CHAPTER 2: e-C.R.M.

Introduction:

eCRM is the term that some people have used to describe the customer facing portion of
the CRM. The term usually implies capabilities like self service knowledge bases,
automated e-mail response, personalization of web content, online product, bundling and
pricing etc.
eCRM gives the internet users the ability to interact with the business through their
preferred communication channel and it allows the business to offset expensive customer
service agents with technology. So the value is largely one of improved customer
satisfaction and reduced cost through improved efficiency.

Architecture of PeopleSoft CRM:

Internet architectures are very difficult to realize in practice. Perhaps, the company that is
purchasing CRM system has a long history of using SAP or has built its own internal
system or has both client server and mainframe systems at multiple sites. This sort of
problems can create a disaster unless there is some way of dealing with the problem, the
internet architecture can provide.
The strength of PeopleSoft architecture is elegant approach for integration using the
concept of available enterprise integration points (EIPs). The idea of EIP is central to all
internet architecture. They are open, standard pieces of reusable code that provide the
developers with preprogrammed means to communicate with internal systems and other
PeopleSoft systems. In SAP’s world, they are called Business Application Programmers
Interface [BAPI]. PeopleSoft provides these EIPs through their open integration
framework. OIF is a multifeatured framework that provides foundation for various
interactions between systems. It consists of the following parts.
1. Application messaging: This is the publish/subscribe model for communication
and synchronization between one system and the other. It works with XML
messages that the other systems don’t have to have knowledge of. When a
specified business event occurs, the message is created and sent to any number of
users who have subscribed to that message.
2. Business interlink: They are internet versions of what has been called as
enterprise application integration. Through the use of C, C++, or JAVA, these
business interlinks are plug-ins that identify the transactions, wrap themselves
around third party API and them allow data to pass to or from third party. It saves
you from the trouble f trying EAI application if it works well.
3. Component interface API: The components are easily recognizable interfaces in
the business world such as a sales order, invoice etc. The interface is the ability f
architecture to recognize the document in other party’s form and pass PeopleSoft
data to that form. It can be done through the same languages and protocols as
business interlink and CORBA and EJB.
4. PeopleCode Java: These are specific Java classes provides for programmers who
are interested in Java.
5. File layout object and application engine: PeopleSoft uses application engine for
large scale batch processors. The file layout object is a metadata representation of
 a flat file whose data is in either an XML format or delimited by columns or
delimiting characters.
6. EDI manager: This is useful for systems that use EDI rather than XML. When an
incoming EDI transaction is recognized, it is translated to a PeopleSoft business
document and then processed.
7. Open Query: This is a tool and it allows third party applications to communicate
with PeopleSoft. This is a classic representation of well functioning internet
architecture. It is mature, ready to work with the third party system and as a whole
sophisticated enough for any sized enterprise.
8. Occupied real estate: The pure internet application normally rests on the server
with browser as zero code clients. The web enabled content applications need
downloaded applets and applications to desktop to carry out a specific function.
9. The feel: With the browser as the client, it is easy to feel that access anywhere and
anytime. Because all the functions are accessible transparently.
10. Back-end code: While CRM is considered front office technology meaning that
the applications are available to the customer and the impact of the customer,
there is a back end to the front office i.e. to develop eCRM, development tools for
the web that use HTML, JAVA, JAVASCRIPT, EJB, PERL or XML are the
ground work for introducing ‘e’ before eCRM.