CRM Top Trends Year In Review 2010

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

The end of the year is upon us: Cue the annual CRM year in review.

What’s been hot in 2010? Without a doubt, people remain more than a little enthused about SaaS CRM applications. But interestingly, we’re  still seeing lots of interest in Siebel-focused stories. You know Siebel — that CRM software that you actually install on the premises? Revolutionary, in its time. But given its gargantuan user base, still quite relevant.

CRM Top 2010 Trends

In the spirit of closing out the year in CRM with a recap of its biggest moments (cue swelling orchestral music), we move now to the list of Innoveer’s top CRM blog posts for 2010, as voted by your eyeballs:

1. CRM Software Smackdown: Which SaaS CRM software is best?
2. Why SFA Failure Rates Will Increase: Because SaaS won’t hand your business processes to you on a platter.
3. Siebel 8.1: Top 8 Reasons To Upgrade. Benefiting from the latest functionality, or managing complex business processes? Then you’ve got a strong business case for upgrading.
4. Salesforce Chatter: Top 10 Tips to make your Salesforce.com collaboration tool sing.
5. Sales Force Effectiveness: Plan For 2010. Everyone asks us, “What’s the next improvement I should make to my field sales program, to take it to the next level?”
6. Upgrade Siebel, Or Embrace Cloud CRM? Our blow-by-blow business analysis of whether it’s better to use Siebel or the cloud.
7. Video Evidence: The #1 Reason To Upgrade Siebel To 8.1 is for Siebel’s Task Based User Interface. Our video demonstrates why.
8. Top 10 Reasons To Integrate With SaaS CRM. Compared with on-premise integration, integrating with cloud-based CRM costs less, takes less time and is much easier to manage.
9. Customer Service Improvements: Plan For 2010: What is the state of your customer service program today, and what CRM processes, tools and capabilities do you need to make it better?
10. Third Prize, You’re Fired: Sales Leadership Strategies: How are you organizing your sales department to achieve its operational or business goals?

Rubber Versus Road

Based on the above results, readers often prefer stories that are contrary to where the CRM rubber meets the road. Meaning that people love to talk new technology, and think about the Next Big Thing.

But when it comes to advancing the state of your organization’s CRM program today — marketing, sales, service — technology alone won’t save you. Sure, it’s fun. Just don’t forget to address the core requirement of CRM: ensuring it makes your business more profitable.

To do that, here at Innoveer, we advocate an incrementalist approach to CRM success. Sounds sexy? Compared with something like social CRM, perhaps not. But there’s a big difference: it works.

For example, territory alignment may not sound as exciting as Twitter, but when it comes to business results, bet on territories. As a discipline, it’s tougher than just buying new technology or obsessing over social media, and it requires thoughtfulness and expertise. But unlike using Twitter for CRM, it has a proven ROI.

Learn More

Next week: Deep thoughts, CRM-style, about what’s in store for 2011.

As well as this Dear Reader question: For 2011, what do you want to hear more about? More about business process improvements — and how your organization can apply CRM best practices to perform more effectively? What about more profiles of CRM technology — software smackdowns, Larry Ellison’s questionable intellectual character, or about how to use Chatter 2?

The floor is open. Divulge your 2011 CRM obsessions.