The world of online sales is steadily developing and gaining ground over traditional retail outlets as the years pass. When the economy tanked, e-commerce soared, and some companies that were created before the internet have begun to generate the majority of their revenue from online sales. Mark Simpson from CRM Buyer reveals that, "in some pre-Internet sectors, more than 90 percent of business is now done online."

With numbers like those, one easily imagines the difficulty in managing the customer experience data from e-commerce activity. Simpson makes examples of JetBlue and Southwest Airlines, both of which used to do most of their sales activity using call centers. Now they both boast online sales numbers at around 80 percent of total transaction activity. But most companies that have redirected their sales activity incorporating the Internet have failed to integrate adequate online customer relationship management software.

Without proper tools to retrieve customer data, companies will not be able to manage the customer's experience which may lead the customer to take business elsewhere. Ideally, the business is able to, "adapt online content for customers and prospects based on their known preferences is a powerful way to build and strengthen relationships, particularly if dovetailed with offline activities," according to Simpson. With Amazon as a prime example, online companies should aim to optimize the online activity of the consumer to maximize sales.

The profitable effects from using online CRM are not to be understated. A website should present a personalized appearance with appropriate recommendations that have incorporated data from customer experiences that span multiple channels. Utilizing customer data from more than one channel makes, "every interaction an extension of what they may have begun elsewhere creating a more personal, relevant and rewarding experience for both the customer and the business," said Simpson. Even though online sales might not be the only channel of service for a business, the best online CRM will harness data that spans internet, call center, and whatever other portal the company uses to access customers.

If companies use online CRM that can direct all forms of customer traffic, then they will be able to modify sites to attract individual customers thereby potentially permanently gaining each customer's loyalty.