What is Customer Relationship Management (CRM)?


     Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a customer-focused business strategy designed to optimize an organization’s profitability, revenue and customer satisfaction.  In our case it might be called (PRM) Patron Relationship Management, but you get the idea, it the buzz of successful companies who realize that its easier to sell more products and services to existing happy customers than to win new ones over from a competitor who have no relationship with you.  In a nutshell the CRM goal is to; easily market to and manage every customer and prospect, process and track every sale, and build and maintain long lasting relationships well after the initial sale has been made.  It is the cornerstone to a successful neighborhood-marketing program.

Patron Profiles offers an easy-to-use interface with many features. Each record contains useful fields to retain information about each diner, in order to take customer service to the next level and specifically target that client in your future marketing campaigns.  It seems foolish to promote a Tequila party to a wine drinker, and even more foolish to promote a Tequila party to a non-drinker who only frequents your Sunday Brunch after attending to church.
 
     By tracking individual customers, and their purchase and visit history, operators can calculate the frequency, churn (the net gain and loss of customers), and core customer ratings that drive revenue.  Here are several ways to utilize the CRM methodology in the promotion of your restaurant business:

·        Tell customers you "wish they were here." by sending a promotional postcard to your patrons who hasn't frequented the restaurant in the past three months or is having a birthday.

·        Use a frequent-diner program to to lure customers back each week.

·        Invite all the people who have order a bottle of wine at your restaurant  to a Chefs wine dinner.

·        Local promotions

·        New location alerts - "Great news! A new restaurant has opened 5 miles from you."

·        Frequent diner rewards - "Congratulations! You've visited our establishment 5 times in the last month and have earned 50% off your next meal."

·        Charity benefits - "Our restaurant will be donating all proceeds from September 5 to the American Cancer Society. Please help the fight by dining with us."

·        Special events - "Come celebrate St. Patrick's Day with us!"

·        Specials for event planners/wedding coordinators

·        Lunch deals/specials - "We just got a shipment of fresh crab. Come in today for a crab feast for only $12.95."

·        Happy hour promotions

·        Catering info - "We now cater lunches as well as dinners"

·        Timed specials (Mondays are slow, so a special offer is made on if you dine on that day)