Customer Relationship Management

Customer Relationship Management

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a term used to describe the many tools, methodologies, and activities involved in acquiring, retaining, and developing customer data and accounts to improve business interactions and, in turn, efficiency and profitability. Commons aspects of CRM include customer segmentation, customer satisfaction assessment, needs assessment, and climate assessment.

An example of this is an organization might build a database about its customers that describe relationships in sufficient detail so that management, service providers, and perhaps the customer directly could access information, match needs with product/service offerings, remind customers of service requirements, and know what other products or services a customer has purchased/utilized. 

Activities

ORS has developed a comprehensive CRM system using its basic understanding of its customers by implementing the following CRM activities:

• Customer Segmentation: “Who are ORS service providers' customer groups, or segments?" & “What products/services do these customers acquire from ORS?"
• Customer Satisfaction: “Are they satisfied with what is provided?"
• Needs Assessment: “What services would they like that currently are not offered?"
• Climate Assessments: To ensure the right policies, practices, and procedures are in place

Outcomes

OQM assists ORS with collecting customer information, which leads to the resulting data that provides the basis for determining the following:

• ORS' value to customers
• How to improve product/service delivery
• How to improve business processes
• Which policies, practices, and procedures need changes
• How to increase customer satisfaction

OQM has sponsored a variety of Customer Assessment Projects for NIH since 2001.

For additional information:

Contact OQM