CRM and MIS

CRM

Definition

Customer relationship management are the processes implemented by a company to handle its contact with its customers. Customer satisfaction is one of the key factors that defines business success. In an automated world, customers have come to expect that each and every communication should form part of a continuous stream of relevant and personalised ‘conversation’. CRM solution  give businesses the power to utilise organisational data to add value to the customer experience.

Organizing Customer Communication

A CRM system is most concerned with the customer record and managing the communications with that customer. Now, there are a lot of different forms of communications that occur with a customer. Typically, these customer communications fall into these kinds of categories: web form inquiries, phone calls, emails (as-needed or scheduled), meetings, advertisements, postal mail, and these days, texts.
This is a lot of different kinds of information, and as you can imagine, all of this communication can get easily lost or separated. This is where a business management CRM comes into play.
A business management CRM allows a company to track these various form of customer communications – all in one place. With the information about all your prospects and customers together, coupled with a record of the communications, you can design targeted action to address customers that are most likely going to purchase your products. Without the CRM tools, it can be nearly impossible to develop and execute on quality action that should lead to revenue-based success.

Purposes of CRM

• Helping an enterprise to enable its marketing departments to identify and target their best customers, manage marketing campaigns and generate quality leads for the sales team.
• Assisting the organization to improve telesales, account, and sales management by optimizing information shared by multiple employees, and streamlining existing processes (for example, taking orders using mobile devices)

• Allowing the formation of individualized relationships with customers, with the aim of improving customer satisfaction and maximizing profits; identifying the most profitable customers and providing them the highest level of service.
• Providing employees with the information and processes necessary to know their customers, understand and identify customer needs and effectively build relationships between the company, its customer base, and distribution partners.

Evaluating Competing CRM Software

Though making CRM comparisons can seem like a tough assignment, industry experts suggest that project managers can make the task much easier than it looks. By evaluating the ten most important CRM differences, purchasers can quickly narrow down a large list of vendors to three or four of the most viable candidates.
• Price
Most companies can find reliable CRM software within their budgets. When making CRM comparisons, purchasers should factor in differences in pricing models
• Connectivity
Some contact management tools rely solely on local databases, while others leverage the power of the Web.
• Compatibility
Some project managers fail to include the price of new hardware when estimating the total cost of ownership for new CRM software.
• Out-of-the-Box Readiness
Companies that want CRM software to help make quick changes can usually get by with stock templates until their systems can be totally customized.
• Customizability
CRM software developers understand that every company manages its operations differently. Therefore, most contact management and sales tracking systems offer modular designs and easy customization. Purchasers should ask vendors about the process to add new features over time.
• Ease of Use
When sales professionals find CRM software difficult to use, it fails to gain a foothold in an organization.
• Support
CRM comparisons should include an honest evaluation of the kind of support a sales team will need during and after implementation.
• Security
When making a customer relationship management comparison, purchasers should ask whether hosted CRM software meets industry standards for privacy and for data security. On-site CRM software solutions should include specific plans and budgets to safeguard dedicated hardware.
• Reliability
Major CRM differences exist between hosted platforms, on-premises systems, and client-based software tools. When hosting CRM software offsite, experts recommend reviewing the track records and the emergency plans of data centers. Likewise, companies planning to host CRM software in house should examine their own infrastructure and support systems.
• Scalability
Finally, any CRM comparison should include a look into the future. Ask whether inexpensive tools can easily grow to serve larger teams through a period of expansion. Discover how CRM software stores data, and how data server speed can be affected by a growing database.

MIS

Definition

Management Information Systems (MIS) is a general name for the academic discipline covering the application of information technology to support the major functions and activities of either a private sector business or public sector institution. In business, information systems support the process of collection, manipulation, storage, distribution and utilization of an organization's information resources, business processes and operations.
As an area of study it is also referred to as information technology management. The study of information systems is usually a commerce and business administration discipline, and frequently involves software engineering, but also distinguishes itself by concentrating on the integration of computer systems with the aims of the organization.

MIS - capabilities

The term 'information system' is a general term for a system that facilitates access to information; however, a ' management information system' refers to integrated data sources and information systems, which meet the particular needs and requirements of planning and decision-making. In an ideal case, the major objectives of MIS are to:
• reach an understanding of the relevant processes on the basis of the available historic information. This element forms the basis for the development of models, required for forecasting and simulation.
• provide information on the current situation, especially for early warning purposes, for instance related to issues impacting on food security, water resources or pest and disease status.
• forecast changes and impacts, either natural or man-made , as an element in vulnerability assessments.
• forecast the consequences of policy decisions and measures before they are implemented in reality. This implies evaluating options for several given scenarios based on the possible results and predicted consequences, and selecting the most acceptable alternative

 

 

Implementations

The majority of information systems are created for, and operated by, people in functional areas (e.g., manufacturing, human resources, accounting, finance and marketing). MIS professionals must possess a combination of business and technical knowledge to develop information systems that address the needs of the organization. They must comprehend organizational structures, objectives, operations including processes and the flows of data between processes and the financial connotations related to these factors. An MIS professional should interrelate effectively with users and design systems that would support their needs.
MIS managers and professionals should keep themselves updated with evolving information technologies. They should have a solid foundation of technical skills to select appropriate technologies and to implement computer-based information systems. Thus, MIS people must be well versed in topics such as systems development tools and techniques, information architecture, network configurations, databases, and systems integration.




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