CRM failure: A common theme for business

In the book, entitled The relationship based enterprise, DMR Consulting claims that firms are still not recognising the importance of aligning business strategy with customer value.

A recent Gartner Group survey echoed the DMR findings stating that only three per cent of organisations have implemented CRM solutions so far.

This figure is in line with recent research conducted by BT and published exclusively on a silicon.com microsite.

The book also hopes to tighten up the definition of the term CRM, which Ray McKenzie, author of the book, believes has become vague through misuse.

McKenzie, from DMR's consulting centre for strategic leadership, said: "The term CRM has been overused in a less than consistent way and there is no universal definition of what CRM is and what it does."

He added: "We redefine it as ongoing conversations that are the building blocks of profitable and sustainable relationships.

The report concluded that companies building strong customer relationships through CRM will be the eventual winners.