Transcript Customer Contact Management

Customer Contact Management
Hartley, R
Ch .3 of Pickton & Broderick (2001)
Definition
The co-ordination & management of all
activities involving personal communication
between an organisation, its customers and
prospects
• in person, by mail, telephone, fax
• email, website, video-conferencing
Aims
• Maximise Customer Lifetime Value
– seamless continuity of customer experience
– responsiveness and flexibility of service
• accurate customer data
• reduced contact and transaction cost
Hi-touch or hi-tech contact?
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Key Account Mgr.
Field sales team
Technical experts
Distributors/Agents
Direct Mail
Telesales
Fax
Internet
High touch
=high cost
Lead
generation
K AM.
Field sales
Technicians
Agents
Direct Mail
Telesales
Fax
Internet
Lead
Negotiation
qualification & Development
Problems &
Ordering
& logistics queries
Hi-tech systems
-four uses of a customer database
• EDI - electronic data interchange
– computer-to-computer interaction
• CASS computer-aided sales support
– all sales/service staff have access to customerdetails database
– qualify leads to save field sales time spent on
wasted calls
• CIS customer information and service
– allows customers easy and quick contact to the
right advice, information or service
• DRM direct response marketing
– use of the database for campaigns directed at
existing or potential customers
Issues
• Lack of integration between systems
‘a sprawling mix of reps, call-centres,
resellers and a website or two’ (Friedman & Goodrich 1998)
– customer confusion and frustration
– spiralling costs
What do the customers want?
‘Many customers are migrating away from
face-to-face encounters with sales staff, not
only to save money, but also to take greater
control of the buying process’
Friedman, L and Goodrich, G (1998) ‘Sales strategy in a
multi-channel environment’ The Journal of Sales and
Major Account Management 1 (1) 38-48
How to organise for CCM?
• Customer preferences
• Activities needed
• Contact costs
• What channels of contact?
• Who should be responsible?
– in-house or agents
– hi-touch or hi-tech
• Should the price reflect the means and cost?