Now in its 11th year, CRM-expo has kicked off in the German city of Nuremberg. According to the organizers, the two-day customer relationship management conference is the leading event of its kind in Europe. Among the 175 exhibitors are, for example, software powerhouses such as SAP, Microsoft, Oracle, CAS, Sage, and Gedys. But smaller companies found their way to Nuremberg, too – because, after all, specialist solutions are in great demand in many different industries. Following in the footsteps of past CRM conferences, the topics of mobile CRM, social CRM, software on demand, and open source formed the highlights of the exhibition.

In the exhibition hall, you’re more likely to meet marketing specialists, sales employees, managers, and IT experts than mere mortals. With a focus on real-life examples for real-life situations, CRM-expo 2009 addresses areas such as corporate communication, data management, customer acquisition, and market research. In the presentations, discussions center on the right way to address customers and how to analyze the needs of certain customer groups. Questions such as “How can I manage my customer data effectively?” and “Can I improve my sales margins even though times are tough?” are also on the agenda.

When it comes to customer communication, many believe the future lies in the two popular smartphones BlackBerry and iPhone – because mobile access to all the relevant data can be a crucial factor in putting a company ahead of its offline competitors. Nevertheless, the reality doesn’t always live up to the marketing hype. For the time being, some providers are offering access using a Web interface rather than software (or apps) for the BlackBerry or iPhone.

SAP and BlackBerry get on well together (photo: Frank Völkel)