One more strategic application that is commonly associated with SCM is enterprise resource planning (ERP) packages. ERP comes in the form of a complete IT solution that is deployed on the infrastructure of the company to collect information from other old systems and the database to help centralize the extraction of information that is vital to the supply chain and used by other SCM applications (Worthen, 2007). Most of the market leaders in IT software develop ERP packages to support SCM, mainly SAP, Oracle, Infor, Manhattan Associates and i2 Technologies (Trebilcock, 2007). The variation in the support is directly derived from the mix of platforms and the large geographical distribution of those involved in the supply chain management systems (Trebilcock, 2007).

Conclusion
In applying CRM as a methodology within an organization, senior management needs to consider an approach with gradual calculated steps to smoothly move the process into a successful transformation (La Valle, Scheld). Accomplishment with CRM are based on building on the value of the system, analyzing the priorities, getting the first prototype, and setting the support system that moves every single entity within the company to the new platform. The steep shift in CRM is in moving from a focus to acquire customers to retaining them (Winer, 2001). The transformation begins with understanding customers and what they need, the relationship paradigm as defined by Don Peppers and Martha Rogers, PH.D., in their recent book, Return on Customers, is to identify your target consumer, differentiate them based on value and needs, interact with them with efficiency and proficiency, and customize your enterprise behavior around this relationship.  
(Pepper, Rogers, 2006).


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