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10 WAYS TO EFFECTIVELY USE CRM AT YOUR COMPANY
A lot of people still wonder what is CRM for in an organization. You have ERP, e-mail, different communication tools, and CRM seems like another item on the list. However, it is not. CRM is also not just a contact database for salespeople. Modern CRM platforms offer much more and can provide a company with actual tangible benefits.
HERE ARE 10 IDEAS ON HOW TO FULLY HARNESS THE POTENTIAL OF CRM
CRM is a tool, or rather a set of tools, that is able to change the way a company functions.
The system alone is not enough, however, we need ways and processes to successfully utilize it and implement it effectively. It’s a good idea to start thinking about how CRM can actually help your company in different departments.
1. MAKE USE OF THE COLLECTED DATA
Data is the new oil – that’s an often repeated slogan of recent years. It’s a good idea, however, to think about what data on the product, on customers, or on employees we collect and how we utilize it.
It might turn out that we have a legitimate repository of knowledge on our business partners in front of us that we can utilize when introducing new products on the market, or increase sales of the existing ones.
By aggregating data in a CRM system and then analyzing it, we come to data-driven conclusions.
2. FIGHT FOR RETURNING CUSTOMERS
It is much easier to retain an existing customer than to acquire a new one, the same goes for fighting for a customer who is already interested in our product.
The CRM system allows for very easy identification of such customers, the adequate module can recognize a number that already exists in the database and display additional information with it to the consultant. That way you have a chance of a more effective sale. IT IS SIMILAR TO TAKING CARE OF CUSTOMER LOYALTY.
With a CRM system, you are able to predict their actions and offer something like a discount for their years of cooperation or send them a reminder after some time knowing that statistically, the customer contacted us once a quarter before about needing our product.
3. MONITOR WHAT’S GOING ON AROUND SOCIAL MEDIA
It is getting more common for CRM systems to get integrated with popular social media platforms. Dedicated tools allow us to quickly find mentions of our brand or of the competition and to respond properly. Social Media is a chance to build an image, but also to directly collect leads.
4. IMPROVE SERVICE FOR CRUCIAL CUSTOMERS
This basic feature of CRM systems, which is contact management, is actually quite significant for business prosperity. Thanks to shopping analysis we can easily find customers that are crucial to the company and give them priority treatment.
By taking care of customers that bring the biggest profits to the company, we have a chance to keep them around, make their potentially even bigger, as well as take care of our image.
THIS IS WHERE CRM IS ABLE TO FULLY MONITOR CUSTOMER RELATIONS, without being limited just to the financial results that we could get from an accounting program.
5. OPTIMIZE THE MARKETING ACTIVITIES
MANY CRM SYSTEMS ALLOW THE UTILIZATION OF DATA FOR PRECISE MARKETING ACTIVITIES. That way we can, for example, automate the e-mail sending process, including the so-called cold-mails, so that they reach the potential contacts at the most convenient moment.
It is also an opportunity for better advertisement targeting and placement.
6. PREPARE COMPLETE OFFERS
The software is there to support salespeople in their customer relations, one of the key elements is the ability to comprehensively build offers with the use of it.
Thanks to system hints and customer analysis, we can suggest the most convenient offer for our company, taking up-selling and cross-selling actions. A customer with a "boosted" offer will be more willing to make use of it.
7. MANAGE THE SALES TEAM EFFECTIVELY
CRM IS ALSO A GREAT WAY TO MANAGE THE SALES TEAM. You can monitor the salespeople’s actions, check what steps they take, if they acquire new customers, if they take care of the existing ones, what their daily work is like. You can receive adequate reports etc.
8. USE THE CRM SYSTEM WHEREVER YOU ARE
When you use a cloud-based platform, it gives you opportunities in form of permanent access to the system no matter where we are. YOU MAY USE DEDICATED MOBILE APPS. Those are tools for field salespeople, but also for people in management who can monitor work at any moment.
You can check a customer’s status even while meeting them occasionally. Your business is pretty much everywhere.
9. INTEGRATE OTHER SOLUTIONS WITH YOUR CRM
A modern advanced CRM system can be fully adapted to our needs. Thousands of apps and modules give such systems additional abilities whenever we need them. It also gives you the ability to integrate with other IT solutions at our company or with external solutions.
That way we can put CRM data to an even broader use or use information from other sources.
10. TAKE CARE OF INTERNAL COMMUNICATION
Communication within a company is something that is often neglected in small and medium-sized companies. Expecting that someone will figure out our intentions or actions is a mistake. That’s why it is so important not just to be transparent but to also have a planned strategy for internal communication.
CRM is a perfect tool here, especially when dealing with additional modules that offer a chat within the team.
Another great element is a knowledge database on the company and its products where we can put all the necessary information together with response templates, good practices, modus operandi, and other procedures, or Q&A for the key questions related to our products. Good communication will make working in a team more effective.
CRM SYSTEMS GIVE PLENTY OF OPPORTUNITIES, BUT THEY HAVE TO BE PROPERLY USED AND IMPLEMENTED. Effective use will directly influence the everyday functioning of the company, as well as its results.
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