reference data2012 e-crm survey

REFERENCE DATA: E-CRM in Belgium today

18/12/2012 It’s not just web, it’s your business

In this Reference Data Report

State of affairs

Reasons for doing e-CRM

Platform

Multichannel & customer data integration

Social CRM and mobile: challenges ahead

Main findings summarized

Survey info


State of affairs

Adoption and awareness

24%

35%

41%

‘e-CRM in my organization is:’

No intentionPlanned or startedUp and running

Still a long way to go…

Adoption is clearly in an early stage. A substantial number (of mostly local) companies have no intention to run an e-CRM program. Those who did already report measurable improvements or are convinced this effect will positive.

A success Reasonably successfull

Struggling for success

No success Too early to say

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

13%

34%

19%

1%

33%

‘If you have implemented or are implementing an e-CRM project, would you consider it:’

Adoption and awareness

Strategic approach

Success is attributed mainly to a clearly defined strategy and optimal ‘Customer Data Integration’. Technology should focus on ease of use. The ownership also indicates the importance attributed, as well as top management’s expectation of e-CRM being a strategic enabler

Customer

data in

tegrati

on

CRM strat

egy

Technology

implem

entati

on

Change

manage

ment

0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

23% 23%

15%

10%

‘If you have implemented or are implementing an e-CRM project, the critical success factors during implementation and running are:’

Critical A strategic enabler

An IT tool Useful, but not critical

Other0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%

21%

49%

13% 17%

1%

'Our top management views e-CRM as:'

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50% 47%

24%

11% 10%4% 4%

'Ownership of e-CRM within our organization lies with:'


State of affairs


Reasons for doing e-CRM Adding to the bottom line

e-CRM is expected to add to the bottom line, either by generating extra revenue (through customer acquisition) and by lowering costs (related to the processes of acquisition or retention).

0%10%20%30%40%50%

7%13% 13%

42%

26%

Revenue generation

0%10%20%30%40%50%

8%14%

34%42%

3%

Cost reduction

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%

3% 6%

18%

60%

12%

Increasing customer acquisition rates


Improving the organisation

e-CRM also adds to the bottom line by improving internal operations. Once again, the most effect is expected to come from better marketing organization.

0%

20%

40%

60%

0% 6%18%

60%

16%

Improved marketing productivity

0%10%20%30%40%50%

5% 4%

25%

44%

22%

Improved sales force productivity

0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%

3%8%

36%42%

10%

Improved service team productivity


State of affairs


Platforms

Platforms

No rain in this cloud yet…Today’s CRM platforms come in different shapes.

Most respondents opt for ‘on premise’ solutions (that most probably integrate with the IT architecture that is in place)

(46% in case of marketing automation, 41% in case of sales automation and 32% in case of service automation).

Still some companies try to approach CRM with custom made solutions or features of tools

that do not aim directly at this purpose


State of affairs


Platforms


Multichannel integration

We wish we could do more

In daily practice the need for channel integration is understood, while the explicit understanding of the importance can be improved substantially. So there’s still a lot of work to be done in order to maximize the ROI of e-CRM, even if these efforts for channel integration initially do increase budgets. This impact on budget is probably the main reason why most of the companies didn’t reach the stage of integration yet. Having a solid service partner who can apply best practices might be one way of getting it started.

Yes No0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%51% 49%

'My organization has written down a multichannel strategy:'

Not integrated Somewhat integrated Integrated to a high degree

Wholly integrated (e.g. in a Data Warehouse)

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

12%

50%

17%21%

‘Customer data that are generated by different systems and in different channels are:’

Customer data integration

Towards a single view?

Only the full integration of all available customer data yielded from all kind of channels allows companies to act fast and in targeted way as a result of detailed insights in individualized customers’ needs and behaviors. Such integration does have its impact on budgets and depend on a strategic approach of e-CRM, an approach needed to reach an optimum that eventually will turn out to be a vital component in a positive ROI and thus deserve full attention when e-CRM strategies are being defined or refined.

Yes Somewhat No0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

35%

40%

25%

'Channels are integrated so that an in-dividual customer or prospect is rec-

ognized regardless of the channel used:'

Yes Somewhat No0%

10%20%30%40%50%

41%33%

26%

Customer retention

Yes Somewhat No0%

10%20%30%40%50%

47% 29%24%

Customer acquisition

Channel and customer data integration

Data turned into action

Having customer data is only part of the exercise. In order to be able to act upon it, to reach the goals set in the e-CRM strategy, a translation from measurement to insights is required, insights that can take many different shapes, varying from dashboard statistics over detailed reporting including visualization techniques that allow for fast interpretation. Our study shows the need for a more structural approach, a need that is limited by budgets and expertise. Such an approach isn’t the easiest of tasks and can benefit from the help of expert partners

Never Not yet, but we are planning this

Occasionally, ad hoc Regularly, ad hoc Systematically0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

4%

21%

29%

20%

26%

'We perform or are planning to perform advanced analytics, visualization and reporting on our customer data

(e.g.: customer analysis & modeling, market segmentation, affinity grouping, churn analysis, customer Lifetime Value analysis, ...)'


State of affairs


Platform



Social CRM and mobile customers

Emerging tools

When applied correctly and strategically, social channels differ from other channels in the way they gather data and the pace of response by prospects and customers. As a consequence, its importance in the overall CRM strategies is increasing at a fast pace.Yet, the most important digital channels are still email and the company’s website. Belgium’ s leading social networks are used by a minority: Facebook and Twitter. The mobile digital channels, while growing in importance, are mostly unused. Only 5% of respondents use an app to reach their mobile customers.

