It’s All About Relationships:
7 Reasons to Dump Spreadsheets for Integrated CRM Software
By Annette Balgord
Today’s marketplace is extremely competitive. There are literally thousands of products and services available to your customers. Why should they buy yours? Sales and marketing experts will tell you, the most effective way to attract new business today, retain and maximize the potential of the business you already have, and strengthen your non-customer connections is through relationship selling.
Most businesses struggle to successfully unify its customer (prospect, and non-customer) interactions and track pertinent data. Why ‘successfully’? The older proprietary systems and homegrown databases of yesteryear have evolved to the point of being incredibly complex, difficult to use and unstable to operate. Further, this disconnected view creates extra work for everyone and prevents you from providing a consistent message to your customers. Only a new way of approaching the management of all interactions in one centralized system will allow you to properly nurture relationships with the most accuracy and relevancy to your strategic objectives.
This integrated approach to customer management is called Customer Relationship Management (CRM). Over the years, the concept of CRM has been tailored to allow organizations a total and transparent view of not only their customers - but their organization as well. Instead of just storing data, CRM systems make work easier, more secure, and more meaningful. All divisions update information in the same system without fear of data corruption or accidentally updating information they shouldn’t have access to.
Does your organization struggle to stay on top of marketing campaigns or manage large amounts of customer information? Maybe your organization is in a financial crunch – you need an influx of cash NOW – or maybe you’re ready to take your operation to the next level. Whatever the reason, here are 7 ways that CRM software can revolutionize your approach to customer relationship management.
- Strengthen relationships (internal and external)
- CRM systems were created to further the customer/company relationship by providing meaningful information to more than just the sales force. Management teams, technical support, accounting departments and the like, can all benefit from the valuable information captured in a CRM system. In addition, there are opportunities to view and enhance other (non-customer) relationships, such as prospects, suppliers, service providers, affiliates, etc…
- Emails, letters, conversations and connections between the customers and all areas of your organization are stored in one place. This allows you to provide consistent and targeted messaging - and increases and fosters transparency throughout your organization. Yes, the left hand will know what the right hand is doing when it comes to:
- Lead tracking and management
- Marketing/advertising campaign tracking and reporting
- Contract tracking and management
- Call centre tracking and reporting
- Sales pipeline (funnel) forecasting and analysis
- Relevant views and permissions
CRM systems allow you to provide access to everyone in the organization from top to bottom. Views and permissions are tailored to each person accessing the system, not only to simplify the experience but to limit access to sensitive information. For example, one person may be able to tell that a specific customer is one of your top revenue generators, while only high-level managers see actual amounts and details.
- Improve efficiency through data integrity
Eliminate the need for spreadsheets and disconnected contact lists. With a CRM system, the integrity of your data is improved; duplicates are removed, confidence soars. You have the ability to define customer lists based on category, demographic attributes, division, or geography.
- Customize for a perfect fit
Is there anything more challenging than trying to understand departmental jargon (especially acronyms)? CRM systems allow you to define database fields in order to match your organization’s terminology. Further, you’re able to rearrange the placement of fields to maximize the efficiency of data entry and the relevance of the information displayed. A system that is tailored to the terminology already in place will be more readily accepted and will quickly become part of the organization’s culture.
- Eliminate manual processes
CRM systems allow provision for the import and export of critical data, such as customer lists, revenues and profits. This import export process eliminates the need for external (manual) processing. Imagine collecting data from the e-commerce shopping cart on your website and updating your CRM system automatically! You can also integrate CRM software with Outlook to ensure that contact lists are centralized and Outlook calendars are linked and visible. Now that’s 20/20 vision!
- Improve access to information
CRM systems can be configured for access from anywhere internet is available whether by browser or phone. This increases the flexibility of your CRM and the accuracy of the data as the system is updated as communications occur regardless of where they originate. For example, when someone at a meeting requests more information about a particular program, your CRM system may be accessed to send the information while the meeting is still taking place. You may also choose to have the system automatically create a task to follow up with the customer the next day.
Reports and data filtering is also a very important function of CRM software. You can create your own data filters, views or reports and have the ability to share them or not. The possibilities are endless.
- Harness the power of CRM
Once all of the demographic attributes are captured, configured and the data is populated, a CRM system is ready to plan, schedule and analyze, track and complete tasks; analyze and report on trends based on demographics; and manage the lifecycle opportunities provided by major customers. Now that’s powerful!
Let’s face it… we’re all concerned with current economic pressures, competition, and retaining key talent. What you don’t need are more headaches with missing, fragmented or suspect data in files spread throughout the organization that no one can ever find. CRM software offers the solution that the complex world of business has been looking for.
About Balgord Software Solutions
Since our founding in 1993, Balgord Software Solutions has implemented hundreds of installations. Our award winning solutions and services have helped many satisfied clients meet today’s business and technology challenges head-on. We work to ensure that the solution we provide is the best fit for your organization, and is implemented and installed right, the first time. In fact, we guarantee you will be 100% satisfied with the work we perform regardless of project size, scope or complexity. Training, custom development, report writing, application integration and on-going software support are services offered to ensure client success. Balgord Software Solutions is active in the Greater Toronto Area and surrounding communities in Southern Ontario, including Mississauga, Burlington, Halton, Hamilton, Niagara, Brantford, Kitchener and Guelph. For more information, please call (905) 829-3541 or visit the Web site at http://www.balgord.com/.
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