CERTIFICATE

This is to certify that

Mr. Mrigank Tiwari
has completed the necessary seminar work and prepared a bona fide report on

eCRM , An Introduction
in a satisfactory manner as partial fulfillment for requirement of the degree of

B.E. (Computer Engg.) of

University of Pune in the
Academic year 2002-2003

Date :
Place :

Prof. G.P. Potdar Prof. Dr. C V K Rao

Seminar Coordinator H.O.C.D.

DEPARTMENT OF COMPUTER ENGINEERING

PUNE INSTITUTE OF COMPUTER TECHNOLOGY
PUNE - 43
 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I take this opportunity to thank all the professors of the department

who are directly or indirectly related with the successful compilation of
this report.

I also thank my parents and friends without whose invaluable support

this report would not have been complete.

Acknowledgements and thanks are also extended to the all the authors
whose articles have been referred to for the completion of this report.

Mrigank Tiwari
(B.E. II)
PICT, Pune-43

2
 INDEX

PAGE

CHAPTER 1 : CRM 4
1.1 WHAT IS CRM ? 4
1.2 PROBLEMS WITH TODAY’S CRM SOLUTIONS 5

CHAPTER 2 : eCRM 6
2.1 WHAT IS eCRM ? 6
2.2 HOW DOES eCRM HELP ? 6
2.3 TO CRM OR eCMR ? 7

CHAPTER 3 : TOP 10 eCRM TERMS 11

BRIEF EXPLANATION OF EACH TERM

CHAPTER 4 : SOME eCRM SOFTWARES 35

4.1 wScripting 35
4.2 ClickMobile 36
4.3 wRecommend 37
4.4 Carbon Copy Solutions 38

CHAPTER 5 : FAQ 39

CHAPTER 6 : SOME SIMILAR SOUNDING TERMS 42

6.1 Online CRM 42

6.2 Wireless eCRM 42
6.3 Intelligent eCRM 43

BIBLIOGRAPHY / REFERENCES 45

3
 1
CRM

1.1 WHAT IS CRM ?

Acronym for Customer Relationship Management. CRM Related Categories

Communications
entails all aspects of interaction a company has with its
Electronic Commerce
customer, whether it be sales or service related.
World Wide Web
Computerization has changed the way companies are
Related Terms
approaching their CRM strategies because it has also EAI
changed consumer buying behavior. With each new EBPP
advance in technology, especially the proliferation of self- IVR
service channels like the Web and WAP phones, more of the relationship is being
managed electronically. Organizations are therefore looking for ways to
personalize online experiences (a process also referred to as mass customization)
through tools such as help-desk software, e-mail organizers and Web development
applications.

CRM is any interaction you have with your customer, as well as consistent and
easy to access customer information regardless of sales, marketing, and
communication channels. CRM encompasses everything from...
. Strategic CRM
.Technology and Implementation
. Mobile Business for the Enterprise
. Sales & Marketing
. Business Intelligence

4
. Customer Contact Center

1.2 Problems with Today's CRM "Solutions"

Seemingly overnight, vendors from all corners have rushed to introduce CRM
"solutions," viewing CRM as the next business frontier. Yet many CRM offerings
will yield, at best, only tactical improvements—for example automating fulfillment
of Web leads. Other CRM offerings might patch together Sales Force Automation
and Customer Support, producing only a fraction of an eCRM solution. Still other
CRM packages might provide customer analytics needed to observe customer
behavior, but lack the means to turn findings into initiatives that positively impact
customer behavior. A common but pejorative thread exists among most CRM
packages—they fail to provide the discipline and process that would enable a
company to manage its business based on customer economics. In short, this has
resulted in separate and uncoordinated customer-interaction environments. As a
result, CRM initiatives adopted to date have not delivered the business benefits
promised.

5
 2
eCRM

2.1 What is eCRM ?

eCRM is a term used to describe the "modernization" of customer relations
management, meaning electronic customer relations management.

eCRM usually manifests itself in the form of CRM software systems which enable
industries to conduct customer relations via internet, intranet, or wireless
communication platforms. An eCRM enabled sales staff can conduct relations with
customers while on-the-go, which not only improves those relations, but also
ensures efficient use of time by that sales staff.

Applied Innovation Management is a pioneer in the eCRM field with its suite of
web-based helpdesk and issue management software products.

2.1.1 How is it different from CRM?

eCRM is sometimes referred to as electronic CRM. eCRM, however, consists of
more components than CRM. eCRM is customer relationship management for e-
Businesses that must confront the complexity of managing sophisticated customers
and business partners in a variety of media including: online and offline media,
personal contact, and more automated and electronic forms of communication.

2.2 How does eCRM help ?

In simplest terms, eCRM provides companies with a means to conduct interactive,
personalized and relevant communications with customers across both electronic
and traditional channels. It utilizes a complete view of the customer to make

6
decisions about messaging, offers, and channel delivery. It synchronizes
communications across otherwise disjointed customer-facing systems. It adheres to
permission-based practices, respecting individuals' preferences for how and
whether they wish to communicate with you. And it focuses on understanding how
the economics of customer relationships impact the business. Advocates of eCRM
recognize that a comprehensive understanding of customer activities,
personalization, relevance, permission, timeliness, and metrics are all a means to
an end—optimizing value between you and your most important asset—your
customers.
While the definition above is simple, achieving eCRM itself is hard. For Global
2000 companies, evolving to eCRM requires process and organizational changes, a
suite of integrated applications, and a non-trivial technical architecture to support
both the eCRM process and the enterprise applications that automate the process.
Mid-size companies may benefit from less sophisticated, and easier to implement
(and afford) hosted solutions, offered through Application Service Providers. But
regardless of the size of your firm, you have no choice but to evolve to eCRM
quickly. Forrester Research expects eCRM applications to "obsolete" channel-
specific CRM applications by 2002. McKinsey & Company notes that "capturing
and effectively using customer profiles will determine winners and losers in . . .
eCommerce development."

2.3 To CRM or eCRM ?

Although industries were a bit skeptical about the future of eCRM they have
started realizing its power and more and more of them are embracing eCRM to
enhance their business with customers.

Following is a news article by Robyn Greenspan on a research summary on

comparison of CRM and eCRM that will make things clearer.

