CRM is not just for the big boys

Clive Couldwell’s article on customer relationship marketing, “Loyalty bonuses” (MW February 18), certainly captured a basic truth in cause-related marketing implementation when he called for the approach to be adopted throughout an organisation – from the boadroom down.

And while the article dwells on the major suppliers and vendors which provide software solutions for large-scale CRM applications, marketers in medium-sized companies needn’t fear that CRM is for “big boys” only.

Indeed, there are now a select group of expert companies – both service and systems providers – that focus on advising a variety of clients in developing their one-to-one needs and delivering and managing CRM solutions for them at all levels and budgets.

But whether the move to one-to-one marketing is being taken by the giants such as Tesco (as has been extensively reported in Marketing Week) or smaller retailer or service companies, neither venture will work unless it has the backing of everyone involved in the customer relationship chain – from boardroom to the front office. CRM is a much a mind-set as a marketing solution.

Geoff Downer

Swetenhams