In brief: CRM is a way of managing customer relationships supported by processes, people and a data system. It should maintain a shared contact history and help identify the next relevant step.
How I use CRM in practice
With CRM, I start with the recipient’s expectation: why they are receiving the message, what value it will bring them and how easily they can change their choice. I separate operational communication from marketing communication, segment by relationship and behaviour, and before sending, check the sender, links, mobile display and the follow-on step.
What to watch out for
Beware of the open metric as the only proof. Technical privacy protections can distort it, and a nice number does not tell us whether the message helped a decision. CRM must also have working unsubscribing and a clear distinction between necessary and promotional communication.
Questions for decision-making
- Why should the recipient receive this message right now?
- Do we have a substantiated purpose and the correct type of consent?
- How will we verify delivery, response and commercial contribution?
- What happens if there is an error, an unsubscribe or a data change?