7
GAITHERSBURG, MD--Intellor Group, Inc. has announced the completion of a
research summary titled, "A Comparison of CRM Versus E-CRM Adoption,"
which analyzes how organizations are approaching their customer-centric
initiatives with respect to traditional business and e-business environments.
As an independent knowledge exchange company focused on promoting the
success of the e-Business Intelligence and Integration (eBII) marketplace through
the rapid and comprehensive exchange of information, Intellor Group is well-
suited for researching CRM initiatives. The results included in the summary
represent a current snapshot of where companies are with their level of adoption,
understanding, implementation, priority and staffing with respect to Customer
Relationship Management (CRM) and electronic Customer Relationship
Management (eCRM).
"It is likely that companies are realizing that the customer experience is critical to
their Web business, and they need to focus more attention on the 'e' customer
experience. With this reality setting in and e-competition growing, it will become
critical that organizations have strong eCRM strategies to attract and retain Web
customers," said Richard Rist, President and CEO, Intellor Group, Inc.
Key findings from "A Comparison of CRM Versus E-CRM Adoption" include:

2.3.1 Acceptance/Understanding/Implementation

• Fourteen percent of respondents indicated they have accepted and deployed

CRM, while nine percent of respondents indicated they have accepted and
deployed eCRM.
• The number of organizations considering CRM, but not reaching a general
acceptance, is significantly higher (ten percent) for CRM than it is for
eCRM. Eighteen percent of respondents indicated they have considered
eCRM without reaching general acceptance. On the other hand, 28 percent
of the respondents indicated that they have considered CRM without
reaching a general acceptance.

8
 • More than two thirds of respondents indicated they do not have a sufficient
enough understanding of CRM and eCRM to make key decisions.
• Eighty-eight percent of the respondents have deployed, accepted or
minimally considered CRM, while only 12 percent have not considered
CRM. Similarly, 82 percent of the respondents have deployed, accepted or
minimally considered eCRM, while only 18 percent have not considered
eCRM.
• Respondents indicated that nine percent of them have had their CRM
initiatives fail while only five percent have experienced failure of their
eCRM initiatives.

2.3.2 Priority

• Sixty-six percent of respondents indicated that eCRM is a top-ten priority,

while only 61 percent indicated CRM is a top-ten priority.
• Respondents indicated that 85 percent of the time that CRM is made a
number-one priority, eCRM is also made a number-one priority.

2.3.3 Staffing

• Of the organizations that indicated CRM was a number-one priority, only

56 percent have trained staff to implement a solution. Thirty-six percent
indicated they will use consultants, and nine percent said they would train
existing staff to meet the skill requirements.
• Of the organizations that indicated eCRM was a number-one priority, only
50 percent have trained staff, while 36 percent said they would use
consultants. Twelve percent said they would train existing staff.

9
2.3.4 CRM and Business Intelligence (BI)

• Our research showed that CRM often has a close relationship to an

organization's Business Intelligence (BI) initiatives. Thirty-two percent of
the respondents who have implemented BI in the last 24 months indicated
they have also implemented CRM in the last 24 months. An additional 26
percent have begun their CRM implementation in the last 12 months.
Sixteen percent plan to implement CRM in the next 12 months. Eleven
percent indicated no plans to implement CRM, and a surprising 16 percent
have attempted to implement CRM without success. Similarly, respondents
who have implemented e-BI indicate a strong adoption of eCRM. Forty-
two percent of those who have implemented e-BI in the last 24 months
have also implemented eCRM.

10
 3
TOP 10 eCRM TERMS

biometrics
CRM (Customer Relationship management)
CTI (Computer Telephony Integration)
Data mining
EAI (Enterprise Application Integration)
EBPP (Electronic Billing Presentation & Payment)
e-commerce
IVR (Interactive Voice Response)
Log file
Metadata

Information and explanation regarding each of the above terms is given in the
following sub-sections. Note that the above terms originated to realize the idea of
eCRM and are a part of eCRM activities.

11
3.1 Biometrics

3.1.1 "Definition of Biometrics"

Generally, the study of measurable biological Related Categories

Electronic Commerce
characteristics. In computer security, biometrics refers to
Security
authentication techniques that rely on measurable physical
Related Terms
characteristics that can be automatically checked. authentication
Examples include computer analysis of fingerprints or electronic commerce
speech. security
Though the field is still in its infancy, many people believe UDDI
that biometrics will play a critical role in future computers, and especially in
electronic commerce. Personal computers of the future might include a fingerprint
scanner where you could place your index finger. The computer would analyze
your fingerprint to determine who you are and, based on your identity, authorize
you different levels of access. Access levels could include the ability to use credit
card information to make electronic purchases.

The terms "Biometrics" and "Biometry" have been used since early in the 20th
century to refer to the field of development of statistical and mathematical methods
applicable to data analysis problems in the biological sciences. Statistical methods
for the analysis of data from agricultural field experiments to compare the yields of
different varieties of wheat, for the analysis of data from human clinical trials
evaluating the relative effectiveness of competing therapies for disease, or for the
analysis of data from environmental studies on the effects of air or water pollution
on the appearance of human disease in a region or country are all examples of
problems that would fall under the umbrella of "Biometrics" as the term has been
historically used. The journal "Biometrics" is a scholarly publication sponsored by
a non-profit professional society (the International Biometric Society) devoted to

12
the dissemination of accounts of the development of such methods and their
application in real scientific contexts.
Recently, the term "Biometrics" has also been used to refer to the emerging field of
technology devoted to identification of individuals using biological traits, such as
those based on retinal or iris scanning, fingerprints, or face recognition.

3.1.2 An Overview of Biometrics

Biometrics refers to the automatic identification of a person based on his/her

physiological or behavioral characteristics. This method of identification is
preferred over traditional methods involving passwords and PIN numbers for
various reasons: (i) the person to be identified is required to be physically present
at the point-of-identification; (ii) identification based on biometric techniques
obviates the need to remember a password or carry a token. With the increased use
of computers as vehicles of information technology, it is necessary to restrict
access to sensitive/personal data. By replacing PINs, biometric techniques can
potentially prevent unauthorized access to or fraudulent use of ATMs, cellular
phones, smart cards, desktop PCs, workstations, and computer networks. PINs and
passwords may be forgotten, and token-based methods of identification like
passports and driver's licenses may be forged, stolen, or lost. Thus biometric
systems of identification are enjoying a renewed interest. Various types of
biometric systems are being used for real-time identification; the most popular are
based on face recognition and fingerprint matching. However, there are other
biometric systems that utilize iris and retinal scan, speech, facial thermograms, and
hand geometry.

