Revisiting the CRM to Social CRM Migration

Did CRM miss the point? 

CRM is (was) often described as 'delivering the right message, to right person, at the right time'.   But who decides on 'right'?   If the marketer is doing it, then it is probably wrong since we are clearly biased.   

Messages do not and can not stay on point in a world where we can all create, edit and publish our own versions. About the only type of content that is safe from being completely repurposed is promotional; incentives in terms of offers usually aren't changed by consumers (although they will try.) The aspirational or emotional content will clearly be used as a badge - positively or negatively - and forms the basis of personal expression. 

If consumers seek, stumble upon, actively receive and passively absorb messages the idea that 'we deliver' is also off the mark.  We're not the only delivery channel by a long-shot; nor do we have control once a message is out there.   The communal aspect of content suggests that sharing of recommendations etc. may be of equal or greater importance in consumer choice.   In fact, our customers are often more qualified to understand 'right person' than we are.

How do we rethink communicating in a world that is really "we don't know what is said, we don't know who got it, and we don't know when it was received?"