IFRA

Answering for HUP AG is Torsten Börner, Chief Quality Officer.

WAN-IFRA: Why is CRM important for news publishers?

Torsten Börner: Like any other business, news publishers need to manage all information about its customers, former, current and potential.

For news publishers Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a comprehensive system that holds the key to automated business processes, decreasing costs, and increasing efficiency and profitability.

CRM brings together the company and its customers, just as it integrates people, processes and technology. It is a strategic tool that simplifies business processes and transcends all departments.

CRM is fundamental for a business like news publishing.

WAN-IFRA: What are the main questions that publishers have when they come to HUP for a CRM solution?

Börner: First, publishers more and more prefer a unified system with integrated components over interface-connected systems. They want an effective and event-driven CRM, which handles business transactions while simultaneously carrying out other processes.

A second important aspect is the process-specific notes for each phone call conversation given to the agent. This simple user tool is, nevertheless, a flexible configuration setting for the administrator.

Another aspect is that assessments delivers the 'live and latest' numbers of CPO (cost per order), CPI (cost per investment) and workload of employees.

Last, in daily interaction with customers the publishers expect a 360-degree view. This comprehensive profile of their customers enables quick and effective decision making regarding, for example, price requests for advertisement, history of complaints about circulation, and the terms of payment in the integrated Accounts receivable.

To conclude, in times where it becomes more important to combine single business processes, it is a great advantage for HUP's product line that CRM includes all components, from advertisement registration for the subscriber management to the Accounts receivable, and integrates the 360-degree view of costumers.

WAN-IFRA: How does the process typically develop from the time a news customer comes to you for a CRM solution until they implement the solution - what are the steps involved here?

Börner: Consulting, consulting, consulting. HUP analyses, together with the publisher, the current or wanted business process and the to be converted campaigns and CRM processes. HUP is not only a software vendor, but also acts as a long term consultant and partner of the publisher. CRM campaigns are conjointly drafted, outcomes are controlled, and when needed changes to target group or content are implemented in cooperation with the publisher.

WAN-IFRA: What developments is HUP working on for the near future in this area? For example, what might you be highlighting in the area of CRM solutions at IFRA Expo this October?

Börner: For one, HUP improved features for B2B marketing. From now on several recipients can be assigned to a CRM process for campaigns in B2B marketing. It is therefore possible to better control the written and direct communication. All processes are categorised per company client.

The system enables users to select a variety of addressees for written communication such as letters and emails. These settings can be adjusted to preference. In addition it is possible for an employee to create a manual document for a process. This can be delegated and is archived in the process history within CRM. The creation of a manual document is guided by a wizard.

Another interesting feature of CRM is Opt-In. Today a marketing campaign can only target those customers who have approved of being contacted for promotional reasons. This approval is also called opt-in.

In the HUP system such a declaration of consent can be entered and visualised with a high number of details. Opt-In attributes can be configured in a tree structure. If the customer has approved of being contacted by phone, a distinction between business and private phone number can be made.

Often it is also necessary to prove that the customer has given his consent. To this end HUP CRM provides an import interface. Files are saved in the file system archive and entered in the customer history. Thus the user can directly tell when and how the customer has given his consent.

The interface can also create the desired customer attribute. A document may be a scan of a written document or a taped excerpt of a phone call. If such a document has been created by an external service provider, it can be presented internally via a configurable business process for quality control.

Interview conducted by Brian Veseling, senior editor of Publishing, Editorial and General Management and WAN-IFRA Magazine.