Customer relationship management (CRM) is a strategy that combines sales, marketing, and customer service to benefit both the company and its customers. Many companies are interested in CRM, but often fail to implement it successfully. This is because current methodologies do not effectively blend the strategic and technological aspects of CRM. A new formal methodology has been developed to guide the development and implementation of CRM systems. This methodology considers various factors like defining a customer strategy, re-engineering business processes, managing human resources, implementing computer systems, handling change, and striving for continuous improvement.