Finding the right CRM package is a Catch-22. You’re not sure what CRM software does so you don’t know what questions to ask. But if you don’t ask the right questions, you won’t get the solution you need. Let’s face it when people start talking about widgets, plug-ins, or APIs; you’re not sure what value those have for your business. You just know your techies are all excited.
Contact or Customer Management
Right off the bat, you’re confused. Is it contact or customer? It’s both. Some will call it contact; others call it customer. The critical thing to remember is: They are the same thing. A CRM package is software that helps identify, target, acquire, and retain customers. At its core, CRM is a database of customer data that enables companies to present a unified message which improves the quality of the customer relationship and increases customer loyalty.
What does CRM do?
CRM packages allow a company to track every interaction it has with a customer. Whether the interaction is an inquiry, a purchase, or a customer support issue, it is recorded. From these records, you can learn:
- What a customer purchased
- What a customer was interested in, but didn’t purchase
- What a customer’s customer service experience was like
- How frequently your company had contact with the customer
You can track a customer’s birthday or special event and send them an email, text, or a coupon to show your interest in them as a person, not just a customer.
Why use CRM?
Using CRM builds a stronger and more meaningful customer experience, especially if the data is made available online and in-store. Sharing data provides a seamless digital and physical shopping experience for the customer. You can deliver the same personalized service from multiple locations because all endpoints have the same data. This individualized experience increases customer satisfaction and customer loyalty.
CRM systems are a powerful tool for analyzing customer data and for initiating targeted marketing campaigns. They can even track the success of a sales campaign. For more information on how a CRM system can help your business, contact us.