A biometric system is essentially a pattern recognition system, which makes a

personal identification by determining the authenticity of a specific physiological
or behavioral characteristic possessed by the user. An important issue in designing
a practical system is to determine how an individual is identified. Depending on

13
the context, a biometric system can be either a verification (authentication) system
or an identification system.

3.1.3 Verification vs. Identification:

There are two different ways to resolve a person's identity: verification and
identification. Verification (Am I whom I claim I am?) involves confirming or
denying a person's claimed identity. In identification, one has to establish a
person's identity (Who am I?). Each one of these approaches has it's own
complexities and could probably be solved best by a certain biometric system.

3.1.4 Applications:
Biometrics is a rapidly evolving technology, which is being widely used in
forensics such as criminal identification and prison security, and has the potential
to be used in a large range of civilian application areas. Biometrics can be used to
prevent unauthorized access to ATMs, cellular phones, smart cards, desktop PCs,
workstations, and computer networks. It can be used during transactions conducted
via telephone and internet (electronic commerce and electronic banking). In
automobiles, biometrics can replace keys with key-less entry devices.

3.1.5 Very interesting applications:

The following excerpts from a cover story by Orla O'Sullivan , published in
January provide an insight into the amount of interesting work being carried out in
the field of biometrics.

Cover Story
Biometrics comes to life

Fingers, hands, eyes, face, voice, all

are in use and could relegate PIN-based
security to history.
By Orla O'Sullivan, senior editor/technology

14
Fingerscan has the world's largest application of biometrics in the servicing of
automated teller machines. In conjunction with a contractor called Armaguard,
which services ATMs for Australian banks, 1,400 ATMs now are unlocked by the
representative's fingerprint. The representative brings a portable scanning device
that plugs into the back of the ATM and connects to the bank's server, which
grants him admittance. Unequivocally identifying who entered and how long he
stayed helps keep the representative honest.

Credit cards next

The beauty of a biometric trait is that it is as unique as the individual from whom it
was created. Unlike a password or PIN, a biometric trait cannot be lost, stolen, or
recreated.
This makes biometrics an obvious antidote to identity theft, a problem that is
mushrooming alongside databases of personal information. The U.S. Public
Interest Research Group estimates that up to 6% of all card fraud in 1995 ($1.5
billion) was identity fraud while, in 1996, identity fraud at Mastercard
International Inc. quadrupled from the previous year. Publicity of this issue, lately,
probably ensures that the specter of The-Invasion-of-The-Bodysnatchers probably
outweighs the Orwellian one for most people.

Beyond finger scans

As the photos on the opening page of this article and on the cover suggest, there's
more to biometrics than finger-based measures. There's hand geometry, retina
scans, and iris scans to choose from in physiology. There are also quasi-behavioral

15
attributes that can be measured--how one speaks, or how one writes, are two in
use.
Then there is facial recognition, in which an image of a person's face is stored
digitally when the person opens an account. At each transaction, a tiny camera
feeds a live image of the person to a database which compares the image to the one
stored and to the account number.

Chase tries voice

Chase Manhattan Bank recently decided to use voice verification for customer
identification following a review of several types of biometrics. Elizabeth Boyle,
who led the trials and is now an independent consultant, said Chase's research
found 95% of consumers would accept voice verification, compared with 80%
accepting fingerprinting.

Another reason it chose voice over fingerprints and signatures was that voice
works remotely (by phone) whereas special readers would need to be installed in
consumer's homes for the others. (FingerScan said all vendors are moving in this
direction, adding that it is in talks with the Central Bank of Asia regarding a home
banking application for the bank's preferred customers.)

…
Interesting , isn’t it.

3.2 CRM

This term has already been explained in Chapter 1.

16
3.3 CTI (Computer Telephony Integration)

Short for computer-telephony-integration, which refers to Related Categories

Telecommunications
systems that enable a computer to act as a call center,
Related Terms
accepting incoming calls and routing them to the IVR
appropriate device or person. Today's CTI systems are telephony
quite sophisticated and can handle all sorts of incoming and outgoing
communications, including phone calls, faxes, and Internet messages.
AT&T Solutions Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) is an architecture that
allows telephone applications and services to be merged with computer
applications and offered on open, accessible platforms. Simply, CTI is
coordinating the actions of telecommunications and computer systems to link the
real-time call control capability of the telephone with the stored intelligence of
computers. CTI enables the simultaneous arrival of a call and associated caller data
to be displayed to an agent.
The complete CTI offer encompasses the ability to tie together network or
premise-based voice processing services, network-based call routing, enterprise
reporting and the capability to integrate telephony information with business
applications. The offer delivers improved customer service, lowered costs and
increased agent productivity.
The CTI offer includes service components that, when enabled, collect data in the
network or at the premises. This allows the call to be routed along with the
pertinent information to the correct agent the first time. Based on your need, if
implemented at the network level, the CTI offer can reduce the need for hardware
and software on the premises, thereby simplifying the integration needed. Whether
implemented at the network or on the premises, CTI delivers value in a way that is
cost effective for the Contact Center and enables agents to focus on their customer.

17
CTI supports better agent utilization, and takes advantage of call specific
information delivery to make the caller/agent transaction more productive and
effective. CTI also enables segmentation through the use of data mining tools and
techniques.
AT&T Solutions offers proven experience and knowledge of complex call
handling technologies with our world-class network support and services, and the
intellectual capital and thought leadership necessary for successful implementation
of this complex technology.

An investment in CTI is significant and is often a strategic decision. This

methodology takes into consideration all the organizational, technical and financial
issues appropriate to make a sound CTI purchase decision. AT&T Solutions has
the thought leadership and vision to create on-demand, flexible and unlimited
interactions between company and its customers by fully utilizing CTI technology.

