There are different ways to store customer data: in a diary, Excel, or Google Sheets. But these methods are not very reliable, because such files sometimes get lost, and when employees leave, they can easily take the database with them. If there are many clients, then you can get confused in personal records, they are not always well structured, and sales managers often do not have access to them.
These negative aspects can be avoided by implementing a CRM system in the company. In this article, we will discuss what CRM is, how different systems differ from each other, and how to choose the right option for your business.
What is a CRM system
Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a system for managing customer relationships. It stores all information about orders and customers. CRM organizes many processes in the sales and marketing department, improves the quality of customer service.
Basic CRM functionsAs a rule, CRM systems perform the following standard functions:
- Storing customer data. This includes not only the name and other personal data, but also the history of orders and interactions with the person. For example, calls or meetings.
- Sales organization. The system collects requests, requests and questions from customers from different channels, helps to process them and promptly generate answers. The application also allows you to manage prices and issue invoices.
- Planning and setting tasks. In CRM, you can create a calendar of meetings, set reminders for important events, or distribute tasks among team members.
- Sales analytics. The system allows you to generate a report on sales in a variety of sections, including by period, product, geography or employee.
- Document creation. You can upload product information and document templates to the CRM. This will allow you to create, for example, a commercial offer for a client in one click.
- Mailings to customers. Integration with mail and messengers allows you to send customers information about new products and tell them about promotions, advertise discounts.
What is the difference from other business systems
CRM is built around the topic of sales and interaction with customers. Sometimes it is confused with other products:
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- BPM (Business Project Management) is a system for managing all business processes in a company. It usually includes a designer for modeling processes, an interface for setting and prioritizing tasks, analysis and monitoring modules. The main goal of BMP is to make absolutely all processes transparent and convenient.
Benefits of CRM for Business
The main goal of a business is to make money and at the same time benefit people. Proper implementation of CRM makes the work of employees easier, increases the efficiency of processes and improves the quality of customer service. As a result, the company’s goals are achieved faster – profits grow.
Which companies need a CRM system?
A CRM system is suitable for both small and large businesses. It is needed if at least one of the following conditions is met:
- The company has a sales department and it employs more than two people.
- Requests from clients come from different channels, for example, by phone, from social networks and from the website.
- The business has a long sales funnel cycle.
- It is important for the company to build long-term relationships with customers and increase their loyalty.
- The sales department’s responsibilities include the constant search for potential buyers.
- The business actively advertises and organizes marketing campaigns.
Types of CRM systems
CRMs differ in several parameters: the way the system is organized, the degree of individuality, functionality, and readiness for implementation. Let’s consider them in more detail.
Method of organizing CRMBased on this feature, two types of systems are distinguished:
- Cloud solutions. In this case, the data is stored on the developer’s servers, they are available on the Internet – you can work with them remotely. Payment is usually monthly, all updates are automatic, and technical support is included in the price.
- Boxed CRM systems. This is software that is installed on the server of the customer company. Most often, it is paid for only at the time of installation, but you will need an IT specialist who will support the service.
Degree of CRM individuality
According to the level of individuality and specialization, there are also two types of CRM:
- Universal. These CRM systems will suit almost any standard business request, but they will not take into account the specifics of the industry and any specific tasks of clients. Universal CRMs include, for example, 1C, Bitrix24 and AmoCRM.
CRM functionality
Based on functionality, all CRMs are divided into three types:
- Operational. These are systems in which all operational work with the company’s clients is carried out. The main goal of such systems is to automate sales and marketing processes. Analytics and reporting in operational CRM are an accompanying, but not the leading function.
- Analytical. These are services with an emphasis on analytics and statistics collection. They may include report designers and BI modules. These are often expensive solutions with complex integration. For example, with an online store payment system or a mobile operator billing. In such CRMs, you can solve problems of customer segmentation, product range management, etc.
Degree of CRM readiness for implementation
CRMs can be fully or partially ready for implementation. According to this parameter, four types of products are distinguished:
- Ready-made solutions. Most often, this is a budget system with standard business processes. This option is suitable for small companies that want to automate several aspects of work. It is most likely impossible to present all processes in such a standard CRM.
- CRM constructors. These are prefabricated solutions from ready-made modules. The customer selects those options and blocks that suit the tasks of his business.
Standard CRM modules
All CRM systems usually have a number of standard modules: customer and transaction data, sales management, planning and analytics. Let’s look at them in more detail.
Customer data
CRM stores information about clients, including:
- Contacts include full name, phone number, email, links to a website or social networks.
- Client type: individual or legal entity.
- Company details for legal entities.
- Communications with the client – history of correspondence, calls and meetings.
- History of completed orders, as well as unrealized requests.
- Additional data, such as region, subscription to the mailing list, responsible manager, etc.
Information about transactions
The CRM contains all information about the company’s sales, even if they were made through different channels, for example, on the website or in the office.
If the sale is long-term and takes several days or even months, then in the CRM you can record all agreements with clients about such a transaction:
Sales Management
The most common sales management tool in CRM is a sales funnel. It shows how many customers contacted the company and how many of them moved on to the next stages – calculating a commercial offer and making a purchase.
Planning and task management
In the CRM system, you can set tasks for sales department employees or plan your own schedule. In addition to actions, you can specify KPIs that need specific database by industry marketing to be achieved, for example, the amount or volume of shipments, deadlines for completing tasks, etc.
Analytics and KPI
The analytics module in CRM allows you to track key business indicators, such as:
- sales volume;
- number of applications, refusals and concluded transactions;
- average bill;
- conversion rate, etc.
Such statistics can be collected for the entire company or for individual managers, product types, sales channels or areas of work. When implementing CRM, you can set the number of filters that are necessary for your business.
What to look for when choosing a CRM
To choose the optimal CRM system for your business, you need to study not only its functionality, but also the quality characteristics of the service. These include:
- Simple and intuitive interface.
- Availability of a mobile version of CRM.
- Prompt technical support.
- Training for new employees from the development company.
- Flexibility of the system, the ability to change it to suit the needs of the company.
- High level of security, including data backup, regular software updates and different levels of access for company personnel.
- Possibility of integration with other services, for example, with IP telephony, mail or messengers.
How to implement a CRM system
To implement this approach in your company, follow these five basic steps:
- Define the goals of CRM implementation. This could be, for example, saving time on routine tasks or increasing sales volume. The content of the system will depend on the goals .
- Conduct a business audit. Find out where customers come from, how and through what channels managers communicate with them. Determine what problems there are in the work and what you would like to improve. Draw a map of the main processes .
- Make a list of requirements for CRM. Choose the type of system you need, define the functionality and characteristics that are important to you. Indicate the budget you would like to stay within and the number of CRM users .
CRM implementation errors
Full implementation of a CRM system is a rather numbers lists complex and lengthy process. It can take from several weeks to several months. Companies can make mistakes along the way.
Here are the most common ones:
- Disorder in internal processes. If the business has not debugged its core processes, then CRM will not solve this problem. First, you need to systematize the work – determine who does what and in what sequence, and only then connect CRM .
- Lack of training and control. Without these actions, there is a risk that some employees will sabotage the new system and work in their usual way.
Examples of popular CRM systems
There are many CRM systems in Russia. But their functionality is often quite complex and excessive for the sales team. Therefore, before implementing CRM, it is worth considering a simpler and more intuitive tool – a corporate messenger, for example, Compass.
Briefly about the main thing
CRM is a system for managing customer relationships. It is not just a database, but a comprehensive solution with a set of useful tools: from monitoring sales of goods or services to sending automatic notifications to clients.
