Oh, if I got paid each time that I heard that question! CRM is such a widely known, yet misunderstood software that it’s no surprise that companies still don’t know why they should get a CRM.
A CRM, a customer relationship management system, can do a lot of things from helping you with customer support to sales. By integrating all your business into the same software, you can get tremendous benefits like optimizing processes, and improving customer service, but ultimately, this is the kind of tool that supports your growth and helps you remain the best in your field.
So why should you get a CRM? Well, there are tons of reasons, but here are my top 10 favorite reasons for why a CRM and Microsoft CRM could be a game-changer in your company.
Why get a CRM? Reason #1: Centralized information
Imagine that at each call you receive from a customer has all its information, email exchanges, order history, and interactions with customer service assembled in the same place, accessible with one click. What would you do with the time that you would save from not having to search frantically?
With a CRM, like Microsoft Dynamics CRM, all you data, your order history, your client files, your sales, and your problems with customer service are all in the same place, accessible everywhere at any time. Each member of your team contributes everyday to expanding and refining the database that makes it even more powerful.
Why get a CRM? Reason #2: Better customer service
Obviously, with easy access to all this information, it’s much easier to manage problems and ensure customer service of the highest standard. Besides, a CRM is a perfectly adapted solution for collaboration and enabling you to combine the efforts of many departments to solve a problem in an instant.
You should also know that a CRM comes often with automation capacities and artificial intelligence modules. This allows you to automate some repetitive and redundant tasks that take too much precious time. The artificial intelligence acts more like support for your customer service agents by giving them processes and pre-established roads depending on the nature of the question.
Why get a CRM? Reason #3: Simplify sales work
How many times have you lost all your data linked to a specific client when a salesperson left your company? Too many times? Well, the client relationships often take too much time to note, enter the data in the database, or to simply update it.
This is why you should get a CRM: simplify the life of your sales team by keeping all the information exchanged over emails and notes on file, and by adding all the order history to your files automatically, and all without you having to enter anything manually. It’s then easier to follow up with a client if the sale person is occupied, or just to pass the information on to a new employee.
Why get a CRM? Reason #4: Increase productivity
By automating and adopting efficient processes with a CRM, there’s no doubt that your organization will benefit from increased productivity. However, what a CRM can do to help you is not limited to artificial intelligence or the software conception. No, because a CRM augments and supports every part of your company.
You have an activity report to produce? No problem, it’s already done, and you can find it in your files. Need to plan a meeting? Your schedule is already optimized for better time management, so the right time is easy to find. And while you are there, your Microsoft Dynamics CRM will send you a reminder to contact that client that will soon need to renew their quarterly order. The CRM removes the weight of daily tasks to let you do what you do best.
Why get a CRM? Reason #5: Easy collaboration
You need to write a sales pitch for an extremely important client for your organization? Assemble your best sales team and your sharpest minds and conquer the market with your Microsoft Dynamics CRM. No need for everybody to be in the same place, the CRM is an excellent way to collaborate and put our efforts together in those moments when several heads are better than one.
Why get a CRM? Reason #6: Target opportunities
What if your sales team had access to not only leads, but also a very efficient way of targeting potential clients and getting them? A CRM like Dynamics CRM can support your sales funnel by automating some parts of it, shedding some light on the targeted public with data, and also by offering you a collaborative environment where all the ingredients are present to close a deal: from the team to the data.
Why get a CRM? Reason #7: Know your customers better
With an analysis tool that takes into account every bit of possible data on your clients (from their geographical location to their order history), it becomes extremely easy to know your clientele. More than that, once the data is compiled, the statistics are clear, and it gives you all the necessary means to better understand clients’ needs, anticipate their problems and resolve them in a timely manner.
It goes without saying that this is the kind of customer service that solidifies your relationship with your clients, retains them, and helps you to grow together.
Why get a CRM? Reason #8: Keep up with everything
With all this information linked to your client relationships in the same place and with high performing analysis tools, we have to say that your Dynamics CRM will ease the life of your management team. They’ll be kept in the loop with everything, at all time, wherever they might be.
And obviously, with reports as clear and exact at this, and with reliable data and conclusive statistics, it’s easier to make a decision when comes the time to establish strategies, help a team in hard times or improve sales numbers.
Why get a CRM? Reason #9: Save money
People often frown when I bring up this point because, yes, CRM is not cheap software, but it’s true that its efficiency and support allows your enterprises to save money in the long term.
How to save money with Dynamics CRM?
- By improving your productivity
- By reducing errors (quotes, invoices, etc.)
- By eliminating redundant tasks
- By shedding light on new sale leads
- And even by reducing the cost of materials like notepads and Post-Its!
Why get a CRM? Reason #10: Plan your growth
As long as I can remember, I have never heard a client say that they don’t want to grow their company. By automating some processes, by facilitating data entry, and by having all your information accessible with one click, it’s easier to look ahead with your company than when you are buried in paperwork and trying to gather all the notes.
Besides, with an analysis tool that can create reports on sales, complaints, order volume, and many others subjects, it’s way easier to target the errors, flaws and sectors that need help. You’ll have a better overview of the departments that are bleeding money or the others that are more profitable.
All of that gives you a global portrait, a vision for the future, means to succeed, and strategies to put in place to become the company that you always dreamed of becoming.
As you can see, there are numerous reasons to adopt a CRM. In fact, they have practically become essentials to every company wanting to grow and reach their goals. So a CRM like Microsoft Dynamics CRM is more than software, it’s truly a growth tool that’s at the height of your ambitions. We could talk longer about reasons to get a CRM, but there’s one thing remaining: the CRM is an ally for you and your team. Its adaptation capacity, numerous customizations, and countless benefits will quickly convince you of its efficiency, but also of its relevance, and thus, will improve your expertise.
Liked what you just read? Sharing is caring.
March 07, 2018 by Frédéric Charest by Frédéric Charest VP of Marketing
Data-driven Growth Marketer with a Passion for SEO - Driving Results through Analytics and Optimization