The offer includes the following process areas:

Current
Needs
Environment Design Pilot/Test Deploy Maintain
Assessment
Analysis
Highlight Application
Operations Define Selected
inefficiencies configuration
requirement deploymen
Information s t
Map process Site installation
Support over
improvement
People Map Evaluate life-cycle
optimal
Assess Verify controls
Technologies processes Maintain
alternatives & security

Table 3.1

18
3.3.1 CTI Benefits:
• Improved agent utilization and effectiveness through call-specific
information delivery
• Reduced operating costs resulting from network-enabled call routing as
opposed to premise-based hardware and software
• Enables customer segmentation through data mining tools and techniques

3.3.2 How IP Telephony works

If you regularly make long-distance phone calls, chances are you've already used
IP telephony without even knowing it. IP telephony, known in the industry as
Voice-over IP (VoIP), is the transmission of telephone calls over a data network
like one of the many networks that make up the Internet. While you probably have
heard of VoIP, what you may not know is that many traditional telephone
companies are already using it in the connections between their regional offices.

3.3.3 Circuit switching

Circuit switching is a very basic concept that has been used by telephone networks
for over 100 years. What happens is that when a call is made between two parties,
the connection is maintained for the entire duration of the call. Because you are
connecting two points in both directions, the connection is called a circuit. This is
the foundation of the Public Switched Telephone Network (PSTN).

Here's how a typical telephone call works:

1. You pick up the receiver and listen for a dial tone. This lets you know that
you have a connection to the local office of your telephone carrier.
2. You dial the number of the party you wish to talk to.

19
 3. The call is routed through the switch at your local carrier to the party you
are calling.
4. A connection is made between your telephone and the other party's line,
opening the circuit.
5. You talk for a period of time and then hang up the receiver.
6. When you hang up, the circuit is closed, freeing your line.

Let's say that you talk for 10 minutes. During this time, the circuit is continuously
open between the two phones. Telephone conversations over the traditional PSTN
are transmitted at a fixed rate of about 64 kilobits per second (Kbps), or 1,024 bits
per second (bps), in each direction, for a total transmission rate of 128 Kbps. Since
there are 8 kilobits (Kb) in a kilobyte (KB), this translates to a transmission of 16
KB each second the circuit is open, and 960 KB every minute it's open. So in a 10-
minute conversation, the total transmission is 9600 KB, which is roughly equal to
9.4 megabytes (MB).

If you look at a typical phone conversation, much of this transmitted data is

wasted. While you are talking, the other party is listening, which means that only
half of the connection is in use at any given time. Based on that, we can surmise
that we could cut the file in half, down to about 4.7 MB. Plus, a significant amount
of the time in most conversations is dead air -- for seconds at a time, neither party
is talking. If we could remove these silent intervals, the file would be even smaller.
Data networks do not use circuit switching. Your Internet connection would be a
lot slower if it maintained a constant connection to the Web page you were looking
at. Instead of simply sending and retrieving data as you need it, the two computers
involved in the connection would pass data back and forth the whole time, whether
the data was useful or not. That's no way to set up an efficient data network.
Instead, data networks use a method called packet switching.

20
3.4 Data mining

A hot buzzword for a class of database applications that Related Categories

Data
look for hidden patterns in a group of data. For example,
Databases
data mining software can help retail companies find
Related Terms
customers with common interests. The term is commonly database
misused to describe software that presents data in new DSTP
ways. True data mining software doesn't just change the presentation, but actually
discovers previously unknown relationships among the data.

3.5 EAI (Enterprise Application Integration)

Acronym for Enterprise Application Integration. EAI is the unrestricted sharing of

data and business processes throughout the networked applications or data sources
in an organization. Early software programs in areas such as inventory control,
human resources, sales automation and database management were designed to run
independently, with no interaction between the systems. They were custom built in
the technology of the day for a specific need being addressed and were often
proprietary systems. As enterprises grow and recognize the need for their
information and applications to have the ability to be transferred across and shared
between systems, companies are investing in EAI in order to streamline processes
and keep all the elements of the enterprise interconnected.

There are four major categories of EAI: Related Categories

Communications
• Database linking: databases share information and
Electronic Commerce
duplicate information as needed.
Network Management
Related Terms
EBPP
IVR
schema 21
 • Application linking: the enterprise shares business processes and data
between two or more applications.
• Data warehousing: data is extracted from a variety of data sources and
channeled into a specific database for analysis.
• Common virtual system: the pinnacle of EAI; all aspects of enterprise
computing are tied together so that they appear as a unified application.

3.6 EBPP (Electronic Billing Presentation & Payment)

Short for electronic bill presentment and payment, the Related Categories
Communications
process by which companies bill customers and receive
Electronic Commerce
payments electronically over the Internet.
World Wide Web
There are two types of presentment models:
Related Terms
• direct model: a biller delivers the bill to customers CRM
via its own Web site, or via a third-party's site. EAI
• consolidator model: bills from multiple billers are IVR
delivered to a single Web site, to be presented in aggregate to the consumer
for viewing and payment.

3.6.1 Introduction
Electronic Billing Presentation and Payment (EBPP) is the use of electronic
means, such as email or a short message, for rending a bill.

On the Internet, electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP) is a process that
enables bills to be created, delivered, and paid over the Internet. The service has
applications for many industries, from financial service providers to
telecommunications companies and utilities.

22
Although buying products over the Internet with a credit card has become a
common occurrence, viewing the credit card bill itself - and making payments to
settle the bill electronically - has not. This is expected to dramatically change as
new EBPP products are introduced that include features such as secure e-mail
delivery, and also as EBPP technology becomes more common in business-to-
business e-commerce.
One of the obstacles to widespread adoption of EBPP lies in the complexity of
billing systems and processes used by competing banks and financial institutions.
Some have resisted implementing EBPP for fear of being unable to cross-promote
other services to customers, although experts claim EBPP appears ideal for this
type of marketing. The banking industry also has been resistant for fear of losing
out on lucrative cash-management services, reminiscent of the battle the industry
fought and lost over credit card transactions. Disputes over adopting uniform
security and implementation standards also have stalled the adoption of EBPP.
The common protocol known as the Open Financial Exchange would allow firms
to integrate their systems. But the protocol has not been widely embraced,
especially by banks, which are concerned about possibly losing control of their
vital customer information. A second competing standard also is emerging.
Spectrum, a joint venture of The Chase Manhattan Corp., First Union Corp. and
Wells Fargo & Co., is adopting the Interactive Financial Exchange (IFX) protocol.
The IFX Forum, an organization that comprises financial institutions, billers,
insurance companies and vendors, is developing IFX.

