Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is evolving towards Social CRM in response to those changes. But how is Social CRM different from classic CRM? How can it help to increase the performance of my company? Is Social CRM only for the enterprise? How does Social Media affect my business?

As a business leader, you know transition is going to take years to complete. We acknowledge that as well but will present the case that the time to invest the time to research and find the right partners for the journey ahead is now.

Social CRM is the future of CRM

CRM is a set of processes (and associated tools) meant to manage the relationships of a company with their customers. It affects more directly the areas interacting with external partners and customers (typically sales, marketing, customer service).

Social CRM seeks to address the same scope of problems as Classic CRM.

Why do we need a new name for the same solution? Because there are significant changes in the business environment and CRM is evolving in response to them. Until that evolution consolidates, “Social CRM” is the future of CRM.

But what are those changes?

• Changes in the business environment. Customers have gained access to information through the Internet. They connect and interact with their peers,  and are empowered and in control.
• Emergence of New Technology. In the past decade social technologies have decreased the friction and cost of collaboration.  The adoption of those technologies by businesses promises to scale personal touch and change engagement with customers.
• Generational changes. The digital generation born after the 1980’s grew up using the Internet and are now consumers and workers. They operate differently than most of the business leaders and will force companies to adapt.