The document discusses e-CRM adoption in Belgium based on a survey. Some key findings: 1) Adoption of e-CRM is still in an early stage, with many companies not planning to implement it. Those who have report improvements or expect benefits. 2) Top reasons for implementing e-CRM are to increase revenue through customer acquisition and reduce costs. Improving marketing productivity is also a key driver. 3) Most companies opt for on-premise CRM platforms that integrate with existing IT systems, rather than cloud-based solutions. Custom solutions are also used.

1. 18/12/2012 It’s not just web, it’s your business
REFERENCE DATA: E-CRM in Belgium today

2. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs
Reasons for doing e-CRM
Platform
Multichannel & customer data integration
Social CRM and mobile: challenges ahead
Main findings summarized
Survey info

3. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs

4. Adoption and awareness
Still a long way to go…
‘e-CRM in my organization is:’ ‘If you have implemented or are implementing an e-CRM
project, would you consider it:’
35%
24% 30%
41% 25%
20% 33%
35% 34%
15%
10% 19%
13%
5% 1%
0%
No intention
Planned or started A success Reasonably Struggling No success Too early to
Up and running successfull for success say
Adoption is clearly in an early stage. A substantial number (of mostly local) companies have no
intention to run an e-CRM program. Those who did already report measurable improvements or
are convinced this effect will positive.

5. Adoption and awareness
Strategic approach
‘If you have implemented or are 'Our top management views e-CRM as:'
implementing an e-CRM 60% 49%
project, the critical success factors 50%
during implementation and running 40%
30% 21%
25% are:’ 20% 13% 17%
10% 1%
23% 23% 0%
20%
Critical A strategic An IT tool Useful, but not Other
enabler critical
15%
15%
'Ownership of e-CRM within our organization lies with:'
10% 47%
10% 50%
40%
5% 24%
30%
20% 11% 10%
0% 10% 4% 4%
0%
Marketing Corporate Sales IT Customer Other (please
(top Service specify)
management)
Success is attributed mainly to a clearly defined strategy and optimal ‘Customer Data
Integration’. Technology should focus on ease of use.
The ownership also indicates the importance attributed, as well as top management’s
expectation of e-CRM being a strategic enabler

6. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs
Reasons for doing e-CRM

7. Reasons for doing e-CRM
Adding to the bottom line
Revenue generation Cost reduction
50% 42% 50% 42%
40% 40% 34%
30% 26%
30%
20% 13% 13% 20% 14%
7% 8%
10% 10% 3%
0% 0%
not somewhat neutral/not very prime not somewhat neutral/not very prime
important important relevant important reason important important relevant important reason
Increasing customer acquisition rates
70% 60%
60%
50%
40%
30% 18%
20% 12%
3% 6%
10%
0%
not somewhat neutral/not very prime
important important relevant important reason
e-CRM is expected to add to the bottom line, either by generating extra revenue
(through customer acquisition) and by lowering costs (related to the processes of
acquisition or retention).

8. Reasons for doing e-CRM
Improving the organisation
Improved marketing productivity Improved sales force productivity
80% 50%
60%
60% 40%
44%
30%
40%
18% 16% 20% 25%
20% 6% 10% 22%
0% 5% 4%
0% 0%
not somewhat neutral/not very prime not somewhat neutral/not very prime
important important relevant important reason important important relevant important reason
Improved service team productivity
50% 42%
40% 36%
30%
20%
8% 10%
10% 3%
0%
not somewhat neutral/not very prime
important important relevant important reason
e-CRM also adds to the bottom line by improving internal operations. Once again, the
most effect is expected to come from better marketing organization.

9. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs
Reasons for doing e-CRM
Platforms

10. Platforms
No rain in this cloud yet…
Today’s CRM platforms come in different shapes.
Most respondents opt for ‘on premise’ solutions (that most probably
integrate with the IT architecture that is in place)
(46% in case of marketing automation, 41% in case of sales automation
and 32% in case of service automation).
Still some companies try to approach CRM
with custom made solutions or features of tools
that do not aim directly at this purpose

11. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs
Reasons for doing e-CRM
Platforms
Multichannel & customer data integration

12. Multichannel integration
We wish we could do more
'My organization has written down a ‘Customer data that are generated by different systems and in different
multichannel strategy:' channels are:’
60% 60%
51% 49% 50%
50% 50%
40% 40%
30% 30%
21%
20% 20% 17%
12%
10% 10%
0% 0%
Yes No Not integrated Somewhat integrated Integrated to a high Wholly integrated (e.g.
degree in a Data Warehouse)
In daily practice the need for channel integration is understood, while the explicit
understanding of the importance can be improved substantially. So there’s still a lot of work to
be done in order to maximize the ROI of e-CRM, even if these efforts for channel integration
initially do increase budgets. This impact on budget is probably the main reason why most of
the companies didn’t reach the stage of integration yet. Having a solid service partner who
can apply best practices might be one way of getting it started.

