ESI Tech

CRM software has become a necessary implementation for every business.Companies have understood the importance of studying and managing their relationships between their customers, and even other vital groups like their employees, their providers, their vendors, etc., and that’s why the hunger for better CRM software is increasing over time. Large, medium or small companies; no business is excusable for missing this enormous subject that is the relationship’s management.

Customer relationship management software has existed since a relatively long time, but it seems that it has become more popular (and necessary) in the last years. Long before CRM, there existed what was called PIM, or Personal Information Manager. These electronic devices had limited databases for storing important dates or information, most likely addresses and telephone numbers. But these basic functions weren’t enough for storing all the necessary information. That’s why these devices and its software kept evolving, reaching different stages, like CMS, or Contact Management System; SFA, or Sales Force Automation – actually, CRM was heavily based on SFA -, etc.

When these management systems finally evolved into what CRM is now, different software companies developed their own CRM applications – SAP and Siebel Systems being the market leaders at the beginning of the CRM race. At this time, CRM wasn’t a popular implementation for business, as it wasn’t well known (at least, not as well as now) and many companies had only horror stories to tell about their CRM implementation. But this is slowly changing…

We’re facing a new age for CRM, where companies are becoming aware of how to implement correctly a CRM solution, different software companies are offering different approaches to management, and managers and directors are realizing about the need for customer relationship management. Even now, these new ideas are reaching new perspectives, like the xRM concept, where relationship management isn’t just for a company’s customers anymore, but its software developers, its administrators, its vendors, its providers… in a word, everything. And this new age has attracted new companies to enter the CRM race, being the most notable Microsoft.

Microsoft owned some CRM territory with Microsoft Outlook, but it wasn’t truly a CRM solution as it lacked several features other software offered, like Oracle’s Siebel CRM or SAP’s CRM. Microsoft was just a watcher, waiting for its opportunity to invade this territory.

While Microsoft began its plan for dominating the CRM industry long ago, with its Axapta 1.0 in March 1998, it wasn’t until the release of Microsoft Dynamics AX 4.0 in March 2006 when they reached a dangerous stage for its competitors. What makes Dynamics so powerful is its capability for integration with several other Microsoft technologies, like Microsoft Office, SQL Server and the .NET platform, being this latter one of the most important aspects of version 4.0. Dynamics being in a fully integrated environment with the .NET platform, customization of the software became easier, turning Dynamics plug-ins development a perfect solution for satiating a company’s need.

This characteristic will become a salvation for many companies, as the implementation of the new xRM concept, for example, is becoming an achievable feat. Companies will be able to customize Microsoft Dynamics to fit only its demands, eliminating the idea of treating with a general purpose software; it won’t fit any need anymore,  but your need.This customization will diminish many software problems, like employees’ software training and the lack of software features.

Without doubt, CRM software, gadgets, theories and techniques are evolving in a very interesting (and beneficial) way. Customer relationship management is becoming a high necessity for every business, where the company’s size or interests won’t matter.

Filed under: Software