What is CRM?
Customer Relationship Management or CRM has multiple meanings, three to be exact. The first is the strategic definition. Ultimately, CRM is a form of business strategy that is used to oversee an organization’s relationships and interactions with its customers to improve said relationships and develop new ones for an increase in profit.
CRM is also a form of technology; this definition is its most popular. It is available through the cloud as a solution for companies to copy, report, and evaluate interactions between the organization and its users.
The third definition for CRM is the process the business goes through to manage the relationships it’s building with its customers. It’s a never-ending process as it requires constant upkeep to sustain the relationships and maintain success.
CRM’s Functions
CRM software gathers every kind of customer contact information you can think of (email, phone number, social media, etc.) as well as their preferred method of contact. This information is given in a thorough manner so the company can understand how it’s relationship will develop with time. The most critical information is placed forth to guarantee significant engagement from the customers.
It’s Importance
Gartner predicts that by 2021, CRM will be the single largest revenue area of spending in enterprise software. This is because CRM allows businesses to strengthen their relationships with everyone involved in the organization, from customers to suppliers and everyone in between.
Having an organized system that monitors current and potential customers as well as learning how to maintain a happy relationship with them is how companies keep their customer based and grow it. This is what CRM is all about.
Having everything in one space makes the management easier and makes problem solving faster. Companies get to deliver faster solutions to their customers by being aware of the situations and reaching out to customers within a time frame that can impress them, not displease them.
Who Can Benefit from CRM?
Sales Teams: Management can monitor their sales associates’ progress. They can see if team members have reached their target sales as individuals and as regions.
Marketing Teams: Forecasting patterns and trends is made simpler. This can allow the marketing team to create a strategy from beginning to end. The forecasts include how the customers feel about certain services, products, and brands.
Customer Service: With so many channels available for communication, it’s easy to lose engagement. Whether a customer is reaching out through Facebook or via email, a customer service representative will be able to reach the customer by being able to monitor all forms of communication.
HR: Processing potential candidates can be stressful, CRM can speed up the employment process and track how well employees perform their jobs.
An All in One Tool
CRM was made to facilitate business operations. It enhances many essential sectors within the organization and helps gather information in the most intelligent way possible. It’s just about having the right implementation strategy. An effective CRM can help us listen for signals, understand the rules, engage users with relational intelligence and change gears to manage better experience.