Information Technology and CRM

What does CRM stand for?  CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management.  CRM is a business strategy that aims to understand, anticipate and manage the needs of an organization’s current and potential customers.

In the 1990’s Tom Siebel, founder of the CRM, developed some simple software centered on the collection and handling of information related to customer relations and transactions.  CRM is an integrated management system focused on customers and prospective customers.

Technology plays a huge role in CRM.  It can use databases, data mining and marketing to increase customer value and their own profitability.  This type of technology can be used to keep a record of customer’s names and contact details in addition to their history of buying products or using services.  This information can be used to target customers in a personal way and offer them services to meet their specific needs.

For example:

• Tickets purchased online:  These websites retain the customers details and their purchase history.  The websites regularly send emails to previous customers to inform them of similar upcoming events or special discounts.  This helps to ensure that customers will continue to purchase tickets from a particular website in the future.
• Loyalty cards:  The primary role of a retailer loyalty card is to gather data about customers.  The retailer then can make sure they meet the customers need and also make new suggestions for new products based on their buying habits.
• CRM software:  Many call centers use CRM software to store all of their customer’s details.  When a customer calls, the system can be used to retrieve and store information relevant of the customer.  This helps with analytics on age and usage for new products.

Having access to customers contact details and their services or purchase preferences through databases etc can enable organizations to alert customers to new, similar or alternative services or products.  A CRM can help a business grow and focus on the customer. 

AICC & SCORM Standards within a Learning Management System

If you work in the world of Training, you will be familiar with the abbreviations, AICC and SCORM;  nevertheless, if you are new to the World of Training, let me give you a high overview.

Let me keep it simple: 

·        AICC- (Aviation Industry CBT(Computer based training ) Committee) standards define how content for e-learning is developed, delivered and evaluated.

·        SCORM- (Shareable Content Object Reference Model) is a set of specifications used to produce reusable e-learning objects.  It defines communication between a client (example Captivate) and a host (the LMS).

How can AICC or SCORM Standards benefit my organization?

Does your organization use any of the below?

1.         Sign offs on new hire handbooks

2.         Change in Human Resources Policy
3.         Compliance Training sign offs

 If your organization uses any of the above, a document wrapper using AICC Standards, could be set up in your Learning Management System.  Upon completion of reading the document, a pop up would appear with a box that states, “I confirm that I have read and understand all the material contained in the document”.    The employee would then click on “Agrees” or “Disagrees”.    Upon completion, an organization can then run a report to see who is in compliance or who still needs to complete it.  So no more excel spreadsheet tracking. 

Does your organization use an outside Vendor for online learning?  If the trainings are set up to be SCORM compliant, you can set up a Connector file to your Host (LMS).  The benefit with this is that employees only access one LMS.  They would search/browse for the course and launch it from your Organization’s LMS.   You could set up a pass/fail score and once met, it would reflect “completed” on the employee’s learning history. 

If you are a SAP SuccessFactors customer I know this can be done to set up Skillsoft. Previously, it was a manual process to obtain and input the necessary data into SF Learning, leaving open the possibility for mistakes. In an effort to streamline this process, SuccessFactors has created a connector to interface with Skillsoft data using their Open Learning Services Architecture (OLSA) to directly import the learning Items and their respective Subject Areas.

This is just a great way eLearning can save manual hours and time within an organization.