Despite these difficulties, experts predict the industry will experience a growth
spurt, driven by customers who want the convenience and time savings associated
with being able to access, view and remit their bills directly online.

3.6.2 Advantages
The advantage of EBPP over traditional means is primarily the savings to the
operator in terms of the cost to produce, distribute, and collect bills.

23
3.6.3 Use in Mobile Communications
EBPP may be used in lieu of a standard paper bill as a means to reduce operational
costs. Some operators may view EBPP as an alternative to prepay as some
operators view prepay service strictly as an alternative to traditional billing, but it
usually has most value as an alternative mechanism for billing post-paid
customers. However, EBPP can also be used simply as an informational tool to
inform the customer of charges levied against the account.

3.6.4 Billing and Charging to Third Parties

EBPP is an efficient mechanism to bill or inform third parties of charges. For
example, the father of a son in college may want to know how much the child is
spending on mobile phone service prior to the bill becoming to high.

3.6.5 Paying the Bill

Some EBPP systems require software for payment while others require only
standard browser software for accesses a web site for secure payment.
Alternatively, the billing arrangement can be made in advance for funds to be
automatically debited from a customer’s account with a financial institution.
However, the more attractive model for most will be to have control over when the
bill is actually paid, rather than have it be paid at a predetermined date.

3.6.6 Future of EBPP

EBPP is expected to become an increasingly attractive alternative as mobile
operators continue to search for ways to reduce operational costs. However, the
extent to which EBPP is proliferated will depend entirely on user acceptance and
diligence to actually pay for bills in a timely and (preferably) electronic fashion.

3.7 e-commerce

24
 "E-commerce services are the silver bullet that will
enable companies to take advantage of the true business
opportunities on the Web."
Traci Gere, Analyst, The New York Times

Electronic Commerce is one of the most important aspects of the internet to

emerge. It allows people to exchange goods and services immediately and with no
barriers of time or distance. Any time of the day or night, you can go online and
buy almost anything you want.
However, the road to creating a successful online store can be a difficult and
confusing one if you are unaware of the concepts and principles behind
eCommerce. The trick to entering this market smoothly is to find out what you
need to do before you have to do it.

Fig 3.1

This is how e-commerce works.

The consumer moves through the internet

to the merchant's web site. From there, he
decides that he wants to purchase
something, so he is moved to the online
transaction server, where all of the
information he gives is encrypted. Once he
has placed his order, the information
moves through a private gateway to a
Processing Network, where the issuing and acquiring banks complete or deny the
transaction. This generally takes place in no more than 5-7 seconds.

There are many different payment systems available to accommodate the varied
processing needs of merchants, from those who have a few orders a day to those
who process thousands of transactions daily. With the addition of Secure Socket
Layer technology, eCommerce is also a very safe way to complete transactions.

25
There are several basic steps involved in becoming Commerce Enabled.

Getting an Internet Merchant Bank Account

Web Hosting
Obtaining a Digital Certificate
Finding a Provider of Online Transactions
Creating or Purchasing a Shopping Cart Software

3.8 IVR (Interactive Voice Response)

Short for Interactive Voice Response, a telephony Related Categories

Electronic Commerce
technology in which someone uses a touch-tone telephone
Telecommunications
to interact with a database to acquire information from or
Related Terms
enter data into the database. IVR technology does not CTI
require human interaction over the telephone as the user's EAI
interaction with the database is predetermined by what the EBPP
IVR system will allow the user access to. For example, Internet telephony
banks and credit card companies use IVR systems so that modem
their customers can receive up-to-date account information TAPI
instantly and easily without having to speak directly to a telematics
person. IVR technology is also used to gather information, TSAPI
as in the case of telephone surveys in which the user is prompted to answer
questions by pushing numbers on touch-tone telephone.

Interactive Voice Response (IVR) application accepts a combination of voice

telephone input and touch-tone keypad selection and provides appropriate
responses in the form of voice, fax, callback, e-mail and perhaps other media. IVR

26
is usually part of a larger application that includes database access. Common IVR
applications include:

• Bank and stock account balances and transfers

• Surveys and polls

• Call center forwarding

• Simple order entry transactions

• Selective information lookup (movie schedules, etc.)

An IVR application provides pre-recorded voice responses for appropriate

situations, keypad signal logic, access to relevant data, and potentially the ability to
record voice input for later handling. Using computer telephony integration (CTI),
IVR applications can hand off a call to a human being who can view data related to
the caller at a display.

3.8.1 IVR and Speech Recognition -- A Match Made In Heaven

(from an article by Joe Fleischer)

In this article, our focus is on how to improve IVR systems through speech
recognition, as well as how to make both touchtone and speech recognition easier
for callers to use. Given that call centers assist lots of callers, whether or not they
recognize them as customers, we're further restricting this article to speaker-
independent speech recognition, which emphasizes what callers say rather than
who does the speaking.

(Examples of speaker-dependent applications include speaker verification. Nuance,

for instance, offers software that can authenticate names as callers say them, so
that they don't have to remember account numbers. This software can also identify

27
individual customers, even those with joint accounts who typically provide the
same information to your voice response system.)

Just as touchtone doesn't replace live service, speech recognition doesn't have to
replace touchtone. Agents can refer callers to touchtone menus for routine requests
or to prevent callers from remaining in queue. You can provide speech recognition
for certain automated tasks, like reserving flights, where callers tend to prefer
saying their itineraries to figuring out menus.

When you enable live and automated service to work together peacefully, you get
the most out of your entire center.

Breaking Out Speech from Recognition

You've seen call routing evolve from a hard-wired component of a phone switch to
a standalone piece of software that runs on different switches.

A similar phenomenon is occurring with speech recognition. The company that

provides software for recognizing words can be different from the company that
gives you software for building applications.

Why is this happening? The reason is that VoiceXML is emerging as a common

programming language, even among competing vendors, for developing speech
recognition tools.

The World Wide Web Consortium, together with the VoiceXML Forum
(www.voicexml.org), defines specifications for VoiceXML. Both groups plan to
introduce certification by next year to ensure VoiceXML software products from
different companies can work with each other.

Steve Chambers, vice president of worldwide marketing for speech recognition

software company SpeechWorks (Boston, MA), observes that a growing
percentage of requests for proposals to SpeechWorks cite VoiceXML in their
specifications. As of October 2001, this percentage was 62%, up from 23% during
the start of 2001.

