Gartner: Four CRM trends to watch - and how your firm must respond

Gartner has forecast that customer relationship management will remain high on the agenda this year, as the analyst outlines its key predictions and advice for the CRM space.

 

According to the Gartner Executive Programs (EXP) 2010 CIO Agenda survey, attracting and retaining new customers will be the fifth biggest business priority for CIOs in 2010. And as a result, they are keen to explore how CRM technologies and processes can help them meet these goals.

 

Furthermore, the proliferation of social media tools has created new opportunities for businesses to engage with customers – though this will add another layer of complexity to organisation’s customer strategies.

"For most organisations, the single most logical way to differentiate the business is through great customer experiences, rather than having the lowest cost or most innovative products and services," says Ed Thompson, vice president and distinguished analyst at Gartner. "However, gaining a clear understanding on which specific customer-centric initiatives will prove decisive and merit investment will require coordination across departments."