InformationWeek

Specifically, these technologies are designed to automate sales and service functions, aggregate customer information into data warehouses and data marts, and manage collaboration with customers through an expanding number of "points of interaction."

The CRM universe can be broken down into three discrete but interrelated functional categories:

• Operational CRM: Customer-facing applications that integrate the front, back, and mobile offices, including sales-force automation, enterprise marketing automation, and customer service and support.

• Analytical CRM: Applications that analyze customer data generated by operational tools for the purpose of business performance management. Analytical CRM is inextricably tied to a data warehouse.

• Collaborative CRM: Collaborative services such as personalized publishing, E-mail, communities, conferencing, and Web-enabled customer interaction centers that facilitate interactions between customers and businesses. Collaborative CRM is used to establish the lifetime value of customers beyond the transaction by creating a partnering relationship.

• Provide a consistent and unified view of each customer for every customer interaction;

• Enable a customer to have

• a complete view of the company regardless of the way the customer contacts it;

• Let front-office staff perform sales, service, and marketing tasks more efficiently as a team, reducing costs and boosting efficiency.

The core functionality of a CRM product is its ability to maintain a single, cohesive view of the customer for the customer-facing functions of sales, service, and marketing. This distinguishes them from older and less-functional sales automation, customer service, and marketing automation software.

Leading Enterprise Front-Office Applications
Baan Front Office Baan Santa Clara, Calif. 408-919-2100 www.baan.com Avenue CRM Suite Saratoga Systems Campbell, Calif. 877-272-7286 www.saratogasystems.com Epiphany E.4 Epiphany San Mateo, Calif. 650-356-3800 www.epiphany.com DATA: Vendors	eRelationship 2000 and Intelligent eSelling 2000 Pivotal Kirkland, Wash. 877-748-8625 www.pivotal.com MySAP.com and Business Information Warehouse SAP Newtown Square, Pa. 888-596-1727 www.sap.com Oracle FrontOffice Oracle Redwood City, Calif. 800-672-2531 www.oracle.com	PeopleSoft CRM/Vantive Enterprise Vantive/PeopleSoft Pleasanton, Calif. 925-225-3000 www.peoplesoft.com SFA Plus PowerCerv Tampa, Fla. 813-226-2600 www.powercerv.com Siebel eBusiness 2000 Suite Siebel Systems San Mateo, Calif. 800-647-4300 www.siebel.com

CRM software must have the ability to support sales processes, opportunity management, and pipeline management. It examines forecasting, territory management, and team-selling capability. CRM vendors must also focus on sales-productivity tools, including sales configuration and quote generation.

Marketing performs two functions that require capability from CRM software: campaign management and prospect generation. Companies look for the ability to both manage and execute a campaign at all stages, from planning to determining its success rate. Companies that are evaluating CRM software must examine how prospect generation is linked and related to sales.

CRM software must have the ability to run a customer-service or -support operation, including the capability to record interactions with the customer, as well as being able to provide differentiated service according to the terms of a contract.