CRM- What Is CRM, And What Is It For? Understand How It Works

The CRM covers the entire process of managing the customer base and the sales funnel, from capturing leads to the conversion, retention and loyalty of customers.

A company that works based on the CRM strategy is 100% focused on the final consumer. In this way, it always seeks to personalize and add value to the experience with the brand during pre-sale, sale and post-purchase service.

With CRM, it is possible to have a 360 view of customers in all their interactions with the company, the products, the communication channels service. Many brands’ secret is to anticipate your wishes, discover trends, and thus optimize processes to increase profitability.

The Origin Of The CRM

Customer Relationship Management is not exactly new. Brands have always offered products and services for customers who have needed these solutions throughout history. Different business transactions helped enhance human relations, developing nations, and discovering new countries. And this has worked fine to this day.

For centuries, marketers have believed that it is easier to offer products to already interested consumers than to re-enchant an audience without any guarantee of compensation.

The CRM model as we know it today seems in the early 1970s. At that time, satisfaction was measured through surveys conducted every year.

What Is A CRM System For?

A CRM system makes it possible to collect and store any data about customers and leads, such as location, professional profile, digital interaction with the company, and main interests.

If the CRM seems to you just a list of contacts with this description, it is worth mentioning other functions of the tool, which can be integrated with other platforms and optimize all its business processes.

The general idea of CRM is to allow different levels of access to customer data to improve sales, create more assertive marketing campaigns, and even optimize stock management.

What Are The Practical Applications Of CRM?

A CRM tool has several functions. It is capable of actively tracking the information of various clients, with intelligent management of this data.

In addition, it allows the connection between different teams, unifying the other goals for the company’s growth.

The CRM System Is Much More Than A Database Of Buyer Contacts. He Knows Everything He Is Capable Of:

Capture Contact Data Intelligently

The CRM allows you to capture simple customer contact data such as email and phone. With this information, the company can create approach strategies with relevant content of offers and even after-sales service.

Follow Up With Leads

Understand what stage of the sales funnel the potential customer is in, what content and campaigns interest them the most, and design strategies to optimize conversion.

Recognize The Origin Of Sales

Find out if the customer closed the sale by going directly to the website, after an email, through a social media campaign, etc.

This type of information ensures more proactive planning, with an intelligent choice of channel investment.

Know The Business

The CRM tracks customer information, showing the entire trajectory of brand engagement: how many times they accessed the site, And also how many times they almost made a purchase, etc.

In this way, the company will have insights on how to improve this relationship and know what decisions must be made to attract and win customers more quickly.

Automate Communication Processes

Set up autoresponders and send emails to customers, avoiding repetitive manual work for marketing and sales teams. The same goes for other channels like WhatsApp and chatbot.

Why Use CRM, And What Can It Do For Your Business?

Information is today’s most valuable asset. The CRM comes precisely to concentrate and analyze information about your customers so that the company can meet their real needs and not just try to do so without foundation.

With CRM, Your Business Guarantees:

• Updated and centralized information on leads, customers, suppliers and partners, and their interests. We are talking about the company’s history, the products left in the cart, the surveys and other data.
• Increased productivity of the sales team, And also who will perform work based on data, will have their repetitive tasks automated and will be able to receive notifications and reminders. More efficient and humanized communication between the sales team and customers.
• Complete cloud management with online CRM, offering access to the team from anywhere, requiring lone log in on any internet-connected device.
• I work based on the management concept at sight since the CRM tool can show the reasons that led a client not to close sales and allow us to see which are the best business opportunities.
• Satisfied customer, once it is possible to track potential customer requests and ensure quality service.
• Management guided by lead scoring and results since the CRM allows you to set parameters for marketing and sales staff, record the score, and have automated nutrition flows. In addition, it facilitates the fulfilment of the objectives by providing detailed information, promotions, and assistance to each client.
• Decision making based on Business Intelligence. With CRM, And also  it is possible to capture, store and analyze a series of data, optimizing the planning and execution of actions.
• The information from the CRM also makes it possible to centralize the service and support service. Knowing how the client gets in touch with the company makes it possible to improve performance and provide better quality services.

Signs That Your Company Needs A CRM

CRM benefits are already apparent, but if you are still in doubt about applying this platform in your business, it is worth noting some signs that the company needs a customer relationship management tool.

See the main problems that arise on a day-to-day basis, and that indicates that your company needs a CRM:

• There are different spreadsheets on the same topic, with inconsistent data that do not “add up”.
• Important information is scattered in a disorganized and unsystematized way.
• There is no single point to access customer information. So he has to retell the whole story every time he makes contact.
• There are no indicators to evaluate the performance of each team.
• Obtaining reports is an arduous and tedious task.
• And also It isn’t easy to access any information outside of company computers.
• There is no personalization in customer service.
• The response time to requests is slow.
• The work environment is becoming increasingly cluttered.
• There is no ideal plan for growth.

CRM for Sales: Sell more, better and faster

One of the main applications of CRM is the Sales area since it allows the capture of relevant information about the people who contacted your business and were interested in your service or product.

With This Data, It Is Possible To Personalize The Entire Sales Funnel, From Attracting Leads To Converting.

This customization depends on the types of CRM you implement and can be done at three levels:

• CRM that provides the steps of the predefined sales funnel, in which the team can only change the order according to the interests of the company;
• And also CRM with a fully customize funnel;
• CRM integrated with a BPM solution, which allows customizing the sales funnel and the entire commercial operation of the company through the modelling of business processes. Usually, this is the most recommended because it can be better adapted to the company’s strategy.

The Sales CRM can also be integrate with Billing, And also  automating invoicing generated by sales, facilitating your financial management.

CRM And After-Sales

In addition to helping attract customers. Generate qualify leads and close sales, CRM is essential in the post-sale stage. Keeping customers happy and serving them speed and efficiency is vital to their loyalty.

The CRM is applied to customer service: Technical assistance and repairs, the agile resolution of problems and claims, the offer of discounts and benefits for permanence and loyalty. And also satisfaction surveys, sending personalized emails, among others.

Here, if the information present in the CRM is integrate into a Service Desk. The possibilities of anticipating the demands of your audience are further expand. Everything that a company with a focus on customer experience craves. Allowing the creation of solutions based on their needs.

CRM And WhatsApp: A Strategic Integration

For both sales and post-sales. And also  having a CRM that integrates with WhatsApp can a big difference for your business, bringing several benefits to the job, such as:

• Facilitate the contact of customers and leads with the Sales area through a comprehensive channel
• Receive messages and serve customers and leads directly through CRM;
• And also Use chatbots and track leads in the sales funnel;
• Track and have visibility of all your conversations in one place;
• Get a 360 view of past interactions while responding to chat;
• Automate repetitive communication tasks and free your team for other activities;
• Follow up all the data in statistical and personalize forms;
• Allow your team to work together, And also making communication more transparent and secure;
• Closely monitor the experience and success of your customers and reduce the abandonment rate (or customer churn rate).

Also Read: What Is Marketing Management, And How Technology Can Help It?