Customer service personnel constitute a company's front line in customer retention, satisfaction, and relationship management. Nowhere within an organization is the opportunity to use CRM to deliver an exceptional customer experience and build lasting customer relationships-while cutting costs and increasing productivity-stronger than within the customer service department.

So how can a company ensure selection of a CRM system that will be embraced by service users and deliver maximum returns in the customer service department? And what should customer service departments ask for when they provide input in selection?

"CRM Built for Customer Service: The Executive Guide to Selecting CRM that Meets Service Needs" explores core principles companies can use to help them select a CRM system that each customer service user, from executive management on down, feels was built just for them.

The upsides include faster incident resolution, lower service costs, increased productivity, better resource utilization, sounder decision-making, a clearer picture of customer costs and value, and a more effective, empowered customer service team-as well as happier, more profitable customers.