The Art of 1 to 1 & The BiosphereTM
 
Customer Relationship Management (CRM)?
An Egyptian Tale..
CRM was invented approximately 3500 years ago, when the Royal Supplier of provisions to the court of the Pharaoh kept detailed reports of what his Highness had ordered, when it was ordered and for what purpose. From these reports the supplier could recognize a pattern. Armed with this information the Royal Supplier would once weekly humbly approach the Pharaoh and make suggestions for the purchases of the coming weeks provisions. Which for 80% the Pharaoh agreed to with a wave of his hand. The other 20% the Pharaoh was not sure about, so the Royal Supplier made suggestions. Suggestions based on what the Royal Supplier himself had in store or could get hold of very quickly. And which were profitable items. For the Royal Supplier. And of course these new items would then hopefully become part of the standard list. Did the Royal Supplier do this for all his customers? No, he did not, the Pharaoh was his no1 customer and after all generated 70% of his revenues. And his logistical resources -his sons- were too few to enable him to practice CRM for his other 30 or so clients.
 
Everybody happy
The Pharaoh was happy and the Royal Supplier was happy. (the supplier not in the least because his head stayed on and he was not mummified alive as long as the Pharaoh was happy, but that another story.) Threat of losing one's head or premature mummification is a very good incentive by the way to ensure a supplier operates on the most competitive edge at all times.
 
What's new?
CRM is not new.
What is new is:
  • the Enabling Technology
  • the Pro-active Power of the Consumer
  • Real time-no boundaries Communication
  • the increasing volume of the international markets

    • The Internet / The Web is the core enabling technology at the heart of state-of-the-art CRM.
    The Internet is an excellent medium for delivering the real-time, customized experience that drives higher, top-line revenue growth and better customer service.
     
    The actual value of the international markets for WEB CRM is partly dictated by the penetration of these enabling technologies. And therefore rising.
     
    The strategic value of the international markets is not directly influenced by the Web but is the ground to exploit with CRM enabling technologies.
     
    The Consumers' Big Bang
    The power of the consumer is expanding analogous to the universe after the Big Bang:
    by the implementation of enabling technologies people will know immediately and exactly what to buy where, when, at what price, and at what terms. And they will only buy that which is in all aspects tailor-made for just them.
     
    Customer Centric Communication
    Customer loyalty will be centric to commercial survival and only Customer Centric Communication, marketing and production will ensure commercial expansion. Do you believe the Pharaoh's Royal Supplier would still be in business (or have his head) if the Pharaoh had to call him with his shopping list for the Court that week? And if items forgotten to order by his Highness would also be items not delivered? And if the Pharaoh asked a question outside working hours or out of the ordinary there would be silence from the offices of the Royal Supplier? Until some time later perhaps (we'll get back to you). You get the point..
     
    The Learning Relationship
    The Pharaoh and his Royal Supplier were also in a Learning Relationship: The more effort the customer invests, the greater his stake in the product or service. Now the customer finds it more convenient to remain loyal, rather than re-teach a competitor. Furthermore they were very much in a 1to1 Relationship.
     
    But CRM driven by 1to1 is only a component ­ although a very important one- of a successful commercial environment.
     
    Back to #1
    Let's not forget the core objectives of an Enterprise:
  • Get customers
  • Keep customers
  • Grow customers
    • To do this, an enterprise must treat different customers differently.
     
    The BiosphereTM: Habitat and Control
    There's more. To be truly commercial successful with the new technologies, an enterprise must create a complete customer environment (CCE), a virtual organism for the customer to habitate in and interact with . This environment is the customer driven BiosphereTM, with at its heart the Art of 1to1. In this environment the customer and you exist in harmony:
  • You to help them fulfill their wishes in the broadest sense, including helping them to achieve the own business success (in Business to Business) or realizing their desire for a particular life and life style (from Business to Consumer).
  • They buy your products or services.

    •  
    How to? Questions, questions.. This BiosphereTMwill be essential for the continued success of your business. How to do this? Where to start? And do this before your competitor gets there first? And do this before your current customers discover this themselves elsewhere? And what does it mean when I load my Company's CRM from the front end? Questions, questions.
     
    For advice on the creation of your company's BiosphereTM and the insight on the Art of 1to1 on the Web contact Laurens Blommendaal at laurens@blommendaal.com

    Do it to them before they do it to you