The foundation of any CRM strategy depends upon the creation of an effective database management system.

The first step is to aim at collecting as much data as possible from various customer touch points. It could be survey forms, feedback forms, purchase records, loyalty program enrollment or whatever - get maximum data.

This is the vital aspect on which the success of any CRM plan depends. After all, if you don't have data how would you know your customer and how would you customize the interaction.

Begin by entering all your data in an electronic form. Design your tables one for each source form where you procure data. Keep one field common across various tables. This will allow you to make a relation across tables. If you still don't know how to do it, contact a consultant with all the details of the data you have and he can help you design your database.

Designing of databases must be developed with a marketing perspective. Unfortunately, technical experts who really have nothing to do with marketing do almost all database designing. A marketing perspective is necessary to set the relation between databases. This has to be done in such a way so that a 360° view of the customer available at the click of a button. The same is true for functions like procurement too. But as the scope of this website is limited to the marketing perspective, we shall deal with this aspect.

Once this is done, or if you already have a database, go hunting for appropriate database management software that will help you create temporary tables based on specific queries that you may have and present to you the result in a neat ready to mail list. Be sure that the software allows you to generate queries in a manner that you understand.