The 2005 CRM Leader Awards: Introduction and Table of Contents

CRM applications sales increased 10 percent last year, returning to double-digit growth for the first time in five years, according to AMR Research. This is no small feat, and it is attributable to issues like aging Y2K investments, the popularity of hosted solutions, and enhancements in analytics applications. The most significant contribution, however, comes from the vendors, consultants, and customer companies. The 2005 Influential Leaders 6 industry luminaries whose innovative ideas, achievements, and strong leadership are influencing both customers and competitors to act. We also induct one industry veteran into the CRM Hall of Fame. The 2005 Market Leaders In 8 CRM categories, 6 companies are honored in each (1 winner, 4 leaders, and 1 company to watch), based on a weighted combination of revenue, revenue growth, market share, reputation for customer satisfaction, depth of functionality, and company direction. The 2005 CRM Elite 6 companies that have met or surpassed their CRM project expectations and have seen impressive results.