10 trends of CRM

According to Gartner for April, 2012, in 2011 expenses on the Customer Relationship Management System grew by 13% in comparison with 2010 which are warmed up by demand for analytical, operational and social CRM tools. Traditional (operating rooms) CRM undertook 80% of expenses in 2011, specifically this segment grew by 10%.

Though Customer Relationship Management System are not innovative in the market of business applications, according to annual poll of Chief information officers of Gartner, the CRM system moved in the priority list from the 18th place in 2010 to the 8th place in present. The polled heads of the companies consider CRM the key direction for investments in the next five years. According to them, improvement of customer relationship management systems is capable to influence improvement of business indicators cardinally.

Key trends in the market of CRM

Gartner, April, 2012

Cloud CRM services

The market of CRM is one of segments of the world market of business software where adaptation of the SaaS model (Software-as-a-Service) goes most in high gear. In 2011 34% of expenses in the world market were the share of SaaS of CRM. The same companies which already use SaaS of CRM passed to consideration of perspectives and opportunities of use of the solutions PaaS (Platform-as-a-Service) in the context of the strategies of development of sales.

At the same time at the global level distribution by the different directions looks as follows: in the field of automation of sales more than 50% of CRM systems are cloud, in the field of service of customers — 20%, marketing — 20% and e-commerce — 30%. Though cloud computing occupies about one third of the world market of CRM, but on growth rate this segment three times advances the sector of the traditional systems. According to the forecast of Gartner, by 2020th year more than a half of the market of CRM will fall on cloud computing.

Optimization of interfaces

The convenience of programs (usability) becomes more and more important aspect of use of business software, and the CRM system are not an exception, considers. Users became more exacting to the working space today, and it is unimportant whether they use the notebook, iPad or the smartphone. Data in a context should be available by means of one user interface therefore when choosing CRM systems more and more attention is given to the simple and clear interface both on traditional, and on the mobile platform.

The centralized collection of information

The number of communications by means of which the companies interact with clients continues to grow, and CRM will play a significant role in formation of quality of these relations. The companies which are effectively using CRM will be won, collecting all data in one place and developing stable relations with each client. Besides, due to centralization of data of the company will be able to provide the best service and more customer-oriented offers.

Integration with business systems

Already now CRM integrated with ERP systems, solutions of e-commerce and other professional applications for implementation of more complete and effective business processes are required for business.

Flexibility

The better users of CRM systems understand delivery patterns, interfaces, practical and technical aspects, the more often they consider these data in decision making process on purchase of software. To the CRM-applications created for integration simplification and the users having a possibility of independent setup, such opportunity will give advantage and will set thinking other vendors on expansion of options available to the client.

"Social" tools

Main article: Social Customer Relationship Management System

The Segment of social CRM in the world market of customer relationship management systems in 2011 grew by 30%, 7% of all expenses on CRM in 2011 were the share of it. 90% of users of CRM are the companies of the sphere of B2C.

Ed Thompson, the vice president and the leading analyst of Gartner, considers that in 2012 the successful companies should review policy of usage of social communications cardinally. From "one more channel" for communication with clients within the existing CRM systems social tools should be transformed to essentially new model of business. It is no more, and not less.

Mobility

Main article: Mobile CRM

Experts believe that in 2012 CRM will be selected proceeding from existence in the system of a mobile component. Vendors with strong mobile components will get powerful benefit in systems unlike those who have no it. Possibilities of use of mobile devices by employees for information support of clients and work on their service "in the field" were obviously beyond the optional status and today work as basic.

Big data

Main article: Big Data

As for a problem of Big Data, its solution in the market of CRM only begins. From among users of CRM this question most of all concerns mobile operators who store a lot of information on each client. For the last three-four years amount of data at them increased in thousands of times.

Analytics

Expenses on analytical CRM to which Gartner carries analytical solutions for the predicative analysis and marketing segmentation grew, according to Gartner, by 10% in 2011. In 2012 this direction, according to forecasts of analysts, will also grow: it is absolutely logical that, having accumulated considerable amounts of data about the clients, the companies pass to the next stage – their analysis.

Crowdsourcing

In 2012 and further the company will use more often opinion of consumers for determination of priorities. A feedback of clients with employees in the form of survey results, visits of clients, data on mood in community will help the staff of the companies to understand better what impact they have on the client the solutions. With respect thereto the crowdsourcing functionality which is closely connected with social tools will get more actively into the leading CRM platforms.

See Also

Trends of the Russian market of CRM systems