How It Works
This guide dives into CRM to explain exactly what it is, how it works, and why it’s such a valuable asset to any business. A CRM is a tool, an interface or a system that allows you to manage all your customer interactions online and offline at one central place. A CRM automates purchases of items, complete with tracking of sales, forms and subscriptions. If you do this manually, your business is compromising its knowledge of its customers to the whims of whoever is responsible for customers at the time.
Sports apparel company Adidas wants to know all that’s there is to know about you. Do you exercise, eat healthy, and keep up with your fitness routine? While you’re at the gym, what are you watching on the TV, or the games online? Do you go to the grocery store? When the time comes to buy your clothes, will you go shopping at the mall or in your local outlet? What games do you play? Do you surf the internet and look up personal information on the brands and products you care about? These are just a few questions companies want to know. Unlike traditional mailings, which are sent for a period of time, CRM customers receive deals and offer even as they shop, and even work out, and also during downtime like when they are traveling or taking on their hobbies. If you’re not entirely sure what they’re looking for, the company’s CRM system will educate you.
How to set up a CRM
First of all, before you decide on going all the way with a CRM, you first need to determine whether you even need it. Remember that all business decisions are just that – decisions. It may be that you already have a basic CRM in place. If this is the case, just start with those that are set up for your company and it’s important to start small. If your business requires everything online, and all of your sales calls are online, then you need a CRM. Everything is not as simple as this, though. Many people set up CRM programs and some setup applications of CRM software, but not everyone does it properly. You need to set up your CRM correctly and identify whether you are ready to invest in a complete CRM system or do some simple upgrades to your existing system.
More Sales Opportunities
It’s one thing for companies to know what you like and what you care about, it’s another to know the value of these preferences in order to improve your service and increase revenue. As often as Adidas thinks about its CRM system, they probably ignore the fact that it’s the people on the phone they’ll be relying on to help me choose the right soccer shoes for my soccer team. There’s a reason why gyms have floor monitors that show you the program you’re watching on the TV. Gyms understand that people are constantly changing their schedules and opening and closing the door. Many fitness centers need tools for their employees to handle the influx of customers. If you don’t know how to recognize when a customer needs help, there is no reason that a salesperson shouldn’t know. It’s well documented that customer service increases revenues 10x compared to sales representatives when their knowledge of customers is increased.
With only a few simple adjustments, you can effectively manage your CRM, making it available for all your staff. Start by setting up the application of the CRM software you may already have in place. There are many different varieties of CRM. Do you need all of them? Do you need an online or a software program? The most important thing is finding the right one for your business and customers. Used properly, CRM can unlock an ally or two. It can do so in the form of loyalty card programs that help maximize revenues. You can use it to send out a lot of new and promotional emails with a personalized message tailored to each individual client. This goes a long way in spreading the word about your company and creating a great one-on-one relationship with each and every one of your clients. Being able to know exactly what they’re up to and who they’re speaking to is a huge benefit of putting CRM to use. Your clients will appreciate that you are listening and keep in touch with them. It can do so through CRM-driven loyalty programs for customer service and retention, where information like a previous purchase or favor is traded for a discount. It can do so through point-of-sale systems that assign information on customers to stores so that they can meet customer needs. At the end of the day, CRM can be an ally that can enhance your customer experience.
