Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

INTERNATIONAL TRAINING ON CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT (CRM)

COURSE BACKGROUND

In today’s customer-centric business environment, the ability to effectively manage and nurture relationships with customers is paramount for sustained success and competitive advantage. Beyond traditional sales and marketing, Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategic approach that integrates processes, technology, and people to understand, attract, and retain customers. Organizations that fail to implement a cohesive CRM strategy risk fragmented customer experience, missed sales opportunities, reduced loyalty, and an inability to leverage valuable customer data for informed decision-making.

A well-executed CRM strategy is crucial for building lasting customer relationships, enhancing customer satisfaction, driving repeat business, and improving overall profitability. This is particularly vital in dynamic and rapidly digitizing markets like Kenya, where increasing competition and evolving customer expectations demand a personalized, efficient, and consistent approach to customer engagement across all touchpoints. Leveraging CRM effectively allows businesses to stand out, optimize their customer journeys, and foster long-term loyalty in a competitive landscape.

ECAS Institute offers this “Customer Relationship Management (CRM)” course to equip sales, marketing, customer service professionals, business leaders, and entrepreneurs with the essential knowledge, best practices, and practical skills for developing and implementing effective CRM strategies. This program will empower participants to build stronger customer relationships, streamline customer-facing processes, and harness the power of customer data to drive business growth.

COURSE OBJECTIVES OF THE TRAINING

Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be able to:

Understand the strategic importance and core principles of Customer Relationship Management (CRM).
Identify the key components of a successful CRM strategy across sales, marketing, and service.
Map and optimize the customer journey to enhance customer experience.
Understand how to collect, analyze, and leverage customer data for actionable insights.
Explore the features and benefits of various CRM software solutions and their implementation considerations.
Develop strategies for customer acquisition, retention, and loyalty building.
Implement effective customer service and support processes within a CRM framework.
Measure the Return on Investment (ROI) of CRM initiatives.
Navigate ethical considerations and data privacy in customer data management.
Foster a customer-centric culture within their organization.

WHAT YOU WILL LEARN

This course will provide you with a comprehensive understanding of CRM, enabling you to transform how your organization interacts with customers and drives sustainable growth. You will learn to:

Define CRM and differentiate it from traditional customer service.
Identify the strategic goals that CRM can help an organization achieve.
Map out and analyze different stages of the customer journey (awareness, consideration, purchase, retention, advocacy).
Develop a customer segmentation strategy based on value and behavior.
Implement data collection methods and ensure data quality for CRM.
Utilize CRM systems (conceptually) for lead management, sales pipeline tracking, and forecasting.
Design automated marketing campaigns and personalize customer communication.
Establish efficient customer service workflows and knowledge management within a CRM context.
Measure customer satisfaction (e.g., NPS, CSAT) and analyze customer feedback.
Calculate Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) and understand its importance.
Develop customer retention programs and loyalty initiatives.
Evaluate different CRM software platforms and plan for their successful implementation.
Address data security, privacy (e.g., GDPR, local regulations), and ethical use of customer data.
Drive organizational change towards a truly customer-centric mindset.

DURATION AND PROGRAM

This is a structured, interactive, and practical training course designed for direct application of CRM principles. The program will feature a blend of expert-led instruction, dynamic group discussions, case studies of successful CRM implementations (including examples from Kenyan businesses and international best practices), hands-on exercises in customer journey mapping and data analysis (using generic templates or conceptual CRM interfaces), and practical workshops on developing customer engagement strategies. Participants will engage in problem-solving related to common CRM challenges, fostering the strategic and operational thinking necessary for effective customer relationship management. The specific duration of the course will be communicated upon registration, tailored to ensure comprehensive coverage and the development of actionable CRM expertise.

TARGET PARTICIPANTS

This course is essential for any professional whose role involves direct or indirect interaction with customers, managing customer data, or driving customer loyalty and sales growth. It will particularly benefit:

Sales Managers and Sales Professionals
Marketing Managers and Marketing Analysts
Customer Service Managers and Customer Support Representatives
Business Development Managers
CRM System Administrators and Users
IT Managers involved in CRM implementation
Business Owners and Entrepreneurs
Product Managers seeking customer insights.
Data Analysts focusing on customer data.
General Managers and Executives overseeing customer experience and growth strategies.
Consultants specializing in sales, marketing, or customer experience.

