Differentiate between software systems such as Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software, Business-to-Business e-commerce program and Supply-Chain Management software (SCM). are performing different functionalities in company-wide environment.
Customer Relationship Management software
CRM software is a software system designed to analyze the customers’ preference, spending pattern, needs, market trends based on the customer data collected. Based on these analysis, the company would understand the customers’ need better, the present market situation and the future market trends which enable the company to formulate their company’s short-term and long-term strategies and operation modes to suit the current market situation and to meet the market trends to the best interest of the companies. With CRM, the parties involved are the customers and the company itself.
Business to Business e-commerce program
Business to Business e-commerce program is an application system to enable companies to conduct business transaction in electronic means. With B2B, the companies involved require negotiation and integration to enable communication between the companies for the business transaction. Benefits with B2B include the following:-
- Managing inventory more efficiently
- Adjusting more quickly to customer demand
- Getting products to market faster
- Cutting the cost of paperwork
- Reigning in rogue purchases
- Obtaining lower prices on some supplies
Unlike the CRM, the parties involved in B2B e-commerce are companies.
Supply chain management software
SCM is a application system to help company to improve various company business operations including plan and managing the company resources, sourcing the suppliers for supplying the raw material, scheduling manufacturing activities, formulating the delivery operation and strategies, providing customer supports including collection of defective goods from customers. Basically SCM is a application system mainly to improve the internal operations of the company with a view to reduce product costs, operation costs, production costs and improving customer services.
Reference
Customer relationship management (n.d.) Retrieved April 27, 2008 from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Customer_relationship_management.
Darwin Publications. (n.d.) Business to business – Overview. Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://www.netessence.com.cy/downloads/b2b.pdf.
Srikanth, A (2000). E-commerce: a B2B guide. Retrieved April 27, 2008 from http://www.hinduonnet.com/businessline/iw/2000/05/28/stories/0728g101.htm.
Trapp. R. (2007). How customer relationship management systems can be of benefit to your business. Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/business/sme/how-customer-relationship-management-systems-can-be-of-benefit-to-your-business-451821.html.
Worthen, B. (2007). ABC: An introduction to supply chain management. Retrieved April 28, 2008 from http://www.cio.com/article/print/40940.
