Within the CRM product groups, sales software is expected to grow the fastest, followed by customer-service software. This growth is largely the result of the proliferation of E-businesses, says Donovan Gow, a senior analyst at the Aberdeen Group. Switching costs are decreasing for customers, and companies are realizing they have to improve their sales and marketing services and increase their customer support in order to retain their customers. Today, the Blazers are facing a new game. As competition increases for consumers' discretionary income, sports franchises and entertainment organizations are stepping up their efforts to foster customer loyalty and retention.
Customer retention is a paramount concern for most businesses.
The Harvard Business Review estimates that it costs three to six times more to attract a new customer than to retain an existing one. That was the case in April, when the Blazers implemented Front Office. Before that, the team relied on TeleMagic Enterprise software to keep up with sales leads and customer information. The Blazers had to reach individual customers to sell season tickets and business customers to sell corporate sponsorships. In addition, some salespeople didn't even use the TeleMagic software, opting instead for their own custom databases or Excel spreadsheets.