Fully understanding PHP’s use in CRM practices requires knowing what websites are. PHP CRM simply is CRM software integrated in websites.
Websites
Everyone knows about websites. People do not get to see anything on the internet without these websites. Taken from the term World Wide Web, website or web sites are basically the visual representation of scripting language.
Websites According to Function:
- Personal website
- Commercial website
- Government website
- Non-profit organization website
They are typically dedicated to a particular topic or purpose. In terms of access, currently, nearly any device that can connect to the internet can access them. These generally include desktop computers, laptops, PDAs and cellular phones.
Websites According to Build:
- Static
- Dynamic
In static websites, visitors are not able to control the information they receive. They only get the information provided by the website owner.
On the other hand, a dynamic website changes or customizes itself frequently and automatically. The main purpose of dynamic websites is automation. It is much simpler to build a template and a database than to build tons of other individual static web pages.
PHP
After the explanation above, it is easier to put PHP in the picture. PHP is a scripting language designed to create dynamic websites.
PHP originally stood for personal home page. It was developed by Scandinavian programmer Rasmus Lerdorf. Initially, it was a set of Perl scripts he called “Personal Home Page Tools,” it included tasks like displaying his resume and recorded how much traffic his web page was getting. Since then, it has developed into much more and is used for many different web sites and platforms.
Websites Containing PHP Scripts Include:
- Wikipedia (MediaWiki)
- Digg
- Joomla
- eZ Publish
- WordPress
- Drupal
- Moodle
Dynamic websites are used as content management system (CMS) and content management framework (CMF) both are of great use in web based CRM software solutions.
CRM
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) practices are composed of business processes that aim to acquire and retain current customers and enhance customer experience.
CRM makes sure that customers get the service and support after product sale. It keeps customers happy. It includes everything from getting new customers, making that sale and providing information and customer service. Thus, it touches more than just one department in a corporation. CRM involves customer support, sales, marketing and advertising among other departments.
PHP CRM
Combined with PHP programming, CRM is an excellent business solution that costs less to boot. To put it simply, PHP CRM is using a website for CRM practices. Various online CRM software solutions are available in the market today.
PHP is used in programming these websites because it has the capacity to make a dynamic website that updates itself in real-time. That is crucial for many companies who want to constantly monitor how the website is doing. Static websites just won’t cut it.
PHP CRM can be a powerful tool in integrating information across several departments. Analysis is also much easier with centralized data. This makes managers constantly updated on the business’ over-all performance. It gives customers that one-stop shopping experience online providing all the information about the product and availability on the fly. Its applications and possible uses are limitless.