13. Customer data integration
'Channels are integrated so that an
individual customer or prospect is
Towards a single view?
recognized regardless of the channel
used:'
Customer retention
45% 50%
40% 40%
30% 41%
40% 33%
35% 20%
35% 26%
30% 10%
0%
25% Yes Somewhat No
25%
20%
Customer acquisition
15% 50%
40% 47%
10% 29%
30% 24%
5% 20%
10%
0%
0%
Yes Somewhat No
Yes Somewhat No
Only the full integration of all available customer data yielded from all kind of channels allows
companies to act fast and in targeted way as a result of detailed insights in individualized
customers’ needs and behaviors. Such integration does have its impact on budgets and
depend on a strategic approach of e-CRM, an approach needed to reach an optimum that
eventually will turn out to be a vital component in a positive ROI and thus deserve full
attention when e-CRM strategies are being defined or refined.

14. Channel and customer data integration
Data turned into action
'We perform or are planning to perform advanced analytics, visualization and
reporting on our customer data
(e.g.: customer analysis & modeling, market segmentation, affinity
grouping, churn analysis, customer Lifetime Value analysis, ...)'
35%
29%
30%
26%
25%
21% 20%
20%
15%
10%
4%
5%
0%
Never Not yet, but we are Occasionally, ad hoc Regularly, ad hoc Systematically
planning this
Having customer data is only part of the exercise. In order to be able to act upon it, to reach
the goals set in the e-CRM strategy, a translation from measurement to insights is
required, insights that can take many different shapes, varying from dashboard statistics over
detailed reporting including visualization techniques that allow for fast interpretation.
Our study shows the need for a more structural approach, a need that is limited by budgets
and expertise. Such an approach isn’t the easiest of tasks and can benefit from the help of
expert partners

15. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs
Reasons for doing e-CRM
Platform
Multichannel & customer data integration
Social CRM and mobile: challenges ahead

16. Social CRM and mobile customers
Emerging tools
‘Which channels are used for customer communications by your company?’
20% 18% 17%
18%
16%
14%
11% 11% 11% 11%
12%
9%
10%
8%
6% 5%
4%
4% 3%
2%
0%
When applied correctly and strategically, social channels differ from other channels in the way
they gather data and the pace of response by prospects and customers. As a consequence, its
importance in the overall CRM strategies is increasing at a fast pace.
Yet, the most important digital channels are still email and the company’s website. Belgium’ s
leading social networks are used by a minority: Facebook and Twitter. The mobile digital
channels, while growing in importance, are mostly unused. Only 5% of respondents use an app
to reach their mobile customers.

17. Social CRM and mobile customers
‘Looking ahead over the next 12
The near future
months, how big a role do you see
'Social' forming part of your e-CRM ‘Why do you think your e-CRM strategy will not be (completely)
strategy?’ integrated?’
80% 60%
70%
70% 50%
50%
60%
50% 40%
40% 30% 25%
30%
18% 20%
20% 12% 13% 13%
10% 10%
0% 0%
Completely Somewhat Completely We see Social CRM as It would be too We do not see 'social' Other reasons (please
integrated integrated separate completely seperate difficult for us to playing a part in our specify)
to an e-CRM integrate the two CRM
strategy/program
Most respondents do intend to have some kind of integration of Social CRM in their e-CRM
strategy in the next 12 months. Among those who report not to reach that goal, half of them
refer to the difficulties involved in combining sources. Budget is also a reason, as is a
difference in understanding of the need. Unfortunately some point out that the ‘social’
dimension isn’t fully accepted by the organization yet.

18. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs
Reasons for doing e-CRM
Platform
Multichannel & customer data integration
Social CRM and mobile: challenges ahead
Main findings summarized

19. Main findings
A tale of good intentions
Both awareness about and adoption of e-CRM are emergent. Only very few Belgian companies
already reached the stage of maturity.
Implementation strategies and intentions reflect a sound understanding of the added value of e-CRM.
First usage of fully implemented programs in general is being perceived as positive: e-CRM is
effectively meeting expectations about the effect on the companies bottom-line.
Marketing and senior management is driving the adoption and implementation of e-CRM.
Senior management is a strong supporter which allows for the right strategic approach and the
creation of realistic expectations.
The importance of integration of customer data is well understood but not yet implemented in the
most optimal way.
Social e-CRM is being recognized as a very important next phase, but adoption of adjusted
approaches is in a very early stage.
Companies are aware of the importance of being able to enter the dialogue with customers on the
move, but yet again it will take most extra time and budget to facilitate this new reality.

20. In this Reference Data Report
State of affairs
Reasons for doing e-CRM
Platform
Multichannel & customer data integration
Social CRM and mobile: challenges ahead
Main findings summarized
Survey info

21. Survey information
This survey was initiated by The Reference NV in order to learn more about the use
of e-CRM by Belgian companies. Invites were sent by mail on a database of
Belgian companies in different sectors. An invitation was also put on different
Belgian websites to reach a divers sample.
The survey was conducted on an invitational basis and used an online
questionnaire that provided rerouting, based on specific filtering questions. As a
result, only relevant input was gathered. One should also bear in mind that this
methodology implies a self-selection that doesn’t allow for an interpretation of the
motivation of respondents. As a result, the statistics can either underestimate or
exaggerate current state of affairs (for some companies invited, the topic of CRM
might be still too unknown and thus irrelevant, while other companies who have
CRM at the core of their business intelligence also might have decided not to
participate.)
On average, the sample size is over a 100, a size that allows for a qualitative
interpretation of the state of affairs but should not be used for extrapolation.
However, due to the numbers, this state of affairs can be used as a starting basis
for a better understanding of the topic at hand.
21

22. Methodology
Objectives of the study:
Give an overview of the e-CRM landscape in Belgium in terms of budget, resource
allocation, satisfaction and plans for 2013.
Understand the evolution in the different domains of expertise
Sample information:
Data collected through online survey
Fieldwork conducted summer and autumn 2012
Sample size: >100 respondents,
from different companies in Belgium

23. Survey information
Sample Specifics:
Half of the companies that participated and completed the survey is active in services, 31%
provides products. 30% is active in a B2C context, 41% in a B2B context.
21% of them is active in Telecommunications, ICT, soft- and hardware, 18% in Goods production/
Industry (chemicals, pharmaceuticals, machine construction, etc.) and 12% in media & publishing.
41 percent of the participants are Belgian companies without without subsidiaries/branches, 21%
have subsidiaries or branches and 34 % are subsidiary or branch of a foreign parent company.
64% have headquarters in Flanders, 34% in Brussels. This result probably has to do with the self-
selective nature of the method used and shouldn’t be given other meaning.
An interesting statistic shows that 33% of the respondents do business in the local Belgian markets
only, while 29% have a global scale.
Another interesting statistic is the fact that 35% of the respondents are in marketing
positions, and 26% in a management or managerial position However, due to the relatively high
number of ‘other entrances’ (16%) one should be careful using this statistic as a basis for
explanation of eg. the importance of having a strategic approach or expected impact on
marketing automation.
23

24. Definition
Definition of e-CRM used :
Defining e-CRM (or CRM, for that matter) is a delicate business, since there are as many definitions around as there
are specialists and vendors. But here goes for the purpose of this survey:
If CRM is a business strategy that ensures that, through information technology and
customer data- the needs of current and potential customers are identified and
anticipated so that the value of the relationship grows, then 'e-CRM is "a natural
evolution of CRM where digital technologies (eg. online data and web-based
technologies) are used as well".
In other words, if your company uses:
e-commerce, 2-way digital communication (website, email, social media, mobile, ...),
Web-based CRM applications (for sales force automation, marketing automation, service
automation), technology to recognize the customer (eg in store: RFID enabled store cards)
your business is using an 'e-CRM'.

25. Contacts for the press
More information:
Anja Cappelle
Managing Director The Reference
anja@reference.be
0475 92 88 97
09 234 05 36
Vicky Van Daele
vvandaele@reference.be
Marcom
0468 11 70 50
09 234 05 36
http://www.reference.be/en/research/ecrm/

26. Reference Data
More info about our services?
Send your question or RFQ to
info@reference.be

27. It’s not just web,
it’s your business