A typical e-CRM transformation programme consists of several interrelated components including technology procurement, systems integration services, and organizational change and programme management. The cost of hardware and technology infrastructure should include computer hardware, middleware and applications software. The infrastructure can be purchased outright or as an outsourced service provided for a recurring fee. Telecommunications and technology, such as routers and hubs, should be included and extra bandwidth may be required. Systems integration costs will constitute a significant proportion of the total cost of an e-CRM solution. The middleware and application software must be configured and perhaps integrated with existing back office and external customer and partner systems. Costs will increase if multiple geographic locations are included.

One major cost often overlooked is data management. This involves providing accurate information to the customer-facing environment. Customer databases, account records and technical data are often stored in disparate systems and so are often incomplete. Many organizations address this problem by creating 'data marts' and subsequently create mini investment cases to introduce further data management capability.

If the implementation is complex, significant programme management resources may be required both from within the organization and externally. The ROI case may depend completely on delivery of the solution on time, to budget and with the required functionality. Delivering an e-CRM solution requires coordination between IT staff, business leaders, business users, customers and suppliers, and therefore appropriate investment should be made.

Many organizations also overlook the importance of organizational change management, and as a result reduce it to a minimum. They then realize their mistake when low user adoption rates and lower than expected ROI are measured later. The organization needs to understand why it is changing and that the change has an appropriate level of management sponsorship. A communications plan is essential.

An e-CRM solution usually requires significant change in roles and responsibilities. IT staff must be trained in supporting the new applications and infrastructure, customer support staff must adopt new service levels, marketing staff must learn how to use new applications and sales staff must adapt to new tools and processes. Customers and business partners will be required to alter their established ways of doing business.

Appropriate investment should be made in designing new processes and organization. While many software applications contain a core set of predefined processes, which may be targeted to an industry or process, technology is purely an enabler and consideration should be given and investment made in process, organization and people requirements particular to a specific industry or market.