13 – A recent survey of 119 end-user organisations in Europe conducted by Gartner, Inc. found that 48 per cent will increase their budget for customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives in 2013. Only 5 per cent will decrease their CRM budget this year, down from 9 per cent in 2012.
The survey, conducted in the fourth quarter of 2012, investigated the 2013 CRM plans of organisations that together represented over 20 industries and 33 countries in Europe.
“The upward trend we are witnessing confirms organisations- commitment to improving the management of their customer relationships, despite the volatile economic environment across Europe,” said Jim Davies, research director at Gartner.
Gartner predicts that CRM software revenue in Europe will total $3 billion in 2013, up 7 per cent from last year. “In 2013, investments in CRM will continue to focus on technologies that help drive loyalty, satisfaction and revenue growth. As a result, investment in technologies that drive sales and marketing performance, such as lead management software and digital marketing, will be complemented by technologies that can help deliver, and understand, a consistent cross-channel customer experience,” said Mr Davies.
The survey respondents reported on the primary objectives of their CRM initiatives in 2013. For the third consecutive year, increasing customer satisfaction was the No. 1 objective. The survey also uncovered some changes in the top half of the rankings, with objectives linked to cutting costs associated with sales, marketing and customer service disappearing from this half. This reinforces the emphasis that will be placed on customer strategy during 2013.
While the desire to create a “single view of the customer” was ranked the No. 3 objective in 2013, customer data and information, which is paramount to a comprehensive and accurate understanding of the customer, has increased in importance and become the biggest challenge in 2013.
Having a single view of the customer is fundamental to an organisation-s ability to understand customers- needs, perspectives and aspirations. It is also essential for optimising sales, marketing and support functions. “Obtaining this single view is, however, complex and requires a master data management strategy that encompasses an increasingly diverse set of data formats and sources, including feedback from customers themselves,” said Mr Davies.
More detailed analysis is available in the report “Survey Analysis: European Organizations Crave a Single View of the Customer in 2013,” available on Gartner-s web site at http://www.gartner.com/resId=2272217.
Gartner analysts will share best practices for achieving a single view of the customer at the Gartner Customer Strategies & Technologies Summit 2013, on 5-6 June, in London. For more information on this Summit, please visit europe.gartner.com/crm. Members of the press can register for the Summit by contacting Laurence Goasduff at laurence.goasduff@gartner.com.
Information from the Summit will be shared on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Gartner_inc using #GartnerCRM.
About Gartner Customer Strategies & Technologies Summit 2013
The ways in which customers want to engage with organisations are evolving. New channels, greater expectations and a shift in power are forcing organisations to rethink how they manage customer relationships. At the Summit, Gartner analysts will explore how social, mobile, data and cloud-related forces will reshape the way organisations manage customer relationships. They will also help delegates plan for, build and improve the customer experience, with the goal of creating lifelong customer relationships.
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world-s leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is a valuable partner in 12,400 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, USA, and has 5,300 associates, including 1,390 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.
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