Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software is something you may or may not be familiar with. Sure, you probably have heard of some of the big names, like Salesforce, but you have never used it. Maybe you looked into using a CRM once but found it was too expensive, or maybe you just didn’t see the value in it. While those arguments may have held up a few years ago, these days a CRM is one of the best tools you can use, at the best value, when trying to increase your business.
What Exactly Does a CRM Do?
A CRM is online software used to track information about your clients and customers. Some information is obvious, such as contact information, but you can also track communication history, open projects, product purchases, and more.
The great thing about most CRM software is that it is customizable to fit your needs and company. Do you give clients quotes? Track the progress. Sell building materials? See not only who buys what product, but how frequently. You can see how this can be a powerful tool in monitoring and tracking your sales pipeline.
New CRMs are Inexpensive
The big name CRMs are not the only ones out there. You can buy one of the big brands, and they do offer some great software. However, some of these programs are still too expensive, or simply too complex, to meet the needs of a smaller business. Luckily these days there are many smaller, yet still effective, CRM providers out there. Companies such as Zoho and Trackvia, to name a few, can provide free or low cost options. New CRM software is typically web-based, can be accessed anywhere you have an internet connection, and are still customizable to fit your business.
This is what we call a win-win.
The Value Konsultan Lanskap of a CRM
The biggest value of the CRM is the CRM itself. Each time you enter in new data you are building a treasure trove of information about your client base. Electrical Technology Degree You can use analytic tools to see trends, identify problems, and better yet, give you insight into what is going to grow your company in the future.
For example: You may find in communication history that your clients are consistently bringing up a new product that you don’t have. Acting on this trend you decide to offer the product. Not only are you able to sell to customers the next time they ask for it, but you can sort through your CRM to find every customer who asked about it in the past. That’s a ready market for you to sell to. Talk about value!