Relationships Matter

This definitive textbook explains what CRM is, the benefits it delivers, the contexts in which it is used, how it can be implemented and how CRM technologies can be deployed to support customer management strategies and objectives. It also looks comprehensively at how CRM can be used throughout the customer life-cycle stages of customer acquisition, retention and development and how the management disciplines- marketing, sales, IT, change management, human resource, customer service, accounting, and strategic management are implicated in this. This completely revised edition also includes:

· A Tutor Resource pack available to instructors who adopt this text

· Case examples illustrating CRM in practice

· Screenshots of CRM software applications and reviews of technology applications deployed in marketing, sales and customer service

Student readers will enjoy the logical structure, easy accessibility and case illustrations. Managers will appreciate the book's freedom from CRM vendor and consultant bias and the independent guidance it provides to those involved in CRM programs and system implementations. This second edition has been completely revised and updated with eight new chapters.

· A Tutor Resource pack available to instructors who adopt this text

· Case examples illustrating CRM in practice

· Screenshots of CRM software applications and reviews of technology applications deployed in marketing, sales and customer service

User Reviews about Customer Relationship Management - Second Edition

Buttle's book is a comprehensive coverage of CRM, without the bias of a particular "magic bullet" solution to push. The author covers several models of CRM, each with relative strengths and weaknesses, then explores important related topics such as customer experience and the role of systems in CRM programs. This book provides the best overall treatment of the subject for anyone interested in understanding and applying customer relationship management concepts in the real world. -- A comprehensive coverage of CRM

Hello! I'm the author of the book, and would like to explain how the second edition has been expanded, updated and enhanced.

The publishers contacted adopters and readers of the first edition and asked them what changes they'd like to see incorporated into the new edition. Thanks to everyone who took part. This resulted in a number of important improvements to this edition.

The book is significantly expanded. At seventeen chapters, the second edition is seven chapters longer than the first edition. There are three new chapters dedicated to operational CRM applications - sales force automation, marketing automation and service automation. The chapters define important terms, identify the main vendors and actors, and set out the benefits CRM users can expect to experience and the functionality that is available.

There is a new chapter entitled `understanding relationships'. If CRM is about developing and maintaining relationships with customers, it is important to have clear understanding of what a relationship looks like, and how, if at all, it can be managed. This chapter defines the term `relationship', examines whether customers want relationships with suppliers and vice versa, identifies attributes of successful relationships and reviews five different schools of thought that have influenced relationship management in a business context.

There is a new chapter on planning and implementing CRM projects. This takes readers through a disciplined 5-stage process designed to promote successful CRM outcomes.

There is a new chapter on `customer experience'. Customer experience has become something of a buzzword in the last few years. This chapter explores the concept of customer experience, and addresses the question of whether CRM can or does enhance customer experience.

Many new case illustrations have been added to every chapter, and all other content has been revised and updated. An added feature of this edition is the inclusion of a large number screenshots from CRM software applications. This is designed to give readers a sense of the CRM user's experience.

A final enhancement to this edition is the provision of an array of enriching online content, targeted at meeting the needs of readers and adopters. Adopters have access to a comprehensive set of PowerPoint materials, case studies, learning exercises, and links to CRM vendors, ASP's and analysts.
-- Expanded and updated second edition

This was a great read...the book clealy outlined the tools necessary for efficiently effecting a CRM model. -- Customer Relationship Management

This book was in brand new condition but it was priced for a used book! I'm very pleased with the shipping time and the condition of the book. -- Excellent Condition!

This should be considered for any curriculum through the master's level as an overview of CRM. I've been steeped in marketing and management texts for months and most of them miss the mark entirely on CRM.

Buttle's writing is clear and his organization of the material is even better. I especially appreciated his discussion about quality and the importance of understand that the market's perception of quality drives satisfaction and competitiveness. This helps fill in what is a chronic gap in CRM: Most companies look for ways to find the right customers and fire the bad ones using data analytics that they call CRM, based on some of the most insidious principles of customer value management (CVM), viz., that it's the value the customer has to YOU that matters most. That's not the full picture. It's the value YOU have to the customer and prospect that makes sure you're going to be around for any length of time.

This is but one example of how Buttle has laid out CRM as a complete view of the organization, inside and out.

My only "ding" is that it needs to be updated a bit: The next part of CRM will be customer experience management (CEM), which starts with a business rules layer driven precisely by perceived value metrics, so that the right value components of your value proposition are expressed in the right channels in the right way. Another trend that should be emphasized more is the value of using a multi-channel approach for gathering the voice and behavior of the customer to drive innovation, operations and marketing.

So, if you're interested in a well-written, documented, rich and yet broad view of CRM and its implications for your organization, Buttle is a great buy. But also pick up something on customer experience management. -- Great text and guidebook