B2B Integration : A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce

114 B2B Integration — A Practical Guide to Collaborative E-commerce
eSales
^Marketing
Figure 4.9. — The circle of eCRM
eWarehousing
eProfiling
The role of eCRM is an ever-expanding one, but is generally
characterized as follows:
• eCRM extends CRM by providing anytime, anywhere, real time
access to customer information via the Internet/Web and mobile
devices. Most CRM vendors can now deliver information using open
communication standards such as HTML, WAP and XML for
delivering information to browsers or mobile devices. eCRM products
can also provide an out-of-the-box portal solution to users, which
creates a single browser-based entry point into the CRM system.
• eCRM integrates traditional CRM with legacy, back-office and other
e-business applications, including ERP and SCM. CRM vendors (as
well as ERP vendors) are working hard not only to integrate their
products with new e-business frameworks, but also to expand their
own offerings and product lines to deliver the complete e-solution.
• CRM can capture a Web-surfer's digital trail to understand that
user's buying patterns. Through eCRM, a customer's patterns are
captured to provide a personalized experience during future visits.
Personalization enables an e-business to offer products uniquely
relevant to the individual visitor, creating a Web experience tailored
to individual's tastes.