ECRM is not an event company – not in the typical sense of the word. Yes, we do bring together buyers and sellers for face-to-face meetings more than 60 times a year for the purpose of new product sourcing and category reviews. But we do a lot more than that, and the term, “event” (and its counterpart, “show”) just don’t accurately reflect all of it.

What is ECRM, then? In actuality, we’re a business process solutions provider that streamlines and optimizes the sourcing of products for buyers and sellers across a variety of categories. The face-to-face meeting component, which we refer to as Efficient Program Planning Sessions (EPPS) are just a piece of it – the tip of the iceberg that’s easily visible above the water. Below the surface though, hidden from view, is the much larger foundation that supports it, and for ECRM, this foundation consists of staff and technology behind the scenes that support a process that enables our buyers and sellers to make the most of those in-person meetings.

Taken together, ECRM’s solutions – the entire iceberg, so to speak – are driven by its process, platform, and people.

Process
The process begins as far as a year out from an EPPS when a buyer or seller registers to participate. New registrants are assigned an account manager, who takes them through the meeting format, provides a login to the MarketGate platform, and guides them on how to enter their information and documents onto the prep site. Schedules are developed based on each buyer’s and seller’s categories, requirements and objectives and further tweaked as the in-person meeting approaches. During an EPPS, attendees access their ECRM-issued iPad, on which the ECRM Connect App enables them to access the MarketGate platform information as well as information relevant to their meetings (more on this below). Post-EPPS, the buyers and sellers -- with the assistance of their account managers -- execute their follow-ups from their meetings.(Click here for details on ECRM’s Process)