September/October 2001

CRM IS A STRATEGY NOT A TACTIC
by Ian Gordon

Almost all firms have adopted Customer Relationship Management (CRM) in their bid to build loyalty and retention. Too often, however, a CRM policy is highly ineffectual. The problem, this author and consultant says, is that a CRM program is developed as a stand-alone tactic, instead of being seen and developed as a strategy. The author itemizes and analyzes the errors companies make when developing a CRM program. He also puts forward some highly practical and valuable suggestions that will help them realize the great promise of CRM.

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About the Author

Ian Gordon
Ian Gordon is President, Convergence Management Consultants Ltd. He is the author of three books, Relationship Marketing (John Wiley and Son, 2004), Competitor Targeting (John Wiley and Son, 2001), and Beat the Competition (Blackwell Publishing, 1989). He can be reached at igordon@converge.on.ca.

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