Article

Webinar download available: What Which Wich learned on its quest for perfect CRM

Experts offered insight on how to choose the best customer relationship management partner and technology from the enterprise retailer perspective and the vendor viewpoint.

July 30, 2015 by Judy Mottl — Editor, RetailCustomerExperience.com & DigitalSignageToday.com

Customer relationship management isn’t new, but it’s still posing some big challenges for restaurateurs and retailers.

Expert advice and real-life insight on developing and managing a successful CRM strategy can go a long way to clearing the hurdles and moving faster to attain the many benefits CRM can deliver.

That’s exactly what a new webinar, sponsored by Paytronix and available for free download, offered retailers.

During the one-hour event, James Park, Which Wich VP of marketing and research and development, offered advice on how restaurants can pick the best partner for their brands. Park, who began his career as a franchisee for Penn Station East Coast Subs and then served as VP brand management for Charley’s Grilled Subs, shared what a vendor should bring to the table.

Also participating in the webinarwas Jim McLoughlin, head of sales for Paytronix and and expert in CRM programs.

In the webinar, both men shared insight on how to find the best CRM technology provider and partner and the research and due diligence required in the effort.

“Loyalty is cornerstone of marketing so we first did a lot of research and due diligence on platforms and many vendors have tremendous platforms. But you have to dig in deeper and determine who has the best capabilities and the support and training needed as part of the implementation,” said Park, who added that restaurants need to do their homework to achieve success.

McLoughlin advised franchisees to know what their goals and needs are in a CRM partner and technology.

“We’ve found that people are either running toward something like revenue growth, or away from something either competitors or the pain with existing solutions. So you need to know what you want and what you need,” said McLoughlin. "You need to choose a CRM vendor in the same way you would choose a spouse as the relationship is as critical."

Other topics covered included what’s needed for market agility and the top-three critical path items that restaurants should embrace when it comes to CRM. The critical items go well beyond just cost, noted Park. One is integration and another is functionality, he said. For Which Wich, for example, the currency aspect was critical given international location.

Learn more by downloading the free webinar presentation by clicking here.

About Judy Mottl

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Judy Mottl is editor of Retail Customer Experience and Digital Signage Today. She has decades of experience as a reporter, writer and editor covering technology and business for top media including AOL, InformationWeek, InternetNews and Food Truck Operator.

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