- Information Systems Management
- . What are the typical functions in a customer relationship management system?
- In order for a business or an organization to run smoothly, there are various typical functions that take place in a customer relationship management system (CRM) which include the following (Haag, Cumming & Phillips, 2007);
- Customer service
- Providing an excellent service to customers is one of the functions of CRM. Good customer service is the root of successful business. The service is an important factor that businesses apply to win customers. When offering an excellent service, clients come back for the goods or service for the next time. Through the technology many organizations are upgrading in their services in order to provide faster services. Customer services help in increasing efficiency and minimizing operational costs (Haag, et al., 2007).
- Order management
- Effective order management is very essential in the operation system of an organization. Order management means that it is advisable to create a schedule appointment with customers in order to have an organized structure in the working environment. Various representatives in the departments of an organization usually spend some time with customers with the aim of winning them. This method helps in arranging the time when a customer may visit the organization or when it is possible to deliver the sales service to the customer. Nowadays, automated systems help in order management and place the date of function on both the organization and client’s calendar (Haag, et al., 2007).
- Sales force automation
- Sales force automation helps in identifying the potential clients and outline schedules for the sales team (Haag, et al., 2007). The sales automation helps in identifying potential customers and finding a way to reach them. An organization has the ability to develop multichannel campaigns in order to get the attention of customers. The multichannel campaigns include use of emails and the social media in order to get noticed by the customer. Nowadays, organizations are using the Web to reach customers and create a business relationship with them (Haag, et al., 2007).
- Invoice/billing
- The invoice billing function of CRM helps an organization to identify the items that are already paid and those yet to be paid. This function helps in avoiding fraud cases in an organization. Technology has come up with invoicing tools that help in services of automation and other tasks including billing (Haag, et al., 2007).
- 2). Identify Porter’s three generic strategies, and explain how supply chain management might fit into them.
- The porter’s three generic strategies are the following;
- Cost leadership strategy (Haag, et al., 2007)
- Differentiation strategy (Haag, et al., 2007)
- Focus strategy (Haag, et al., 2007)
- Supply chain management might fit in each of the porter’s generic strategies as explained below;
- Cost leadership strategy
- This generic strategy calls for an organization to being the producer of the low cost in a given level of quantities. On this case, the organization sells the available products above the average industry prices in order to gain slightly more profit. However, the organization may sell the available products below the average industry prices in order to get the advantage of gaining the market share. In the supply chain, this method targets a broad market. In order for the supply chain of an organization fit in this Porter’s strategy, the chain need to have distribution channels that are very effective (Haag, et al., 2007).
- Differentiation strategy
- This strategy offers the supply chain to have a mechanism of developing unique strategies ought to please customers while showing them that the organization is better than others. The unique strategies include distributing different products from other organizations. In order for the chain to fit in this strategy, the management ought to have strong sales team that will be able to convince customers the strengths of the product (Haag, et al., 2007).
- Focus strategy
- For a supply chain to fit in this strategy, the organization has to concentrate on a certain area and in that area attempt to achieve a cost advantage. In this case, the management that performs a focus strategy has an advantage of getting customer loyalty. The management that aims to use its supply chain within this strategy may concentrate even into smaller segments that seem to offer more profits (Haag, et al., 2007).
- Reference
- Haag, S., Cummings, M & Phillips, A . (2007). Management information systems for the information age. New York: McGraw-Hill/Irwin.
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