Why Implement CRM?
After completing hundreds of CRM deployments for companies in a wide array of industries, we have found that there are three primary reasons why companies ultimately deploy CRM. The business processes our customers chose to automate are varied and the methods and tools they use are by no means consistent, but at the end of the day, all companies are trying to accomplish three primary goals with their customer relationship management (CRM) system. Let’s take a look at each.
Efficiency
Whether automating the process of tracking new sales leads or standardizing customer support, gaining efficiency in their business is one of the top reasons our customers deploy a CRM system. All businesses have processes for getting things done and CRM systems are a great way to standardize and automate these processes to make sure that everyone in the organization is completing their work as efficiently and effectively as possible.
Visibility
As organizations grow, it becomes more and more difficult to keep on top of all the moving parts. Individuals within departments need to be aware of the projects their co-workers are completing. Managers need visibility into all aspects of the business to keep projects on track and to ensure overall business goals are met. CRM systems are great at storing, synthesizing, and presenting information from a wide array of sources within the enterprise. Properly deployed, a company’s CRM system becomes the go-to source for information when employees need to know what’s happening with a project, prospect, or customer.
Decision Making
While efficiency and visibility are great reasons to deploy CRM, most companies realize the highest value in their CRM investment through better decision making. A CRM system that gathers business performance information, combined with a reporting or business analytics package, creates a powerful tool for answering strategic questions that can determine the success or failure of the business. Should we invest in a new online marketing campaign? Is it time to hire more customer service representatives? With a CRM system, these questions can be answered confidently using historical data rather than speculatively using guesses and conjecture. Efficiency, visibility, and better decision making are the benefits of any properly deployed CRM system. Yet, most companies purchase a CRM system to solve a specific problem. For example, a customer might ask us:
- How can I track where my leads are coming from, automate which salesperson gets assigned to which lead, and determine which of my lead sources is most productive?
- Can you help me figure out how to track all of my sales opportunities, develop more accurate sales forecasts, and determine which of my sales reps is most effective?
- What’s the best way to standardize the way we respond to customer service inquiries so that customers get a high-quality experience regardless of who answers the phone?
- How can we track all our customer projects so that everyone in the organization can see the status of active projects and tasks that can be assigned to everyone on the team?
These questions are the initial pain points that motivate the CRM implementation. But once the system is deployed and the customer’s initial pain has been relieved, many other opportunities arise to increase efficiency, improve visibility, and make better business decisions. When companies embark on a journey of continuous improvement utilizing a CRM system to automate and track business results, they realize the ultimate value of their CRM system investment. Have any additional CRM questions? Contact us today.
