The local market for customer relationship management (CRM) software looks to heat up, as e-market proponent i2 Technologies pushes its supply chain-based system to the financial-services sector.
The Texas-based company, which makes software that connects manufacturers to suppliers, is challenging a crowded space where the likes of Siebel, Oracle, SAP and PeopleSoft have carved out their niches in Hong Kong.
CRM, however, extends i2's market position at a time when providing the platforms for public e-markets has become out of favour.
'We have years of experience in helping companies reduce inefficiencies and generate value throughout the supply chain,' said Raymond Teh, Singapore-based president of i2 Asia-Pacific. 'During the current economic downturn, a CRM solution with powerful supply-chain management capabilities can help companies unlock the true potential of their CRM investment.'
According to research firm Gartner, CRM refers to the concept of moving ownership of the customer up to the enterprise level and away from the individual departments. To accomplish CRM, the enterprise brings automation to each customer 'touch point', which includes sales automation, the Internet, the point of sale and call centres.
Interest in CRM strategies has grown in Hong Kong's financial-services sector, as the planned market deregulation fuels competition in the banking, securities-trading and insurance industries.