TRAINING MODULES

The course is structured into comprehensive modules, guiding participants through the strategic and operational aspects of Customer Relationship Management:

No	Module	Details
1.	Introduction to CRM: Strategy and Principles	This introductory module defines CRM as a business strategy, outlines its core principles, and explains its strategic importance in today’s customer-centric market. Key Topics: What is CRM? Evolution and benefits. Customer-centricity vs. product-centricity. Strategic goals of CRM (acquisition, retention, profitability). The three pillars of CRM: Operational, Analytical, Collaborative. Key success factors for CRM implementation.
2.	Understanding the Customer Journey and Experience	This module focuses on mapping and optimizing the customer journey across various touchpoints to create seamless and positive customer experiences. Key Topics: Customer journey mapping: Stages and touchpoints. Identifying customer pain points and moments of truth. Designing positive customer experiences. Customer segmentation and personalization strategies. Voice of the Customer (VoC) and feedback mechanisms.
3.	CRM Technology and Data Management	This module explores the role of CRM software, how to effectively manage customer data, and the importance of data quality for actionable insights. Key Topics: Overview of CRM software functionalities (Salesforce Automation, Marketing Automation, Service Automation). Choosing the right CRM system (on-premise vs. cloud, key features). Customer data management: Collection, storage, integration. Data quality, governance, and data cleansing. Introduction to CRM implementation considerations.
4.	Operational CRM: Sales and Marketing Automation	This module delves into how CRM systems facilitate sales and marketing processes, streamlining workflows and enhancing efficiency. Key Topics: Lead management and sales pipeline management. Contact and account management. Sales forecasting and reporting within CRM. Marketing campaign management and automation. Personalized communication and customer engagement.
5.	Operational CRM: Customer Service and Support	This module focuses on using CRM to optimize customer service operations, improve response times, and enhance customer satisfaction. Key Topics: Case management and service level agreements (SLAs). Knowledge management and self-service portals. Customer feedback management and issue resolution. Multi-channel customer support (phone, email, chat, social media). Field service management (if applicable to industry).
6.	Analytical CRM and Customer Intelligence	This module explores how to leverage customer data for in-depth analysis, generating insights that drive strategic decision-making and improve customer profitability. Key Topics: Customer data analysis techniques. Customer Lifetime Value (CLV) calculation and its importance. Predictive analytics in CRM (e.g., churn prediction, next best offer). Measuring CRM effectiveness and ROI. Reporting and dashboards for customer insights.
7.	Building a Customer-Centric Culture and Emerging Trends	This module focuses on the organizational change required to embed customer-centricity and explores future trends shaping the CRM landscape. Key Topics: Fostering a customer-focused organizational culture. Employee training and engagement in CRM. Ethical considerations in CRM: Data privacy, consent, fair use. Emerging trends: AI in CRM, hyper-personalization, customer data platforms (CDPs). Social CRM and its impact.

TRAINING STYLE

The modules will be taught through PowerPoint presentations, and lectures and will include a case study/field visit, breakout sessions, case studies and other interactive discussion components.

The course will also include a few guest speakers, both in person and via Zoom and other online learning platforms for overseas speakers. This provides useful real-world insights alongside the more theoretical aspects of the course.

The conference faculty shall consist of experienced decision makers, as well as practitioners and representatives from established educational and research institutions active around climate change, engineering and international development. Throughout the course, theoretical presentation of concepts will be moderated and more group discussions and plenary engagements will be optimized. PowerPoint presentations will be made by facilitators and resource persons, to highlight key concepts before embarking on group work.

GENERAL NOTES

Training manuals and additional reference materials are provided to the participants.
Upon successful completion of this course, participants will be issued with a certificate.
We can also do this as a tailor-made course to meet organization-wide needs. Contact us to find out more: info@ecasiafrica.org.
Payment should be sent to our bank account before the start of training and proof of payment sent to: info@ecasiafrica.org.

ABOUT ECAS INSTITUTE

The ECAS Institute designs and delivers independent and targeted training, research, and consulting services. Our work focusses on climate change and resilience building, carbon markets, renewable energy, nature-based solution, biodiversity conservation, agriculture and food systems, We are located in Nairobi Kenya and work across the African region. We have implemented training and research assignments in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, Somalia, Malawi, Rwanda, Congo, and South Africa. Globally, we have supported our partners from the UK, Denmark, Italy, Sweden, Germany, and USA.