Consumer or customer?

USA: The fast changes the economy is experiencing are triggering a shift in buyer behavior. You won't see as many consumers, known for their ability to ingest mass quantities. What you'll see in their place are customers, a wary species known for its ability to sniff out value. CRM can no longer continue feeding the beast of yesteryear.

I have to admit that it's hard to concentrate on business with so many issues and crises swirling around lately. As if the presidential election was not enough, the financial meltdown is threatening an economic meltdown, and I am forever asking myself what this all might mean to CRM.

The political pros are saying that this is a seminal year in the arc of American history, not just in politics but also in our fundamental understanding of and relationship with the world. As I look at it, even CRM is involved, which I think only proves the pervasiveness of the paradigm shift. In my humble opinion, all of this is reflected in how you view the business processes that CRM mediates.

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