CRM Services Key Terms

Learn what CRM services are available for your business
By Terri Deno Customer relationship management (CRM) is a tool used in business that provides a company with a better understanding of how marketing, sales and customer service relates to the individual customer. CRM services can be found through CRM software and other types of CRM systems. These services can help to determine the right marketing campaign for a specific set of customers, how to group specific customers together and ways to integrate data from all aspects of the business.
 

Sales force automation (SFA)

Sales force automation is a system that helps manage and automate any sales-related activities. SFA software programs are easily integrated into CRM management software to share sales and marketing data.
Try: Vtiger provides information on the different key modules shared between CRM and sales force automation.

Direct marketing

CRM programs can provide tools for a number of marketing strategies, including direct marketing. Direct marketing is a campaign that provides promotional messages directly to the customer to create a response to purchase a product or service.
Try: Haymarket Media's DM News provides advice on choosing the best CRM system for direct marketing.

Enterprise resources planning (ERP)

Enterprise resources planning is a system of resources that integrates company data into a single system. This allows quicker access to CRM data and related information.
Try: IDG's CIO Magazine provides answers to frequently asked questions about ERP systems and what they can do for a business.

Marketing automation

Marketing automation is a one of the basic services provided by CRM software. This system of marketing makes customer segmentation and filtering easier by automatically performing these processes.
Try: NetSuite provides the specifications for the marketing automation system that works with its line of CRM software.

Collaborative filtering

Collaborative filtering is a process of providing products and services to customers based on a filter that determines a preference stipulated by similar customers. This type of filtering is found in many CRM software programs.
Try: Read Write Web provides information on the principles of collaborative filtering and how this is effectively used for websites.

One-to-one marketing

One-to-one marketing is a service of CRM applications that provides a way for the businesses to learn more about customers through personalized and interactive services.
Try: Cliff Allen provides information on one-to-one marketing in CRM and how this type of marketing can increase sales over time.