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 , 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? Key Account Mgr. Field sales team Technical experts Distributors/Agents Direct Mail Telesales Fax Internet High touch =high cost
K AM. Field sales Technicians Agents Direct Mail Telesales Fax Internet Lead generation Lead qualification Negotiation & Development Ordering & logistics Problems & 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 customer- details 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?