Customer relationship management is surrounded by a growing amount of hype, according to a report by industry analyst Ovum. The report, entitled Call Centres, the Web and CRM attacks the complexity of CRM software, likening call center-based organizations that invest in multi-media CRM software to buying a 26-wheel truck when a motorbike is actually needed.
Ovum castigates CRM software, saying that it is designed to store customer data in a specific way and users have to transfer information from other sources themselves, with performance often suffering. Easy integration of data is particularly valuable in telecoms and utilities, says Ovum, where data about customers dates back several years and to multiple IT systems.
The report criticizes Oracle and Siebel, two of the pace-setters in the CRM market, for offering limited help in data integration. David Bradshaw, author of the report, says that trying to transfer data into OracleÆs CRM software is like pushing water uphill. Bradshaw argues that users are being mesmerized by firms claiming to have CRM packages and are not spending enough time finding out which software fits their needs. Call centers, he says, often buy CRM software that makes their jobs harder, not easier.
