CRM Software Industry Solutions

The maturity of the decades old client/server CRM software systems has resulted in an abundance of functionally rich CRM applications designed for vertical markets. Unfortunately, the newer service as a service (SaaS) or on-demand CRM systems have yet to release the breadth or depth of comparable industry solutions. As defining absolute market share statistics is nearly impossible, the industry market share estimates and leaders are categorized into tiers for relative positioning.

 

Education Industry CRM

(SIC 82)

CRM by higher education institutions is growing. Having proven the CRM efficiencies in managing student relationships more effectively, institutions are rapidly shifting from CRM as a niche system to CRM as an institutional wide application. CRM applications targeted at higher education allow institutions to build stronger relationships with students and other constituents. Educational institutions overwhelmingly recognize that prospective and current students are their primary constituents and in order to support these constituents, institutions are targeting admissions and enrolment, student services, and financial aid as the areas driving CRM investment. Successful CRM strategies often parallel the student life cycle by strengthening relationships with candidates, students, and alumni using tools such as online self service and . Educational CRM solutions adapt to the unique contextual characteristics and requirements of institutional end users.

• Oracle's PeopleSoft is the market share leader in education.
• SunGard, SAP and Oracle (other than PeopleSoft) make up the second tier challengers.
• Talisma, Onyx and RightNow round up the third tier.

Manufacturing Industry CRM

Discrete manufacturing (23-25, 31, 34, 38) and process manufacturing (20-22, 26, 28-30, 32, 33)

The manufacturing sector faces a two fold challenge of increased global competition and increased demand for custom services. CRM technology can provide the basis to respond to a new customer-centric, customer driven business model and integrate multiple partner channels for a holistic customer view.

• Siebel Systems and SAP stand alone in making up the first tier.
• Oracle, Avaya, Dendrite, Genesys and SSA comprise the second tier.
• QAD, Fair Isaac, Pivotal, Infor and Microsoft bring up the third tier.

Retail & Wholesale Distribution CRM

Retail SIC 52-59 and wholesale trade 50, 51

CRM systems in the retail industry now provide complex pricing and promotions, sophisticated discounting permutations, RFID and bar code scanning to supplement the order management process, real-time integration with POS (point of sale) terminals and extended integration with Supply Chain Management (SCM) systems.

Whole distribution CRM solutions are becoming clouded with ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning), SCM and warehouse management systems in order to provide accurate, real-time information on the quantity, locations, and status of every inventory item at anytime.

 

• Reynolds and Reynolds stands alone as the market share leader.
• SAP, Avaya, Lawson and Fair Isaac Corp make up the second tier challengers.
• Oracle, Genesys, Omniture, Siebel Systems and RightNow bring up the third tier.

Utilities CRM

(SIC 49)

The utilities industry is leveraging CRM and billing solutions, including software as a service (SaaS), increased workflow automation, electronic bill presentment and payment (EBPP), self-service, mobile field service and CRM analytics in order to respond to external pressures from changing regulatory environments, public scrutiny, increased competition and the continual drive to reduce operational costs and increase productivity.

• Siebel Systems, SAP, Aspect Software and SPL WorldGroup fight for the market share leader position.
• Avaya and Genesys Telecommunications compete for the second tier.
• Oracle (without Siebel), RightNow and Witness Systems bring up the third tier.

The next update to this page will reaffirm leadership positions and include the Professional Services industry (SIC 65, 73, 75, 76, 81, 87, 89)