Sales is to Customer Relationship Management as Peanut Butter is to Jelly; the two go hand in hand and work together oh so magically between two slices of bread. Just like a tasty PBJ, strong customer relationships are the core of most successful businesses, and it takes two to tango to have a healthy business. So it makes sense that in order for your business grow, your sales team must be using some form of Customer Relationship Management system such as Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce.
Utilizing a CRM platform in your small to mid-sized business will benefit you, your sales team, and your entire organization.
There are my top 3 ways CRM systems can improve sales success for ANY business:
#1 Keep your team organized and streamlined
One of the biggest reasons people are not successful in business is because of their lack of organization. That is where CRM comes in! Instead of remembering everything in the back of your mind or in sloppy misplaced notes, a CRM system allows you to jot down every bit of information about a customer, their history, and any pending activity you may have. CRMs assist sales reps in keeping track of all the information relating to prospect or customer interactions. I personally love Microsoft Dynamics CRM is it has an ability to track emails through Outlook, so even the laziest sales rep can stay streamlined with just one click!
#2 Being more accurate with forecasting
Knowing what your billing looks like in the future is crucial for any sales rep or business owner, and nothing is more terrifying than the unknown. The accuracy of tracking pending business impacts everything in your organization that you can think of (marketing budget, ability to hire, etc). What is important to track for every business varies but knowing what kind of money you are working with is something that is important for ALL businesses. CRM allows you to capture that data and view it in any timeframe, format, and in real time. These accurate pipeline predictions will decrease stress and permit you to plan with more ease.
#3 Not having to ask the same question again and again
CRM stands for Customer Relationship Management, and it feels like many business forget about the RM in CRM. CRM software offers more than just lead management or billing support. The ability to add customer information helps sales reps form bonds and build strategic, long-term relationships with clients. Every person that you interact with, be it a vender, a client, or just a lead, should feel like they are of the highest priority. If you spoke to someone and they said they had two kids, jot that down. When you speak to them next and you bring up their kids, it makes that customer feel like you really care. Having customer data together in one software allows your sales team to quickly find and remember information they need during those calls or interactions. No one likes being asked the same question more than once.
Regardless of the software you use, a successful CRM system gives everyone across a business a significantly easier way to manage relationships with clients, leads, or venders. If you are interested in evaluating your current CRM or you are looking at switching to Microsoft Dynamics or Salesforce, email info@altruas.com for a free consultation!
