Customer relationship management (CRM) is the concept of making the customer the focus of a company and its business processes. It must be implemented as the primary company philosophy and the strategies it promotes have to be adopted within the company. The aim of all corporate activities must be to place customers at the center, and not view them as the means to an end (just to increase turnover). The principles of customer relationship management must predominate at all levels of the company. CRM is intended to create and build upon long-term relationships with customers during all phases of the business relationship. The phases of a customer relationship include:

• Approaching possible customers: A customer is interested in the company and its products (first contact).
• Gaining the customer: The customer has a concrete intention to buy and the company receives an order.
• Service: The company does everything to ensure that the customer is satisfied with the product or service purchased.
• Keeping the customer: Specific and attentive customer support ensures that the customer is both a satisfied and loyal customer.

The customer will remain true to your company, even if a competitor offers a similar product at a reduced rate.

The idea of customer relationship management is not new; local stores have always acted in this way. As long as they were engaged in business with their customers, they maintained relationships with these customers. The owners of local stores know their customers well and are well acquainted with their particular needs and desires. They know which products to offer to which customers and when, in order to ensure a successful sale. The local store owners also know when to give a customer’s child a lollipop on their birthday. The challenge for large-scale enterprises is to transfer this local store mentality to their company.

Why should they do this? The Internet has changed our lives and the competition is now only a mouse-click away. Nowadays, customers expect all channels of business communication to be fully integrated. Whatever channel of communication customers may be using, they expect real service all the time, wherever they are. If one company does not offer this service, the customers simply go to a competitor. Companies need to rethink: Maintaining customer relationships has become a decisive success factor. The solution is mySAP CRM. mySAP CRM covers not only traditional sales
processes. SAP Customer Relationship Management (SAP CRM), the cornerstone of SAP’s Customer Relationship Management solution (mySAP CRM), provides companies with the customer-centric solutions they need to land, build, and maintain profitable customer relationships. SAP CRM drives closed-loop customer interactions through all phases of the relationship lifecycle: engage,
transact, fulfill, and service. SAP CRM supports all relevant channels: mobile, telephony, and the Internet. SAP CRM drives customer relationships in all CRM business dimensions: operational, analytical, and collaborative.

Traditional direct sales
Typically, information within a company is not usefully collected. When information is passed on, it is often incomplete or inaccurate. Employee turnover means that vital customer information is often lost. Traditional direct sales is characterized by decentralized information about the customer. In some cases, only one employee has knowledge about the customer and the relevant contact information.

Direct Sales Using mySAP CRM
mySAP CRM allows every employee who needs information about customer contacts to access all relevant information immediately. Field Sales and Field Services enable field representatives to access ALL contact information in the field using a laptop or other mobile devices. Analyzing this information gives the company a deeper understanding of its customers. As a result, the company can increase its service package, process queries faster, strengthen relationships, and benefit from increased customer loyalty.

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