In its self-described “trailblazing” report about ROI for CRM, Meridien Research (www.meridienresearch.com) revealed, “Human psychology is slow to accept change, and it may take considerable effort to get customers to behave differently.” While this isn't new or trailblazing, what does turn heads is their discovery-or assertion-that CRM investments can be measured.

The report cites no significant slowdown in CRM spending although many companies that invested heavily in CRM solutions are wondering where the money went. But Meridien's ROI analysis-which takes into account intangibles and assumption, risk, and timing-indicates these same companies are rethinking the way they've applied CRM tech and are now targeting product enhancement and customer service cost reduction.

Not afraid of delving into corporate philosophy, Meridien suggests customer behavior, not products or services, determines a company's shareholder value. If you buy into that, you should agree that CRM strategy involves influencing that behavior. Apparently, CRM's conceptual applications are as diversely complex as its practical uses-especially if you agree with Meridien in that CRM “becomes an investment in targeting the right type of customer, getting those customers to adopt a specific set of beliefs and consequent behaviors, and retaining those customers throughout the lifetime of their profitability.”