E-business

E-business (in the international context, frequently also written as "eBusiness") designates the inclusion and application of digital information technologies in a company's or organization's business processes. The sales of products and services via the Internet (so-called "E-commerce") also falls under the remit of eBusiness activities as do net-based marketing and advertising measures. Companies often also use measures for exchanging information and communicating with customers via the Internet, this are also commonly used eBusiness measures.

In recent years, eBusiness has continued to gain in importance. So much so, that it is now common to see upper-management levels incorporating digital information channels into their business processes. As a consequence of these management rethinks, it is commonplace today to see eBusiness elements in almost all the business areas and processes of German companies. For example, the integration of the Internet and new technologies into existing business processes offers companies a great advantage, whereby they can reach out to their target groups quickly and with ease, providing them with customer care and service irrespective of the geographical constraints.

CRM and eBusiness

Customer Relationship Management (CRM) plays an essential role in marketing. This also applies to the business areas that fall under the eBusiness remit. Here too, the edicts of customer loyalty are just as valid as in classical marketing: customers have to be advised correctly, attended professionally and emotionally involved if longterm loyalty to the company is to be cultivated. This is particularly the case in the area of eCommerce, where competition is fierce and keeping ahead of your competitors requires you to ensure that your customers are more than just satisfied. And this is where a properly implemented CRM system really pays for itself: eCommerce providers who use their CRM systems to find out what their customers' wishes and requirements really are, enjoy the benefits of a definite competitive advantage. The Internet is an especially good means of gathering information on your customers without having to invest great sums of money or time, and best of all, the data you collect can be pooled and processed in your CRM solution to enable its targeted use.

Targeted-marketing and customer care using CRM

Companies collect and analyze their customer related data from their eBusiness in CRM systems. The data often comes from a variety of different digital sources. From these large volumes of data, patterns can often be recognized - also known as clustering - groups can be formed which can be defined by specific properties. Offers are then created which have been designed to appeal to these groups.

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