CRM

Nokia ties into Siebel

CRM, Tech

The Motley Fool reports that Nokia has revealed details of a new phone that will be able to access Oracle apps including Siebel.

The E90 and its antecedents will connect to corporate databases through the Oracle Database Lite framework, with two separate applications for accessing Siebel-based customer management data. An Oracle spokesperson says that the collaboration has been five years in the making, so Finland’s finest has seen a need for tighter business integration for quite some time. For Siebel, that timeframe goes back beyond Oracle’s acquisition of the business-intelligence specialist in 2006.

Metalink3

CRM, Tech

Interesting concept behind Metalink3 as the substitute for Siebel Supportweb. Instead of designated contacts for an account with all users within that account using one of the designated user accounts, now each user will have their own account and they will be granted access to an account. This will provide Oracle with a more detailed view of their application user base including what projects individual consultants work on. It seems likely that end clients will be more diligent about adding and removing access to users rather than the past practice of changing the password everytime that someone left a project. It seems that finally Oracle/Siebel is interested in practicing CRM on it’s own customers and consultants.

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WORK is not play. But maybe it should be.

CRM, Tech, Thought Provoking

The future of CRM as reported by the New York Times? I wonder how soon Siebel/SAP/Salesforce will be changing their interfaces to suit this model?

In fact, Paul Johnston has remade his company on the idea that business software will work better if it feels like a game. Mr. Johnston is not some awkward adolescent, but the polished president and chief executive of Entellium, which makes software for customer relationship management. Businesses spend billions of dollars on such software to try to track their sales staff, their marketers, their customer service — anything that connects them with customers. Unfortunately, most of the software is the business equivalent of calorie counting. No one does it gladly. Worse, the software has a Big Brother aspect to it.

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How to upsell anything and other sexy business tips.

CRM

Found a truly enlightening and dynamic site, Trizoko (nice name) with great writing and clearly expressing dynamic solutions to business (and sometimes personal) issues. It’s a keeper.

So Simple, Yet So Rare

If we could pull a number out from our behind, we’d say not more than 1 out of 5,000 companies actually focus on solution selling.

They’re:

1. leaving lots, and lots of money on the table
2. leaving customers needs unfulfilled
3. destroying their true-badass potential

If you’re looking to increase your sales after a purchase, do this shizzle:

1. Understand what need your product fulfilled.
2. Seek ways to fulfill that need even further.
3. Congratulate-yo-self.

You just doubled-tripled-quadrupled-blabupled your sales, and made your customer super-duper-oh-my-mutha-gosh happier with your business.

To start upselling:
Fulfill sexy needs — further.

or how about

How to Rock Your Business

1. Set a goal.
2. List the means to get there.
3. Focus on those means.

You’ll amplify your chances to rock the world.
Form = Sexy.

It’s the Future, Stupid: Why most CRM systems don’t deliver their potential

CRM, Thought Provoking

Sviokla’s Context delivers a very insightful article about CRM systems from a vendor-independent viewpoint. Basically, the essence of the argument is that CRM systems should begin by adopting a forward looking approach to customer management that focuses on the potential of customer to deliver new business rather than looking at past performance to provide rewards.

One of the few companies I know that treats customers based on potential is Harrah’s Entertainment. If Harrah’s sees you game at the “Diamond Level” — their highest level of status, they begin to treat you like a Diamond customer right away. They then track your actual behavior to decide whether or not you deserve this high level of status. (I think the time period is six months).