Broadening Business Horizons

Journey from offices to home pc

With e-commerce on the rise, forthcoming e-business trends are changing each day. New heights are achieved day by day. From bringing people from different locales closer, shortening the horizon into the palm of your hand, to doing each transaction online, E-frontier is making every business virtual multinational. Companies are restructuring themselves, implementing strategies like ERP, emphasizing customer relationship management (CRM) to keep up with today's pace of technological advancement and competiting to get an edge over the other.

Unlimited access to varying societies is a major help that is being easily provided reliably and fast. Possible sufficient business presence in another jurisdiction is made available. IT professionals, designers, writers, owners of virtual companies work from home (telecommute) .online banking is providing a major break. Credit card users shop across the world in just a few minutes through online catalogs and the fast delivery adds more shine to it. . reservations is made online. E-mail and live chat has always been a hot favorite of younger generation. E-commerce virtual bonds ties with its customers wherever they are.

The number on computer users is increasing; still the attitude of people toward e-business is highly volatile. A certain group is going crazy over internet, other are related to even use it. It is best easier said than done to strap up the true potential of CRM strategies in a country like Pakistan. The vast mass of consumers are unable to read or write, have little or no computer knowledge and struggle daily to earn a living. Despite all the advances in communication and technology, society at large only experiences the benefits of these innovations in a trickle down effect once they have been widely adopted by those that recognize and make use of the potential of new technologies. As a result CRM is targeted towards the well off upper class customers .these represent only 15 percent approx of the population.

For CRM to prosper in Pakistan, companies need careful time, money and effort to train staff and promote a culture based on customer service excellence (CSE). answers they need, an effective and detailed FAQ's section is the answer. It will be fast and can also relieve front line staff from answering routine questions and concentrate on more strategic and productive issues. More user friendly menus and captions are also productive. Emphasis on privacy and data protection is necessary as cyber crime is the rise. And a feed back system from the customers to enhance the e-frontier in future is of high importance.

Designing an e-support system that conforms to the lifestyles and preferences of affluent customers is imperative. Properly managed, CRM strategies such as e-support will go a long way in allowing customers to optimize use of e-frontier. After all, catering to a customer's interests and sensibilities is a sure fire way to succeed in E-business.