Posted by : trraju on Oct 31, 2003 - 05:40 AM WebTechnology

CUSTOMER loyalty is vital for business and enterprise business solutions that can help make that happen are much sought after.
Customer relationship management (CRM) solutions offer enterprises a host of functionalities to enhance customer relationship. Realising this, Wyeth Nutrition has invested in a customised CRM solution to meet its needs.
According to Wyeth Nutrition's contact centre manager of SalesForceAsia Noor Asriyah Hashim, the company wanted a customised CRM solution to see customer trends or conversion rates when choosing infant formula.

Wyeth Nutrition also wanted a customised CRM to have a better understanding of its users' needs and preferences when it comes to giving the best nutrition to their children. The company adds that by understanding their needs and requirement, they are able to deliver better products and services to their consumers.

Other objectives it wanted to meet are to establish a two-way dialogue with customers and providing customised, value-added services such as childcare and nutrition advice and information to customers and to enhance Wyeth Nutrition's image as provider of nutritional products with a pharmaceutical standard.

SalesForceAsia finds out its clients' requirements to help make agents more effective, and the customisation of the CRM solution is done by its sister company, Rapp Collins.

Building relationships. Wyeth Nutrition has infant formula designed for several stages of growth, and the company requires qualified and experienced agents to handle calls at their contact centre called the Aunty Wyeth Careline.

The agents do not sell products over the phone but dispense advice to expectant mothers or mothers with infants and toddlers. It is this special relationship-building element of the contact centre that makes CRM an important factor.

CRM helps the agents retrieve call records with ease and this is a key capability as many callers tend to be regulars, and want to speak to specific agents.

According to Noor Asyirah, the company's target is 20,000 calls a year to build their database. But in the past 18 months, agents have made between 30,000 and 40,000 calls.

The agents call and identify potential clients, and try and build a relationship from there. The company may also send mailer packs to the mothers or send information of interest to them.

Retaining customers. The customised CRM solution which started in June last year is a long-term project for the company.

Among the benefits it claimed to have gained include the ability to retain its customers in their product lifecycle, to build a one- to-one relationship with customers, enhancing brand loyalty throughout a product lifecycle and to serve as a consumer touch point in providing advice to mothers who have queries or doubts concerning childcare and nutrition.

Getting client information is important as it helps the company identify why customers are, or are not using the products and their reasons. The ability to retain the same mothers who use the products for their children at every step is invaluable, and the company intends to get a head start of its competitors.

Return on investment (ROI) has given Wyeth Nutrition some unquantifiable returns so far as it has managed to monitor consumer satisfaction, for instance.

CRM is a long-term investment and it serves as a tool for Wyeth Nutrition to understand its customers better. It will also help the company to improve the quality of its products and enhance customer loyalty.