7 - Supply-Chain and Customer Relationship Management

Abstract

This chapter addresses two vital business endeavors that are indelibly associated with e-business: supply-chain management (SCM) and customer relationship management (CRM). Both CRM and SCM operations include ready access to structured corporate/product information, secure access to personalized account details, ability to quickly perform authorized transactions, a secure message exchange mechanism, and prompt updates of pertinent information from the “host” company. Global reach at a low cost can make a huge difference to SCM and CRM. Global reach is what one needs to attract and engage new customers, new suppliers, new partners, and new distributors. The Internet and corporate portals provide an unprecedented opportunity for achieving truly global visibility at a true cost. Compared with advertising, trade missions, and the challenges of recruiting credible distributors in new geographies, the cost, convenience, and effectiveness of the Internet approach are truly staggering. Portals, right off the bat and at negligibly small “delta” cost, can provide translations, universal access, personalization, security, and collaboration. SCM and CRM applications are powerful and proven tools in their own right. Integrating them with portals makes them formidable.