CRM stands for customer relationship management, and it’s an approach to communications that will help you build long-lasting relationships with your customers. Although many people refer to it as software, CRM is actually a strategic, systematic approach to building relationships through interaction and communication across multiple channels.
You can probably list many of the benefits of a CRM system, but the following benefits may surprise you. Isn’t it great when you buy a product and realize it can do more for you than you thought? It’s like finding out that your food processor can make soft-serve ice cream along with chopping up veggies. Trust us—the things your CRM system can do that you didn’t know about are even better than soft serve ice cream. Well, maybe not ice cream. but close. Very close.
Why CRM? The Many Benefits of Customer Relationship Management
Once it was only in the sights of sales and marketing departments, but today, all departments talk about CRM systems. CRM systems offer an integrated method of communicating with customers that help you track, monitor, receive and share messages through one interactive portal.
CRM systems are great for both push-marketing (outbound) and for interactive, inbound marketing channels. Today’s cloud-based CRM systems connect social media, email marketing, and chat bots with one system so that you can monitor customer interactions. Everyone on your team can view customer communications and share knowledge related to customer accounts.
There are so many benefits to a CRM system that it’s hard to list just a few. Some of the better-known benefits include:
- Strategic email marketing
- Targeted marketing campaigns
- Fast setup of cross-sales opportunities and upsell opportunities
- Accurate and accessible customer history
- Improved efficiency
These are all great benefits you can attain from implementing a new CRM system. However, there are three unexpected benefits you can achieve as well.
- A higher degree of trust: Customers have been burned too many times by poor service from companies they’ve trusted that they’ve grown wary of any attempt at customer service. With a CRM system, you can enhance and improve the trust level with your customers. All of the information you need to answer their questions about call tickets, open orders, and problem situation is on your screen, shared by the system throughout the company. This makes it easier to give a consistent, accurate answer to customer inquiries. Accuracy and confidence on your part build trust on the customer’s part. CRM systems can improve trust.
- Improved collaboration: The silo mentality, where every department hunkers in their bunkers and refuses to play nicely together, can make collaboration difficult. CRM software can help break down even the most deeply entrenched silos. CRM systems foster collaboration because everyone’s activities are transparent, visible, and accessible. You can see at a glance the information that you need. Guarding such information is no longer viable, nor does it serve any purpose. CRM systems help break down silos and foster collaboration among departments.
- Orders are taken by mobile device: With cloud-based CRM, you can use your smartphone or tablet to take orders while on location at a customer. Cloud-based or web-based CRM software solutions enable anyone with authorization to access the system from the office or from their mobile devices. As your field sales team visits customers on site, they can take orders more quickly and efficiently. Not only will this increase your sales, but the immediate data flowing back to your office helps keep sales projects up to date and accurate. You can see at a glance what’s selling and to whom.
Integrate CRM Software Solutions with ERP Systems for Even More Impact
Integrating CRM software solutions with systems such as Sage 100 ERP offers even more benefits. We’ve talked about the benefits of shared data, accurate data, and timely data. ERP systems that incorporate sales data can help you with forecasting, planning, and marketing activities. The more you can base your decisions on data, the more accurate they will be.
Accounting Systems Incorporated (ASI): CRM You Can Trust
Accounting Systems Incorporated (ASI) provides software and systems to help your company grow. We focus on helping small to mid-sized companies improve operational efficiencies through the power of software and technology. Software such as Sage 100 and Acumatica ERP can provide the business intelligence you need to grow your company. Modules added to both can offer CRM capabilities, too. For more information, visit our website, or call us at 803-252-6154