The following checklist can help businesses considering CRM products:

• Does the CRM product offer a comprehensive solution for Internet commerce?

• Do the products address customers, partners, and resellers?

• Does the software consolidate customer information from multiple communications channels, including E-mail, call centers, wireless devices, and the Internet?

• Can the CRM software interoperate with E-commerce and transactional software t
• provide end-to-end order and customer tracking?

• Does the vendor have a full software suite that offers seamless functionality using the Extensible Markup Language and other standards-based object models?

• Does the vendor have the resources and staffing skills to integrate acquired software quickly with its own offerings?

• Can your company get a hosted version of the CRM suite from your vendor, or does the vendor have partnerships with ASPs for subscription-based service?

Return to main story, "Customer Service For Business Partners."