Government organizations discuss implementing on-demand CRM

UK’s government corporations and agencies are becoming increasingly aware of the fact that it is essential to improve in-house knowledge of customer relationship management (CRM) if they are going to deliver on promises of joined-up and transformational government. The need to act quickly as well as economically, makes hosted on-demand CRM vendors an appealing option.

Government organizations that are leaning towards e-government, face the challenge of being able to manage all aspects of citizen interaction by using numerous channels. There is much to be gained by following the course of private entities that have indorsed CRM software and services for the purpose of streamlining and reconciling contact center operations.

At a discussion on transformational government, hosted by RightNow Technologies in London, it was generally agreed that technology is vital for producing efficient results. A representative of ICT at Canterbury City Council was of the opinion that the public demands more for less. Technology appears to be the only viable solution for automating contact centers to deal with common inquiries as well as for sharing knowledge and configuring systems that provide relevant real-time information for operators.

However, attendees participating in the discussion were quick to point out that these sort of technological improvements for the sake of efficiency often result in job cuts. This is so, simply because man is effectively replaced by machine. Obviously government entities are far more concerned about that possibility than the financial benefits that charter the course for a profits-driven private sector. Observers have also feared that government organizations were not going to be receptive to making data public. RightNow Technologies however, has an entirely different opinion as all compilations must accord with data protection legislation. However, the general consensus at the London discussion is that government healthcare facilities may require greater security and initiating on-demand CRM solutions in that sector can be futile.

RightNow Technologies which counts the Department for Transport and Transport for London indicated that it saved its 45 public sector customers a combined total of 3 million pounds sterling, over the past year. This was accomplished by implementing hosted services offering.

25 per cent of RightNow‘s business is currently conducted in the public sector. Representatives for on-demand CRM vendor NetSuite claim that a large part of their customers operate in government organizations.