CRM vendors fail to offer the complete solution

NEWS Despite claims to the contrary, customer relationship management (CRM) vendors are failing to offer users 'the complete solution', according to a report issued this week. According to the report - 'Ovum evaluates: CRM in the Front Office' - buyers need to be on their guard to avoid investing in software that will leave them facing the multiple costs of extra customisation, delayed implementation and frustrated or lost customers. CRM software is designed to give users - predominantly in a sales, services or marketing capacity - a single point of access to all information relating to their customers. Players in the CRM market claim their technology is suited for all types of functions such as the call centre, self-service Web interface or field sales. However, Ovum has concluded that the CRM software on the market today tends to be biased towards a particular function. For example, IBM's offering is heavily call centre oriented, Siebel's is best developed for field sales operations and Vantive offers facilities specifically for self-support. 'Ovum evaluates: CRM in the Front Office' is available from http://www.ovum.com