Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a strategy and processes used to learn more about customers' needs and behaviors in order to develop stronger relationships with them. CRM applications are traditionally developed as client-server software. The proliferation of the Internet and the Web has fueled the rapid growth of Web-based CRM or online CRM applications. Web CRM systems are widely deployed for Web based call center, contact management, trouble ticket, personal information manager and scheduling. As more and more corporations use chat software to provide quality customer support, many CRM vendors have built chat functionality into new generation of Web-based CRM systems. 

The first generation of text-based online chat software was developed years before the World Wide Web (WWW) gained its popularity. The new generation of Web-based chat software is much more user-friendly and is powered with audio and video chat. 


There're many benefits to integrate chat software into CRM systems. 

1. Many customers have experience in using chat software 

New technology is often challenged by user acceptance. Fortunately, online chat has been widely accepted by average Internet users. It is estimated that tens of million of Internet users login to online chat rooms regularly. In free adult chat rooms or free teen chat rooms people talk about anything under the sun - love, pets, music and games. 


2. One customer service representative is able to support multiple customers at the same time. 

It is common to wait 30 minutes or even more before a customer can talk to a support representative. With chat software, customers have a better chance of instant access to a service representative. One support team member may be able to chat with a few customers at the same time. 


3. Chat software can automatically log a support chat session 

Call center software is capable of recording support conversations. However, it requires extra cost to convert audio recordings to digital information that a computer can understand and extract valuable information from. Chat software, on the other hand, can be easily configured to automatically log a support chat session.

Looking for somewhere online to meet new people, discuss hobbies, plan events, or just have fun chatting? Online forums have been around for some time on the internet and often free and easy to setup. Forums are basically online discussion web sites where people share information and chat grouped around a set of topics. One example might be a local photography club. You could setup topics around types of cameras, locations for shooting, local events and meetings, printing tips, etc. Often there are administrators and moderators that help to keep the discussion orderly and on topic. 

Some items to consider when starting an online forum include… 

Cost – Often you can find them for free. There will probably be some advertising on the site, but don’t most sites now a days? 

Features – Does the forum support avatars, private messages, user levels, themes, etc. 

Security – Is it possible to create forums that only register users can post in? Helps to avoid those spammers. 

I cannot stress the last one enough. You should be completely able to control who is in your forums. One bad apple spoils the bunch. On that same note, it is common for a forums to have moderators. These are people that help enforce the rules in the forum. Make sure your choose your help wisely. When it comes to administrators, there should only ever be one. Administrators have the keys to the city and can set your forum ablaze. 

Finally to make a forum a success you need to attract people to it to join. Obviously if it is for a church or some other established group, this is relatively easy. Tell your friends, family, club members. If you are starting from scratch, do the same. Tell people, show people, invite people. Check to see if your forum site is listed in search engines like google. Once you get past that initial setup and recruitment your will soon be on your way to having a forum that you and your friends can enjoy.

There are tens of thousands of websites offering free online games for those who want to have some fun online or find friends online. Don’t believe me? Make a simple search through your favorite search engine and you’ll see the vast amount of websites offering free online games. Finding friends through online games is easy and simple because you get to understand each other while playing games and connect with each other through the website’s chat or communicate function available right there in the website. 

Although not all online games website requires you to sign up in order to play their online games, some websites do require a simple sign-up. The information that you input into the online games website will become your member’s profile. Other members will be able to view your profile. Your likes, dislikes, favorite games, favorite movies, location (not address, please. Never enter your complete address online, anywhere), and personal characteristics will help you find friends through online games. 

Engaged in a competitive battle with each other, you are in a better position to gauge the kind of person that your opponent is, for instance, is he/she an aggressive person? Is he/she a strategically-minded person who is capable of planning everything from scratch? What is his/her favorite character and how does he/she use that online game character to his/her benefit? 

The reason why finding friends through online games is easy is because there are forums and chat rooms that online game fans can use to connect, share tips, communicate, make alliance, and chat with online. They share a common interest, a common goal...and the online games that they like become the foundation for their friendship. Not only do they battle it out playing online games but they essentially turn into friends after chatting and communicating with each other. 

It’s also safer finding friends through online games. Because the common interest is online games, basically, they just want to have some fun online and not lurk around endangering the lives of others. Although we should still be careful about revealing too much of ourselves online, we generally feel safer when we make friends through online games. 

You not only make new friends through online games, you can also connect with and play online games with your friends without having to visit an internet café. Even if your friends have gone to college or are working elsewhere in the world, you can still log on at the same time and enjoy a couple of hours of fun, unbridled fun through online games.