E-mail

Web

site

Telep

hone eg.

Call ce

nter

Shop/fa

ce-to-fa

ceMail

Faceb

ook

Twitter

Mobile ap

p

Mobile SM

S

Other (plea

se sp

ecify)

0%2%4%6%8%

10%12%14%16%18%20% 18% 17%

11% 11% 11% 11%9%

5%4%

3%

‘Which channels are used for customer communications by your company?’

Social CRM and mobile customers

The near future

Most respondents do intend to have some kind of integration of Social CRM in their e-CRM strategy in the next 12 months. Among those who report not to reach that goal, half of them refer to the difficulties involved in combining sources. Budget is also a reason, as is a difference in understanding of the need. Unfortunately some point out that the ‘social’ dimension isn’t fully accepted by the organization yet.

Completely

integ

rated

Somew

hat integ

rated

Completely

separa

te0%

10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%

18%

70%

12%

‘Looking ahead over the next 12 months, how big a role do you see 'Social' forming part of your e-CRM

strategy?’

0%10%20%30%40%50%60%

13%

50%

25%13%

‘Why do you think your e-CRM strategy will not be (completely) in-tegrated?’


State of affairs


Platform




Both awareness about and adoption of e-CRM are emergent. Only very few Belgian companies already reached the stage of maturity.

Implementation strategies and intentions reflect a sound understanding of the added value of e-CRM.

First usage of fully implemented programs in general is being perceived as positive: e-CRM is effectively meeting expectations about the effect on the companies bottom-line.

Marketing and senior management is driving the adoption and implementation of e-CRM.

Senior management is a strong supporter which allows for the right strategic approach and the creation of realistic expectations.

The importance of integration of customer data is well understood but not yet implemented in the most optimal way.

Social e-CRM is being recognized as a very important next phase, but adoption of adjusted approaches is in a very early stage.

Companies are aware of the importance of being able to enter the dialogue with customers on the move, but yet again it will take most extra time and budget to facilitate this new reality.

Main findings

A tale of good intentions


State of affairs


Platform




Survey info

21

Survey information

This survey was initiated by The Reference NV in order to learn more about the use of e-CRM by Belgian companies. Invites were sent by mail on a database of

Belgian companies in different sectors. An invitation was also put on different Belgian websites to reach a divers sample.

The survey was conducted on an invitational basis and used an online questionnaire that provided rerouting, based on specific filtering questions. As a result, only relevant input was gathered. One should also bear in mind that this

methodology implies a self-selection that doesn’t allow for an interpretation of the motivation of respondents. As a result, the statistics can either underestimate or

exaggerate current state of affairs (for some companies invited, the topic of CRM might be still too unknown and thus irrelevant, while other companies who have

CRM at the core of their business intelligence also might have decided not to participate.)

On average, the sample size is over a 100, a size that allows for a qualitative interpretation of the state of affairs but should not be used for extrapolation.

However, due to the numbers, this state of affairs can be used as a starting basis for a better understanding of the topic at hand.

Methodology

Objectives of the study:

Give an overview of the e-CRM landscape in Belgium in terms of budget, resource allocation, satisfaction and plans for 2013.

Understand the evolution in the different domains of expertise

Sample information:Data collected through online survey

Fieldwork conducted summer and autumn 2012

Sample size: >100 respondents, from different companies in Belgium

23

Survey information

Half of the companies that participated and completed the survey is active in services, 31% provides products. 30% is active in a B2C context, 41% in a B2B context.

21% of them is active in Telecommunications, ICT, soft- and hardware, 18% in Goods production/

Industry (chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machine construction, etc.) and 12% in media & publishing.

41 percent of the participants are Belgian companies without without subsidiaries/branches, 21% have subsidiaries or branches and 34 % are subsidiary or branch of a foreign parent company.

64% have headquarters in Flanders, 34% in Brussels. This result probably has to do with the self-selective nature of the method used and shouldn’t be given other meaning.

An interesting statistic shows that 33% of the respondents do business in the local Belgian markets only, while 29% have a global scale.

Another interesting statistic is the fact that 35% of the respondents are in marketing positions, and 26% in a management or managerial position However, due to the relatively high number of ‘other

entrances’ (16%) one should be careful using this statistic as a basis for explanation of eg. the importance of having a strategic approach or expected impact on marketing automation.

Sample Specifics:

Definition

Definition of e-CRM used :

Defining e-CRM (or CRM, for that matter) is a delicate business, since there are as many definitions around as there are specialists and vendors. But here goes for the purpose of this survey:

If CRM is a business strategy that ensures that, through information technology and customer data- the needs of current and potential customers are identified and

anticipated so that the value of the relationship grows, then 'e-CRM is "a natural evolution of CRM where digital technologies (eg. online data and web-based

technologies) are used as well".

In other words, if your company uses:e-commerce, 2-way digital communication (website, email, social media, mobile, ...),

Web-based CRM applications (for sales force automation, marketing automation, service automation), technology to recognize the customer (eg in store: RFID enabled store cards)

your business is using an 'e-CRM'.

Contacts for the press

More information:

Anja CappelleManaging Director The Reference

[email protected] 92 88 97

09 234 05 36

Vicky Van [email protected]

0468 11 70 5009 234 05 36

http://www.reference.be/en/research/ecrm/

mailto:[email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

http://www.reference.be/en/research/ecrm/

Reference Data

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