Gartner ermittelt die sechs besten CRM-Marketing-Prozesse bei eingeschränktem Kostenspielraum

Abstimmung von Marketing-Investitionen und Kostenreduzierung zum Überleben im Wirtschaftsabschwung

Die Gartner-Analysten diskutieren die Zukunft von CRM auf dem Gartner Customer Relationship Management Summit 2009, 3. bis 4. März, in London

Marketing-Budgets sind während eines Wirtschaftsabschwungs am meisten gefährdet. Jedoch hat Gartner sechs Marketing-Prozesse identifiziert, die für die Steigerung des Umsatzes und die Kostenreduzierung automatisiert eingesetzt werden können und dabei Marketing-Budgets und den Return on Investment (ROI) maximieren.

“Das blinde Kürzen von Marketing-Budgets in Zeiten der wirtschaftlichen Unsicherheit wird die Fähigkeit der Unternehmen einschränken, die Kundenbasis zu erhalten und zu erweitern. Das gilt für die jetzige Situation, wie auch für den Zeitpunkt, an dem der Markt zu seiner alten Stärke zurückfindet.“, sagt Kimberly Collins, Managing Vice President bei Gartner. „Durch die richtige Abstimmung von Investitionen und Kostenreduzierung, sind Unternehmen am besten positioniert um wirtschaftlich schwierigen Zeiten zu begegnen.“

Align Marketing Investments and Cost Reductions to Survive the Downturn

Analysts Discuss the Future of CRM at Gartner Customer Relationship Management Summit 2009, 3-4 March, in London

Stamford, Conn., January 22, 2009 — Marketing budgets are most at risk during economic downturns, but Gartner, Inc. has identified six marketing processes that can be automated to drive revenue and cut costs, maximising marketing budgets and return on investments (ROIs).

“Blindly cutting marketing budgets during an uncertain economy will impair a company’s ability to retain and grow its customers, now, as well as when the market returns to more stable growth,” said Kimberly Collins, managing vice president at Gartner. “By aligning both investment and cost reductions in the right way, organisations will be best positioned to come through today’s trying economic times.”

Gartner advocates the use of six key marketing processes to help marketing drive revenue, cut costs and drive ROI, thus justifying its spending. Three of the processes — customer retention management, lead management and online marketing — focus on driving revenue; while the other three — creative production management, marketing fulfilment and financial management — are designed to improve accountability and cut costs.

1.         Retention Management

Retaining high value or potential high-value customers is essential in difficult economic times. Gartner advises that organisations calculate the profitability and value of customers, identify those they want to keep and develop retention programmes based on their customer segment and identified needs. This includes understanding how a customer may be affected by the economy and developing programmes to support them. Event triggers can proactively identify when a customer’s circumstances may be about to change and staff should be trained and empowered to recognise this. Gartner predicts that in 2009, companies that develop effective retention management processes will reduce churn of profitable customers by at least 10 per cent within six months.

2.         Lead Management

By expanding marketing’s role in the lead management process, companies can improve lead quality and ensure higher conversion rates by sales. Gartner advocates leveraging marketing insights, such as using marketing data and content to augment leads prior to sending them to sales. Gartner expects companies that automate lead management processes in 2009 will increase revenue by at least 10 per cent within six to nine months, despite the uncertain economy.