The primary focus of our business is information systems software. This involves computers and communication which have given rise to some of the most controversial issues of our age. On this page we offer our own editorial contribution.

CRM

    CRM is the acronym for Customer Relations Management. For those of us who have suffered through an automated mluti-level telephone call answering menu or agreed to submit to a call based customer survey, CRM may have achieved the status of oxymoron. The scope of CRM includes any information system that involves contacting customers or potential customers. Sales contact facilities, call centres, telemarketing infrastructure and technical help desks all tend to fall under the umbrella of CRM. We know that CRM is an idea whose time has come because the "major" software vendors(Peoplesoft, Oracle et al) have introduced offerings that cobble together many of the facilities listed above and promise to revolutionize the customer interface. An increasing buzz has been heard in the computer industry media and conferences have evolved to pander exclusively to CRM(below).

     The dismal reputation of many high profile customer relations information systems suggest that some may have been implemented in order for the organization to claim that it had been implemented(possibly for the benefit of shareholders, certainly not for we poor customers). Not surprisingly, governments have embraced this growing branch of information technology as the following example indicates:

The Other Side

    One wonders about the cost of advertising much less developing this "FREE!" service which has resulted in zero sales leads for this client.

    A booklet from Microsoft Business Solutions entitled "Striking the CRM Balance" provides an interesting rationale(considering the source) for CRM:

    At WISL, unless all lines are busy, a human being still answers the telephone during normal business hours. We have utilized our web site to disseminate information about our information systems products to customers and prospects as well as to provide access to this newsletter. Recently we have also added access for customers to some key WISL system documentation and training tools. However we have not engaged in activities that could be categorized as automated Customer Relations Management.

    WISL Support Management represents our first foray into the world of CRM. With this facility which is introduced in the WISL Profile section of this newsletter, we attempt to exploit some of the strong features of automating the customer interface for systems support. Providing a web form for the specification of support request information eliminates the problem of telephone tag and utilizes the writing process to help generate a more thoughtful definition of the problem. At the same time it contributes to the building of a FAQ data base which in turn is available through keyword search to help address common concerns.

    WISL Support Management is intended to accererate and enrich the systems support process and to supplement rather than replace the telephone and e-mail options.