CRM uses technology to allow constituents access to agencies through a variety of access points, including call centers and various Web sites representing different agencies and offices. In the process, the system gathers data on constituent behavior and requests as well as agency response, allowing for a big-picture look at customer service and resource usage.
The applications of CRM in business are obvious, as better data management can yield higher sales figures. According to data from Darwin magazine, the CRM market will more than double its current $11 billion figure by 2003. However, several factors contribute to government's reluctance to wholeheartedly embrace CRM.
According to research from consulting firm Accenture, barriers include bureaucracy, technology and acceptance. Some 35 percent of government managers surveyed cited the hierarchical and bureaucratic nature of government as a barrier to implementing CRM, while 27 percent cited technology issues. Respondents also indicated a level of discomfort with such key CRM techniques as customer segmentation, which allows the tailoring of services to need, but also may be perceived as providing a different level of service to different constituents.
Breaking Through Barriers
When Martin O'Malley became mayor of Baltimore, he discovered that citizens found it difficult to deal with city hall, and city hall found it nearly impossible to track citizen service requests and complaints. O'Malley implemented CitiStat, a real-time performance management tool designed to improve accountability.
Schlanger said that, in investigating systems, Baltimore benefited from taking the road less traveled.
"Sometimes, when you have a naivet