28
Two of SpeechWorks' new products, OpenSpeech Recognizer and OpenSpeech
DialogModules, illustrate how VoiceXML is enabling the independence of
recognition from other aspects of speech rec.

SpeechWorks' latest recognizer works best with speech recognition applications

written in VoiceXML, and, Chamber says, it does not require much memory to
handle large vocabularies. To work with a 40,000-word grammar, he estimates, the

recognizer only needs 17 megabytes. …

3.9 Log file

A file that lists actions that have occurred. For example, Related Categories
Web Development
Web servers maintain log files listing every request made
Related Terms
to the server. With log file analysis tools, it's possible to audit trail
get a good idea of where visitors are coming from, how blog
often they return, and how they navigate through a site. cookie
Using cookies enables Webmasters to log even more log
detailed information about how individual users are accessing a site.

3.9.1 How are log files being used ?

Web technology is proliferating at a very rapid rate. Hundreds of new web sites
come online each week. Universities, businesses, nonprofit organizations and even
individuals are making enormous investments in the design, development and
marketing of web sites. In such an environment, it will not take long for people to
begin to question whether the investment is paying off. Simple experimental
evaluations of web sites are only now beginning to be constructed. In an
experimental paradigm, the web site will typically be looked at as a molar
intervention and aggregate organizational data will be examined to see the web site

29
effects. This simple approach will help to answer the overall question of whether
the introduction of web site technology makes a difference, but it will not tell us
how the web site produces any effects that are observed. To examine this type of
question it will be necessary to study web site use at a more molecular level (e.g.,
by user).

Every web site automatically keeps log file statistics on each specific hit to a web
page for that site. Web administrators routinely run programs in background that
analyze web access statistics. There are a wide and growing variety of such
programs available. The major problem with such tools is that they are limited to
analyzing only web use -- they do not and can not link web use data to other
meaningful outcomes or measures.

Web site analysis provides useful information in many contexts. Commercial sites
can monitor their advertising on web site. The program evaluator can use the
frequency and traffic on the web site as a measure of program delivery. In the
educational context, web site usage can translate into increased time spent on
coursework. The content of the web is educationally valuable, so educators may
theorize that web site utilization translates into greater academic performance. In
business contexts, we will want to know how web use relates to performance on
the job and, ultimately, to the effect of web use on the bottom-line (i.e., the Return
On Investment issue).

The log files are consulted for such valuable information and the data (log) in the
files is used to arrive at a decision. Log files are very popular in data mining and
decision support systems.

3.10 Metadata

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Data about data. Metadata describes how and when and byRelated Categories
Data
whom a particular set of data was collected, and how the
Related Terms
data is formatted. Metadata is essential for understanding DAM
information stored in data warehouses. data warehouse
meta

Metadata can be defined literally as "data about data," but the term is normally
understood to mean structured data about digital (and non-digital) resources that
can be used to help support a wide range of operations. These might include, for
example, resource description and discovery, the management of information
resources (including rights management) and their long-term preservation. In the
context of digital resources, there exists a wide variety of metadata formats.
Viewed on a continuum of increasing complexity, these range from the basic
records used by robot-based Internet search services, through relatively simple
formats like the Dublin Core Metadata Element Set (DCMES) and the more
detailed Text Encoding Initiative (TEI) header and MARC formats, to highly
specific formats like the FGDC Content Standard for Digital Geospatial Metadata,
the Encoded Archival Description (EAD) and the Data Documentation Initiative
(DDI) Codebook

Metadata is the stuff of card catalogues, television guides, Rolodexes, taxonomies,

tables of contents -- to borrow a Zen concept, the finger pointing at the moon. It is
labels like "title," "author," "type," "height," and "language" used to describe a
book, person, television program, species, etc. Metadata is, quite simply, data
about data.

3.10.1 Searching

31
Searching is the bane of the Web's existence, despite the plethora of search tools --
Yahoo currently lists 193 registered web search engines. Search engines typically
suffer from a lack of semantics on both the gathering and querying ends. On the
gathering side, search engines typically utilize one of two methods:

• Internet directories typically ask content providers to register their web

sites through an online form. Unfortunately, such forms don't provide slots
for metadata such as publisher, author, subject keywords, etc.

• Search engines scour the Web with armies of agents/spiders, scraping

pages and following links for hints at semantics. Sadly, even if a site does
embed metadata (such as HTML's <meta> tags) in its documents, this
information is often ignored.

When it comes to metadata, the network becomes a poorer information resource

whenever we create artificial boundaries between metadata applications. The
Web's own metadata system, RDF (Resource Description Framework) , was built
in acknowledgment of this. There is little reason to suppose peer-to-peer content is
different in this regard since we're talking about pretty much the same kind of
content, albeit in a radically new environment.

3.10.2 A contrasting evolution: MP3 and the metadata marketplace

The alternatives to erecting a rigorous metadata architecture like RDF can be

illustrated by the most popular decentralized activity on the Internet today: MP3
file exchange.

How do people find out the names of songs on the CDs they're playing on their
networked PCs? One immediate problem is that there is nothing resembling a URI

32
scheme for naming CDs; this makes it difficult to agree on a protocol for querying
metadata servers about the properties of those CDs. While one might imagine
taking one of the various CDDB-like algorithms and proposing a URI scheme for
universal adoption (for instance, cd:894120720878192091), in practice this would
be time-consuming and somewhat politicized. Meanwhile, peer-to-peer developers
just want to build killer applications; they don't want to spend 18 months on a
standards committee specifying the identifiers for compact discs (or people or
films...). Most of us can't afford the time to create metadata tags, and if we could,
we'd doubtless think of more interesting ways of using that time.

What to do? Having just stressed the importance of unique names when describing
content, can we get by without them? Actually, it appears so.

Every day thousands of MP3 users work around the unique identification problem
without realizing it. Their CD rippers inspect the CD, compute one of several
identifying properties for the CD they're digitizing, and use this uniquely
identifying property to consult a networked metadata service. This is metadata in
action on a massive scale. But it also smacks of the PICS problem. MP3 listeners
have settled on an application-specific piece of infrastructure rather than a more
useful, generalized approach.

