Consolidation has also been a feature of business in general, with record levels of merger and acquisition activity. CRM in the B2B arena is identified in Evaluating CRM Trends as a central to the growing strategy trend of partner relationship management. While this is evident from a number of e-procurement initiatives, such as the DaimlerChrysler, GM and Ford Covisint project, and also from the rash of digital marketplaces, there is still little evidence that companies have embraced the idea of their suppliers as partners, rather than as suppliers which they deal with in a confrontational way. The trend identified by the report which has clearly become a reality is the move from persuasion to permission. While this is a sea change, it also brings about its own problems.
Permission is key.
We could see a situation where people are walking around in an electronic bubble as a result of always-on, broadband, GPS mobile telecoms. But when that company wants to sell it to a third party, that is not the same purpose. If you went to any CRM event during this year, you will have heard speaker after speak stress that it is about people, not technology. The report identifies this trend as central to the shift in implementation during the year. As companies spend next year realising their projects, human factors will come to dominate the debate.