Review the “Chapter Eleven Case: Zappos Is Passionate for Customers” at the end of Ch. 11 of Business Driven Technology.

Discuss whether you are for or against the following statement in the electronic age: Customer relationships are more important than ever, and Zappos provides the new benchmark that all corporations should follow.

Select a side in the argument and justify your answer. Also, discuss the following:

• Does Zappos use a CRM?
• How can using a CRM support business operations?
• What are the benefits and challenges of using a CRM in a business?
• What would you suggest as best practices that should be used for a CRM to be successful? Explain your answer.

Respond to at least three of your peers. In your response, address any thoughts you have on CRMs supporting business organizations, benefits/challenges of CRMs, and best practices.

Students need to contribute three substantive posts in this discussion by the due date indicated. The substantive posts can be any combination of responses and replies.

Peer 1 

Good evening Class

Zappos I would say does use CRM now, but back in 1996 I sure that it was not as in depth as now and was not really a think of large use. You have to think the technology of 1996 was not that of today and did not have such a large impact on society. Now I’m sure that they have the best CRM software available on the market now. Small business operations using CRM’s allow for the business to learn there customer, manage administrative needs, gives business personal the most of there time by managing customer orders, supply needs, and logistics, along with HR needs. Benefits of using a CRM system are that it is upstreamed and can be viewed real time, marketing solutions are also a plus and customer management. The downside to the CRM system is that it is very expensive and training an entire staff is very challenging across the field. In my opinion when implementing a new CRM system it is always best to first research different makes and see with best works with your network system. Keep track of your training of employees on your system so that everyone is trained and up to standard and there is never a time where anyone says that they do not understand the system or in the event that training needs to be conducted new employees must be the first to attend this training. Ensure that your IT team is current on any updates that the system requires and make sure that your help desk personal and IT team can answer any questions at a moments notice without hesitation.

Peer 2

Good afternoon,

There are a couple of advantages and disadvantages to CRM. But these disadvantages can be reduced with the support of an appropriate CRM person (internal or external) which will work as the driving force within the organization and should provide the right and ideal practice for optimum utilization and implementation.

Advantages:

• One place for all customer data.
• Manages growth
• Automates sending auto emails and SMS to customers.
• Builds long term relationships with customers.
• Seeks out how and where to make improvements

Disadvantages:

• The transition from manual to automated.
• Not selecting the right system
• Poor user adoption
• Integration with existing software
• Incorrect implementation

If need be. Take a minute to consider if customer relationship management software is the right fit for your business. Which likely will be a majority of the time. In my opinion it is a very needed part of today’s business.

Peer 3

I agree customer relationship are more important than ever I believe to get ahead in business a lot of companies offer the same thing for example apple music google play and other streaming services some offer exclusive music from artist but they have to be competitive the way Zappos stay competitive is Zappos’s passionate customer service strategy encourages customers to order as many sizes and styles of products as they want, ships them for free, and offers free return shipping. Does Zapo use CRM? I would say yes is a means of managing all aspects of a customer’s relationship with an organization to increase customer loyalty and retention and an organization’s profitability and I say Zappos does this with the free shipping and free return I think CRM can support business operations by 24 hour customer service checking online orders shipping online orders up to 11 pm providing next day shipping and responding to customer inquiries which is the call center that sits in the corporate building as well. The benefits and challenges of using CRM I think one of the benefits like in the reading what if a customer have a problem with one of the products and the sells representative from the company may try to go down to the company to make a sell and the customer already having the product that could be a problem but with the customer service representative the make a ticket log a call the sales representative already should know about the issue before he reaches out the customer maybe he or she can do some damage control and make an up sell or keep the customer happy to be a returning customer. I think customer services is extremely helpful and in house tech support because I know when I worked for OnStar we had user wanted to cancel before we get them and when we get the Onstar System back up and running give them a couple free minutes or 3 months free we was able to keep customers and make them happy and maybe we can up sell the user in the futures.

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