CRM

Customer relationship management (CRM) is probably one of the most crucial tools companies worldwide use. It offers various business advantages, including improving customer relations, streamlining processes and information, and effectively improving marketing and sales strategy. So, it’s not surprising that 91% of companies with more than 10 employees use CRM. However, using CRM doesn’t automatically mean success. Yes, it is an excellent tool for bridging your business and success. But you also need to have the right people, knowledge, and features in your CRM tool to ensure that it’s effective. Likewise, this article will help you understand what CRM is, its benefits, and what CRM features you should have. What is CRM? Companies use customer relationship management or CRM to manage all their business’ customer data, relationship, and interactions. This software can help business owners and employees easily track all transaction details from their customers or potential customers. It also helps them nurture relationships, create new opportunities, and generate leads. While the primary goal of CRM is the same, three types can accommodate different features and focuses of a business. These are 1. Collaborative CRM Collaborative CRM software helps a company collect, organise, and streamline essential customer information across the business. It gathers data such as sales, purchase history, contact number, and customer preference for future company use. The main goal of collaborative CRM systems is to have one integrated software that the whole company can use to serve a customer smoothly. It aims to remove the dreaded experience of a repetitive collection of information in each transaction they make.   2. Analytical CRM An analytical CRM is a systematic electronic software that collects customer data and analyses it to aid business decision-making. Most tools today can flawlessly and effortlessly manage a large quantity of data. However, most are having difficulty interpreting these data into feasible information that a company can use. With analytical CRM, you can learn to use these data and see different trends based on your customer’s purchase behavior. 3. Operational CRM Operational CRM is a CRM software that helps the company create a centralised system that supports sales, marketing, and customer service features. It stores a large quantity of information on leads, customers, and other important information that employees can share. Why do you need a CRM for your business? Using CRM software can provide endless benefits for your business. It can help you increase customer retention, enhance employee productivity, and amplify revenue. Likewise, here are some benefits of using CRM tools in your business: Modern CRM software can help you provide better customer service by streamlining customer data. With CRM software, you can streamline your sales process companywide. It will ensure that any marketing or sales initiative will be given to all your employees. With better customer service also comes improved customer retention. Having good customer service through CRM will encourage your customers to repeat purchases in your company. Most CRM tools offer a centralised data database to store all information gathered in a real-time database safely. CRM tools also offer automated reporting that can make reporting and analytics more effortless than ever! Top 15 Features to Look for Before Purchasing a CRM CRM solutions can do more than just gather data and organise contacts. With the right Free CRM Tools and features, you can maximise your company’s capability, boost sales, and nurture leads. It can also help you save time, money, and resources. Here are some great features of the perfect CRM: 1. Workflow automation Having a set workflow is essential in a business as it gives you and your employees an idea of what is happening in your operation at any given point. You will know what is happing in your company, the people involved, and a sense of how effective your organization is in reaching its goals and deadline. And one must-have CRM Feature you should look for is workflow automation. With this feature, your CRM tool can set up reminders for your managers and employees for essential matters such as payment due dates, service expiration, marketing blasts, etc. This saves them both time and resources. 2. Customizable Not all business is the same. So, your CRM software needs to be customizable and flexible to your needs. Likewise, one CRM feature you should look for is customization. Some CRM will let you choose which features you want to include in your software, such as custom reporting, plugins, system integration, etc. 3. Third-party integration Suppose your company has a system or software that is important in everyday business. In that case, having a third-party integration CRM feature is essential to you. For example, suppose you have a heavy need to use email servers to contact your customers. In that case, it’s necessary that a CRM tool can integrate this program. 4. Customer Service Automation The main point of using CRM software is to improve your customer service. So, if none of your CRM features include customer service automation, then it’s not CRM software. Customer Service Automation can help reduce human involvement in various tasks that a program can do. Tasks like storing customer issues, solving customer inquiries, proactive emailing, etc. With this CRM feature, you can create a knowledge base of information for your customers for quick access 24/7. 5. Email marketing Email marketing is probably one of the most effective marketing methods marketers use today. In fact, according to a study conducted by SmartInsights and GetResponse in 2018, 29% of marketers rate email marketing as the most effective marketing channel. However, using the old-style email marketing through the traditional inbox can be overwhelming. It can lead your email to be spammed. One must-have CRM feature you should include is the email feature. It can help you, and your sales rep be organised and productive. In addition, an email feature in CRM can help you automate and schedule all email marketing tasks, such as:         Client Newsletter Blast         Scheduling appointment         Email automatic