There are a couple of things I take from this debate.
1. CRM whether we choose to accept it or not is a mature category which is well-defined and categorised by a range of customer-facing technology solutions. It is NOT disappearing OR irrelevant in any sense.
2. The vendor seeks a need, like their own customers do, to differentiate themselves from the pack. They feel 'new' perhaps even cool and sense a need to project that persona by ensuring they don't wear the tarnished badge of CRM. And let's be honest it's difficult to fault them for that given the negative sentiment that still abounds on the subject.
I, personally, support Paul's vigour and conviction in steadfastly supporting an Industry category which remains core to everything we do in the customer-facing domain and which itself is at a key inflection point in its evolution.
As all things Social take us from Customer Relationship Management to the 'Customer-Managed' Relationship (CMR anyone) my point is that the nucleus or the core DNA of any evolutionary developments in this space will intrinsically be regarded as CRM. This is something that RightNow should be considering before their bold marketing statements spin out of control.
@collsdad
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