How CRM can Help Your Organization

Today’s business environment is extremely dynamic, often changing directions numerous times in the course of a single day. Keeping up with it all is a challenge, and that is one of the main reasons why all businesses need customer relationship management (CRM) software. Make no mistake, CRM is the brains of any outfit, and your company needs to jump onboard if you have not already.

CRM can benefit your business in multiple ways, from enabling you to quickly respond to customer questions or concerns, handle any pressing tasks, and nurture all of your customers and prospects. Keeping existing customers happy is critical for business success. Did you know that nearly all the customers who leave your business do so because of indifference? Luckily, there is a CRM software solution for every business that can address these key challenges.

Collecting data

A comprehensive CRM like those provided by industry giant SalesForce and its equally intelligent competitor, Zoho, will serve as an organization’s communications hub, keeping notes of all interactions and engagement with customers and prospects. The customer data can include previous purchases, preferences and calls from customer service, among other details.

Any time a business and customer “touch”, add the pertinent data to the CRM, whether it is a product of sales interaction, service or even social media engagement. The purpose of this tracking is not to build a bloated CRM system, but to provide relevant and searchable data for marketers.

Using CRM for marketing

Marketers and salespeople that have access to detailed customer insights can use that information to segment customers and provide the perfect message at the right place and time.  For instance, they can remind customers of service needs for a product they already purchased or suggest add-ons. On the flip side,when customers inquire, but do not buy, CRM allows the opportunity to nudge those people toward a sale.

What can CRM do for a business? The Hilton Success Story

 The Hilton chain of hotels has been in business since 1919, and is one of the most successful hospitality companies of all time. They earned their reputation for excellent service years ago, but today they use a CRM to give special attention and rewards to customers which stay with them the most.

This is the Hilton Hhonors program that gives points for members to use for free room nights, upgrades and other perks, and their Diamond members get the most, and spend the most with Hilton. The program is a resounding success; it increases brand loyalty and the company’s revenue. This type of program would not be possible without the automation help of CRM.

What can a CRM do for your business?

  •    Collect and curate data for leads

  •    Identify and target best customers with special attention

  •    Use email campaigns to nurture customers and prospects

  •    Track tasks, phone calls, email integration

  •    Calendar functions like appointments and follow-up

  •    Manage campaigns with clear goals

  •    Generate more leads for sales

  •    Optimize information to improve sales

  •    Streamline and automate existing processes, like proposal generation

  •    Build solid relationships and trust

  •    Increase customer satisfaction

  •    Detailed management reports and real-time dashboards

  •    Sales and inventory management

  •    Automated forecasts

  •    Maximize profits

CRM and email marketing

Some people feel that email marketing is intrusive and is a dying art, but that could not be further from the truth. While email “blast” marketing (AKA spam) is a thing of the past for most part (thank goodness!), customers are receptive to targeted and relevant emails, and your CRM can make sure that what you send your customer is relevant and timely. People in Florida likely don’t need information about the awesome new space heaters you are selling, but those in Ohio would love that information in the fall.

Automating and tracking your business is smart, and will lead to increased revenues and lowered costs overall. Once you fully implement CRM, you will find so many other uses for it that you will wonder why you resisted for so long.

If you need guidance for implementing a CRM for your company, or help with getting your staff onboard to use it completely, give us a call at Catalyst Marketing. We know a thing or two about CRM and how they benefit everyone!