These metadata services exist and operate very successfully today, despite the lack
of any canonical "standard" identifier syntax for compact discs. The technique they
use to work around the standards bottleneck is simple, being much the same as
saying things like "the person whose personal mailbox is..." or "the company
whose corporate homepage is...". Being simple, it can (and should) be applied in
other contexts where peer-to-peer and web applications want to query networked
services for metadata. There's no reason to use a different protocol when asking for
a CD track list and when asking for metadata describing any other kind of thing.

33
3.10.3 Conclusion

Metadata applied at a fundamental level, early in the game, will provide rich
semantics upon which innovators can build peer-to-peer applications that will
amaze us with their flexibility. While the symmetry of peer-to-peer brings about a
host of new and interesting ways of interacting, there's no substitute for taking the
opportunity to rethink our assumptions and learned from the mistakes made on the
Web. Let's not continue the screen-scraping modus operandi; rather, let's replace
extrapolation with forethought and rich assertions.

To summarize :

• Use a single, coherent metadata framework such as that provided by RDF.

When it comes to metadata, the network becomes a poorer information
resource whenever we create artificial boundaries between metadata
applications.

• Work on the commonalities between seemingly disparate data sources and

formats. Work in your community to agree on some sort of common
descriptive concepts. If such concepts already exist, borrow them.

• Describe your resources well, in a standard way, getting involved in this

standardization process itself where necessary. Be sure to make as much of
this description as possible available to peer applications and end users
through clear semantics and simple APIs.

• Design ways of searching for (and finding) resources on the Net that take
full advantage of any exposed metadata.

4
34
 SOME eCRM SOFTWARES

4.1 wScripting
Scripting Tool For Call Center Agents
wScripting is an intelligent question and answer guide for call center agents that
can be delivered through the Internet via ASPs (Application Service Providers).
This tool allows the agent to capture customer data from the conversation and can
also be used for product sales or customer service/troubleshooting. The advantage
of wScripting over other call agent scripting modules is the dynamic and
intelligent format of the conversation guide. wScripting can also be modified to
replicate your sales best practices throughout the call center by embedding this
knowledge into the software.
How wScripting works:
1. Agent contacts the potential customer, or vice versa. The agent then pops up the
wScripting module on his/her desktop.
2. If the caller is a current customer, their record can be brought up onscreen. If the
caller is not a customer, then a new record is created.
3. The agent poses the questions presented on screen to the caller, and uses the
multiple choice answer mechanism to input the caller's response.
4. The agent can input gathered customer information by using the data entry fields
at the bottom of the screen.
5. During the conversation, the agent is provided with in context information to
pass onto the caller (such as product ratings), tailored to the informational needs
and sophistication level of the caller.
6. At the conclusion of the question and answer interaction, the agent will provide
the caller with an intelligent recommendation complete with a logical, plain
English justification for the recommendation.
7. The agent can then execute the transaction (e.g. purchase) and record the result
of the call in the data entry fields at the bottom of the screen.

35
8. You end up with a searchable record of the conversation, and a database of
customer information collected during the call.

4.2 ClickMobile
Optimized, Integrated Scheduling Solution For Mobile Field Service
Personnel
ClickMobile enables service representatives in the field to send and receive
updated schedule information throughout the day. Through integration with
ClickSoftware's ClickSchedule, the leading scheduling optimization tool,
ClickMobile enables automatic, real-time re-scheduling to ensure maximum
efficiency and productivity. With ClickMobile, managers have the latest
information about service call status and the activities and whereabouts of field
service personnel. This allows them to respond more effectively to unforeseen
events, alter schedules, and redirect field staff throughout the day.
While mobile scheduling has been available previously, ClickMobile is the first
such tool to integrate with a proven scheduling optimization tool like
ClickSchedule. Field staff can be optimally redirected on the fly to increase
efficiency and ensure that service level commitments are met. Unlike other, older
solutions, ClickMobile takes advantage of low-cost PDAs and two-way pagers that
provide instant communication between the central office and field service staff.
Initially ClickMobile will support PocketPC, Windows CE, and 2-way pagers.
ClickMobile supports most major wireless networks, both circuit- and packet-
switched, in the U.S. and in Europe.
ClickMobile reduces paperwork and phone calls, improves accuracy of
communication, while providing faster dispatching and status updates, real-time
monitoring of field activity, same-day optimization, automatic rescheduling, and
more.

36
4.3 wRecommend
Product Recommendation Tool For Online Customers
How wRecommend works:
1. Potential customers visit the client Web site.
2. Lack of experience and indecision draws users to the "Help Me Decide..."
button (or other entry point).
3. Potential customers are taken through an interactive, online conversation that
discusses their intended needs, uses, and preferences.
4. Along the way, they are presented with "as-needed" information (reviews,
explanations, tutorials, benchmark tests, new features that they might be interested
in, etc.) customized to their specific information needs and level of knowledge.
5. They are presented with products or services (cross-sells) that fit with their
needs, uses, and preferences.
6. The system then presents a range of three customized and fully configured
products that meet the expressed and inferred needs and preferences of each buyer.
Each recommendation is dynamically configured for the customer, and includes a
plain language justification of why the recommendation was made.

7. After receiving the recommendation, the potential customer can elect to

execute the sale online by pressing a 'Buy' button, or call the call center to
have any final questions answered before buying. Upon receiving the call,
the agent would retrieve the potential customer's recommendation and
conversation history, then work with the information to close the sale.

4.4 Carbon Copy Solution

Deploy And Remotely Control Desktops And Servers

37
Carbon Copy Solution can be the single remote control product for all Windows
platforms, supporting systems even as the platforms change. The Web-based
solution also deploys and remotely controls clients, servers and server farms
without rebooting the machine, increasing efficiency and eliminating user
interruption.

It is such interesting applications that are making eCRM a very hot field in
computers today.

5
FAQ

38
Now that we know a bit about CRM/eCRM , here are a few Frequently Asked
Questions about them.

5.1 What is CRM?

CRM is a system of solutions, software and a business practice that allows
companies to become more in touch with the customers. Software can be
purchased to organize customers in a database for ease of use by a company. CRM
systems allow companies to reach, update, inform and target information or
products to a selected group of customers, or single clients that would suit their
needs.
A CRM system allows a company to become more organized in their business
design, due to the increase in information on their target markets. CRM
incorporates all departments in an organization, which leads to greater efficiency.
This is done by the use of information by all departments including selling,
marketing, analyzing business activities as well as call centers and other front line
customer care faculties.

