STAMFORD, Conn. - As companies struggle to find the funding for new business ventures, it's imperative that customer relationship management (CRM) initiatives show a definitive return on investment (ROI) to succeed, according to Gartner, Inc. IT.

Gartner analysts said that through 2005, 75 percent of CRM projects that do not deliver measurable ROI will have failed because of poor business executive decision making.

"In addition to delivering measurable results and value, technology implementations must be aligned with strategic goals," said Joe Galvin, vice president and research director at Gartner. "Alignment among enterprise strategies, business processes and applications of technology is often missing in CRM initiatives. To improve the chances of project success, focus on ensuring that technology implementations are tied to specific business benefits and the delivery of measurable ROI."

Gartner's new report, "Building Business Benefits From CRM: How to Design the Strategy, Processes and Architecture to Succeed," provides comprehensive guidance, insights and recommendations on the strategy, planning, implementation, and supporting technologies and services needed to plan and launch a successful CRM initiative and build profitable customer relationships.

The 354-page CRM report is an offering of the Gartner Executive Report Series, a new business venture of Gartner Press that provides buyers with comprehensive printed reports that are guides to today's hottest IT topics. The CRM report features 26 fact- and advice-filled chapters, an appendix describing six CRM case studies, a glossary of terms and 128 figures, including eight "Magic Quadrant" vendor evaluations.

Companies engaged in, or planning, CRM initiatives must understand the critical components of successful CRM strategy development and implementation. Gartner research shows that roughly 50 percent of all CRM projects fail to meet the executive management expectations. The CRM report will give buyers the insights and guidance they need to achieve success, based on an abundance of comprehensive CRM research developed by more than one dozen Gartner analysts.

The CRM executive report provides guidance on the strategies, practices, and supporting technologies and services that companies need to plan and launch successful CRM initiatives and build profitable customer relationships. The report offers comprehensive guidance on topics such as:

  • Gartner's Eight Building Blocks of CRM, detailing the critical components of successful CRM initiatives
  • Detailed case studies of real companies' successful CRM initiatives
  • The ways to gain insight through customer data management and CRM analytics
  • Strategies and tools for building customer loyalty and satisfaction
  • A review of key vendors of enterprise application frameworks and CRM software suites
  • How to select CRM software vendors, handle the procurement process, and negotiate software license agreements
  • CRM project management best practices
  • Critical considerations in using CRM external service providers and offshore services
  • Industry-specific views on CRM strategies for the consumer packaged goods, financial services and small-to-midsize business segments

The Gartner CRM report (ISBN 0-9741571-0-4) is priced at $1,295. For information about purchasing the report or others in the Executive Report Series, go to . Other Executive Reports available for purchase cover the following topics: Web services and middleware; security; outsourcing; and asset management. More information can also be obtained by calling 1-888-704-7296 or by sending an e-mail to [email protected].

Additional analysis on the industry is available in Gartner's CRM Managers Membership Program. Gartner recently launched a robust new research tool for CRM managers designed to help address the issues and trends managers face that are critical to the success of their CRM initiatives. The Gartner CRM Managers Membership Program combines the full power of Gartner research, consulting and software tools into one package. Included in the membership program are market analysis, decision support tools, newsletters, bulletins and access to analysts via a Web portal designed specifically for CRM managers. For more information, visit or call Gartner at 203-316-1233.

About Gartner - Gartner, Inc. is a research and advisory firm that helps more than 10,000 clients leverage technology to achieve business success. Gartner's businesses are Research, Consulting, Measurement, Events and Executive Programs. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Conn., and has more than 3,800 associates, including approximately 1,000 research analysts and consultants, in more than 75 locations worldwide. Revenue for calendar year 2002 totaled $888 million. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.