Questions about CRM start with what is CRM?! CRM is an abbreviation for Customer Relationship Management and means that you work actively and in a structured way to improve customer relationships and build long-term relationships. This may mean setting up internal structures for how a company communicates with its customers. To simplify work, many companies use some IT tool, such as a CRM system.
Also known as a CRM tool or CRM program, a CRM software is an IT resource that gives you complete control over your customer relationships by bringing all customer communications together in one place. For example, a CRM software can also interface with other key IT systems, such as business systems (ERP), to provide a holistic view of each customer.
A CRM system can be used for an almost endless number of things, but the most common application is to support sales, marketing and customer service activities. Within sales, for example, the CRM system can simplify the search for potential customers, follow up on sales calls and create an overview of the sales pipe. Within marketing, CRM software is often used to manage incoming leads from the website and to send out and analyze campaigns and press releases. Customer service and support departments often use the CRM suite to handle incoming customer cases and inquiries.
A CRM system has endless benefits and is a solution to various problems. The tool helps you to get more customers and at the same time helps you to strengthen relationships with existing customers. With a CRM package, all important customer information is collected in one place, resulting in less administration and better collaboration between colleagues and departments. In short, a CRM system is needed so that all employees can focus on building customer relationships, instead of constantly looking for information scattered across different places.
It is not always easy to choose a CRM software. So evaluate the different options together with your colleagues and ask yourself: Why are we making this investment? What problems should the CRM tool solve? Who will be working in the tool? Which features are important to our users? How big is our budget? By knowing where you stand and where you want to go, you reduce the risk that you will wander off and you increase the chance that you will find the right supplier faster.
When looking for a CRM system, first define the goals you want to achieve by investing in a CRM system. Having clear goals makes it easier to identify what kind of tools you need and where you want to be. In addition, look at your internal processes and try to define which departments will really need the customer information. With a clear definition of how you currently manage your customer contacts and how you will use the tool, you can start by defining which CRM features are important to you.
Of course. To get the most out of a CRM system, it is important that it is adapted to your company and processes and that it offers a solution to your problems. A CRM system should always be designed for those who are going to use the tool. Moreover, you do not have to pay for parts that you neither need nor will use. That is why almost all CRM systems are scalable.
We believe that all IT systems should do what they do best and then integrate with each other to share the information that different types of software can benefit from. By integrating and sharing information between your CRM system and other IT tools, you get access to all information in one place and you don’t have to search different systems. This means that the information ends up in the right place and that all departments get the system that suits them best.
A CRM system can seem like a big investment and it is said that this investment is only profitable for big companies. A tool that manages customer relationships and creates new business opportunities is extremely important for companies that are growing and is an equally profitable investment, even for smaller companies and executives.
Today there are thousands of CRM systems on the market. Some are completely free, while others require a larger investment. But there is a system for every pocket. Everything from applications that only cost a few dollars a month, to thousands of dollars.
Many people want to test a CRM system before they decide to invest and of course you should too. That’s why we offer you the opportunity to experience our CRM tools before you decide.
Visit our CRM solutions page