CRM Industry Leaders Create New CRMAdvocate Program
CRM Advocate Represents Fresh Approach to Collaborative Leadership with More Than 500 Case Studies Demonstrating the Power of Successful CRM

INDIANAPOLIS, IN. - June 4, 2002 - Recognizing the need to show the actual benefits and tangible ROI associated with CRM, more than 30 leading CRM organizations have collaborated on the development of CRMAdvocate, a new program and web site (www.crmadvocate.com).
 
CRMAdvocate is the worldwide source for CRM success where buyers can find hundreds of documented CRM implementations (case studies, success stories and articles) that can be searched and sorted by industry segment, application, solution provider and/or geography. CRMAdvocate is also the "TV Guidetm" of CRM webcasts with the most complete listing of CRM webcasts. A weekly electronic magazine (CRMAdvocate Weekly) highlights new success stories and case studies as well as upcoming CRM webcasts. All information is available for syndication (free of charge) to other web destinations.
 
CRMAdvocate represents a group of forward-thinking individuals who, along with their companies, share a commitment to help grow and mature the market through leadership in education and research. In short, the CRMAdvocate program seeks to remove the fear, uncertainty and doubt caused by negative reports of CRM failure by focusing on best-in-breed CRM implementations and strategies.
 
Founding CRMAdvocates include leading CRM solution providers, industry analysts, web destinations, associations, publications, event producers and awards programs:
 
  • Aberdeen Group, Inc.
  • Advanstar Communications, Inc.
  • AFSM International
  • AMR Research, Inc.
  • Ask Jeeves, Inc. (Nasdaq: ASKJ)
  • Call Center Networking Group
  • Chordiant Software, Inc. (Nasdaq:CHRD)
  • Consortium for Service Innovation
  • CRM Association
  • CRMCommunity.com
  • CRMIndustry.com
  • CRM Magazine
  • Customer Interface Magazine
  • DCI
  • DKSystems, Inc.
  • Gartner Group (NYSE: IT)
  • Giga Information Group (OTC BB: GIGX)
  • Help Desk 2000
  • Help Desk Institute
  • Hewlett-Packard Company (NYSE: HPQ)
  • ICT GROUP, Inc. (Nasdaq: ICTG)
  • IDC
  • META Group (Nasdaq: METG)
  • Integrated Solution Magazine
  • Motive Communications
  • Oracle Corporation (Nasdaq: ORCL)
  • PeopleSoft, Inc. (Nasdaq: PSFT),
  • Peppers and Rogers Group
  • Primus Knowledge Solutions (Nasdaq: PKSI)
  • RealMarket, Inc.
  • Users Choice Awards
  • Witness Systems (Nasdaq: WITS)
  • Yankee Group (NasdaqNM: RTRSY)
To be sure, there are many documented CRM failures and reports suggest that the failure rate may be 50%. However, for every failure, CRMAdvocates believe there is a CRM success. Today, many organizations are realizing tremendous benefit from CRM in terms of increased customer loyalty, lower sales cost envelopes, reduced cost per support transaction, and higher profits. And that is what CRMAdvocate is all about. References are the “gold standard” in credibility and confidence for those considering investment in CRM.
 
CRMAdvocate Solution Providers are required to meet the following:
  • Commitment to success - Includes implementation assistance programs, product quality management programs, client satisfaction measurement programs and a commitment to setting realistic expectations.
  • Commitment to references - Creates universally available best practices information in the form of case studies and success stories. Frequently utilizes press releases to promote success stories. Publishes a list of companies using product and services demonstrating wide acceptance of CRM solutions.
  • Commitment to industry education - Helps mature the market via industry-wide education initiatives like freely available webcasts. Participates in industry speaking forums like seminars and conferences to promote successful CRM implementations.
  • Commitment to implementation quality - Qualifies and educates system integrators, outsourcers and consultants to increase the effectiveness and ROI of CRM implementations.
  • Commitment to collaboration - Works with other CRMAdvocates on industry wide initiatives to nurture the acceptance of CRM in the market.
Recognizing the power of collaboration and CRM leadership, CRMAdvocates will occasionally meet to discuss and create new industry initiatives to better serve the entire CRM market.
 
Note to Editors:
Quote from the Advocates
About the Advocates
CRMAdvocate Backgrounder
 
All company and product names may be trademarks of their respective owners. Copyright (c) 2002 RealMarket, Inc. All rights reserved.
 
Contact:
 
Ken Carite, 317.816.0677 x204
CRMAdvocate
kcarite@crmadvocate.com