beginning, but these systems had built-in very few functions. As the years passed, some extra related sectors such as finance and human resources were added. These systems were named MRP II. This progress continued in the 90 and eventually these systems were named ERP. However, these systems put more emphasis on the company's internal processes. The technological development combined with the greater familiarity of the consumer audience with it, created the need for a more customer-centric approach. This gap came to cover the CRM systems which are a development of the classic ERP systems. As these systems basically refer to the customers of each business, their main objectives are to identify the most important customers, increasing the amounts available for consumer spending, limiting losses on the consumer base and creating a loyal purchasing public. So in general we observe that the service of personalized customer needs is achieved through a specific and systematic methodology and approach is the main purpose of the implementation of this. New technology and the evolution of computer software allow scheduling and activation of contacts with customers, based on their own purchasing behavior and habits, which we can know in quite a depth and that is exactly what the CRM exploits. The priorities of this methodology are to focus on the concentration of the specific and in many cases different needs that customers have. It is also a priority to put a series of actions on the business side, with the ultimate aim of serving the consumer audience. The dominant element of CRM is the change that brings in business thinking and structure, through the facilities and of course the profit prospects. This is a successful method of, launched abroad mainly during the decade of ' 70, it evolved into that of '80 but experienced it’s most important boost in the late 90, due to the great evolution of information systems and their applications. CRM is a software solution (often available as a service), which facilitates a company in its interaction with its customers, existing and potential. Essentially what a CRM system does is to manage personal information, sales and flow of customer-related processes, starting long before the sale and continuing after that. After all, for every business target is not only finding new customers, and the preservation of existing ones, by exploiting new sales opportunities at the time they are presented. Can the CRM term refer to the product, but in essence it is an "umbrella" that encompasses the strategy, practices and technology, aiming to improve the customer-centric philosophy of the company, focusing on the human factor, whether it is a customer, a service user, for partner or vendor. The ultimate goal is none other than building strong customer relationships to increase business profitability. A false impression is that CRM only concerns the sales department of a company. However, the benefits are larger and involve the entire business. CRM is not just a tool for sales and marketing. On the contrary, it must be fully integrated into the daily workflow of the company, from HR department and customer support, to supply chain management. A modern CRM solution is right there, featuring modules and features that interface with existing apps within a business.