5.2 What is eCRM?

eCRM is the implementation of a CRM system that is accessible from all areas of
an organization in real time. A web-based system benefits the organization by
allowing customers to update personal information, select and change preferences.
For an organization, eCRM applications enables and provides customer
information to partners, resellers, customers, and prospects via the Web. This
aspect of CRM can be very useful, especially due to the growing global
competition and partners.
The implementation of an eCRM system allows an organziation to effectively and
consistently manage current and prospective customers, regardless of where the
interaction between company and client occurs.

39
5.3 What's in it for students?
Students should be aware of CRM and what it can do for an organization. Due to
the growth that is being seen in today's market of CRM and CRM related software
applications, the knowledge of these systems will help students prepare for the
demands of future positions. CRM applications are integrated throughout an
organization, which means all persons will need to understand and utilize them in
order for overall increased efficiency of the company. There is a greater demand
for customer satisfaction, which is one of the last areas in which a company can
excel. Keeping this in mind, the implementation of a CRM system would enhance
a company's ability to meet these demands and compete on a large, global scale.

5.4 Why eCRM instead of CRM?

eCRM is seen as a better system than a traditional CRM software package due to
the flow of information throughout the organization and the availability of this
information to anyone at anytime. With the free flow of information, this would
mean that if a customer decides to make a complaint through email, a
representative from the respective company would be notified instantly and would
be able to respond within a matter of minutes. Response could be made through
telephone or an email system.
An effective eCRM system would be created through five steps:
• Identifying the opportunity
• Planning an effective communication strategy to customers
• Optimize the strategy
• Present communication
• Evaluate the results of the strategy
These steps allow a flow of information to reach consumers effectively and
directly through contact areas. These areas could be points of sale, sales force
automation, call centers, direct mail, the web, or through email. Consumers would
then have access to a two-way communication channel that allows for greater

40
response times, higher customer satisfaction, and fewer mistakes made interpreting
customer demands.

5.5 What is holding back eCRM?

Direct mailing to customers is slowing the process of eCRM evolution. Due to the
time direct mail takes to be received by an individual or company, the process of
eCRM is slowed considerably. This causes a reaction through the system which
accounts for delayed response times, which in turn, causes discontent with
consumers. There is a push for consumers to use web-based applications (either
email, website feedback forms, etc) to be used instead of direct mail due to the
frustration that can be created through delayed reaction.

5.6 What is the future of CRM?

CRM, as an infrastructure alone, is not sufficient enough. The growth of the CRM
market is also occurring at customer contact points, such as call centers and the
Web, and managers should pay close attention to the customer dynamics at these
contact points. As CRM infrastructures become more widely accepted, it is
anticipated that customer needs and expectations will change subtly across various
channels, reflecting the enhanced customer support capacity of CRM systems.
Several trends that we see as relevant to the new versions of the customer contact
point are:
• The Multichannel Integrated Experience
• Listening Portals: Next-Generation CRM Capabilities
• CRM Portals & Sales Force ASPs
• Hosted Applications .

41
 SOME SIMILAR SOUNDING TERMS

6.1 Online CRM

The term online crm refers to a customer relationship management tool which
stores client data in a database that is available for sales staff through an internet
based system.

Online crm software takes a company's customer relations to the next level. By
making customer data available to sales staff in different locations, customers
receive the individual attention they need, and with unlimited growth potential, an
online crm system fits the long term goals of all business operations.

6.2 Wireless eCRM (extracted from an article by David Butler)

Promoters of wireless products and services have promised many advantages to

companies adopting such technology for CRM. However, in today's economic
climate, organizations need to focus on overall return on investment (ROI) to find
benefits for wireless implementations. When organizations don't deploy wireless e-
CRM technology, their field service costs can be greater than if they had
implemented a wireless solution.

If your organization is thinking about launching a wireless e-CRM solution, the

first thing you should do is forget about the technology and focus on the vital
information you want to push to your customers or field staff. And a wireless e-
CRM solution should not be your sole CRM solution, but should be one channel of
your entire e-CRM solution.

Steps to Wireless E-CRM Success

42
· Decide on concrete business goals
· Determine applicable metrics
· Obtain senior executive support
· Determine customer-field staff touchpoints
· Find a solution based on business goals
If the solution is wireless e-CRM, select devices that fit the solution.

6.3 Intelligent eCRM

To thrive in the new economy, companies must have an in-depth understanding of

both their customers and their businesses to intelligently and effectively market,
sell and service their customers. These intelligent interactions ensure compelling
experiences for customers, leading to profitable, long-lasting customer
relationships for companies.

Marketing applications that marry customer and business goals require a different
approach than that of the traditional marketing or sales force automation because
the primary function of the technology isn’t improving the productivity of
employees who interact with customers. Instead, this new breed of “intelligent,”
Web-based marketing applications, called eCRM, focuses on the processes and
information needs of customers themselves as they demand more direct access and
control over their own interactions with a company.

Giving Customers What They Want

There is no longer a distinction between marketing and customer service,

particularly in Internet environments where the ease with which customers can
“serve themselves” is a matter of content combined with functionality and driven

43
by marketing goals. Taking advantage of the “self-service” nature of the Internet
is also the best way to complete the view of the customer because marketers can
take the opportunity to solicit customers and prospects to define their interests,
needs and intentions through opt-in e-mail, multi-channel marketing campaigns,
personalized portals and online surveys.

With a high-powered analytic engine at the heart of an eCRM solution,

organizations can then combine this invaluable data with additional internal and
external data sources to produce marketing campaigns, and provide proactive
services that reflect customers’ interests and needs and promote more quality
interactions across all channels.

REFERENCES

Sites Topics

44
www.ecrm.com (ECRM)

www.bitpipe.com (CRM)

http://www.eaiquadrant.com/crm/frawley_1a.html (eCRM)

http://www.digitrends.net/ebiz/13643_15683.html (Intelligent CRM)

www.innovate.com (Online CRM)

http://trochim.human.cornell.edu (log files)

www.w3.org (log file, metadata)

http://www.online-commerce.com (eCommerce)

www.howstuffworks.com (ecommerce,CTI)

http://searchnetworking.techtarget.com/ (CTI,EBPP,EAI)

www.ecrmguide.com (biometrics, EBPP)

(EAI, IVR,CTI)

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