CRM is the seamless co-ordination between sales, customer service, marketing field support and other customer- touching functions. It integrates people, processes and technology to maximize relationship with all customers and partners, e-customers, distributional channel numbers, internal customers and suppliers. CRM results in a number of benefits to an organization like increased margins improve customer satisfaction ratings and decrease administrative costs. The phenomenon of building a relationship with customers via the internet is known as electronic CRM (e-CRM). The objective of the CRM and e-CRM are the same- the difference is the medium used for providing services to the customer. E-CRM focuses on electronic channels mainly on the internet and on technologies that enable automated and electronic management of customer relations. E-CRM is a multi-faceted strategy that helps companies understand, anticipate and manage customer needs. A major thrust of it involves segmenting customers and offering appropriate and differentiated services for each of these levels. It mainly uses the electronic media to integrate and simplify customer-related business processes, drastically reducing costs of customer-facing operations while achieving CRM’s primary goal to enhance the customer experience.
INDIAN JOURNAL OF MARKETING (ISSN 0973-8703) is a double blind peer reviewed refereed monthly journal, which was started in 1968. It is the oldest and the only monthly journal of Marketing in India. It is an authentic research publication dealing with Marketing; Advertising; Consumer Behaviour; Sales Management; Advertising & Promotion Management; Business Education; Business Information Systems (MIS); Business Law; Communication; Direct Marketing; E-Commerce; Global Business; Health Care Administration; Marketing Research; Marketing Theory & Applications; Office Administration/Management; Organizational Development; Production/Operations; Public Administration; Retailing; Sales/Selling; Services; Tourism, Hospitality & Leisure; and Industrial Organization.