A CRM solution is a software application that allows users to access important data, ranging from a customer’s account balance to past purchases, through a single source in real time. Benefi cial to countless departments within a business, most CRM solutions include these primary applications:

• Sales Force Automation: Empowers sales representatives with immediate insight into customer buying patterns; helps managers better forecast future sales; allows companies to adjust production cycles based on real-time sales fi gures; enables accurate assessment of the sales team’s performance.
• Marketing: Helps marketing executives better manage and design campaigns, adjust budgets, link revenue to specifi c advertising initiatives, create targeted campaigns, and assess campaign results.
• Service and Support: Enables businesses to provide prompt customer service, accurate product support, call-center service and proactive IT help-desk assistance.
• Analytics: Generates real-time, graphical and customized reports so that businesses can better allocate resources, gain strategic insights and optimize enterprise performance.