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What is CRM and Why does it Matter?
What is CRM? If the first thought that comes to your mind is Software, you are partially right. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) is a mindset. CRM is a way of life. CRM is how it used to be in the good old days when you knew every single person that you did business with. Heck, you probably even knew their family members. Unfortunately in the day and age that we live, even with all the technology that surrounds us, there never appears to be enough time - enough time to get to know your customers, enough time to attend to their every need so that they can experience great service from you and your staff.
So what is CRM again? The goal of CRM is to realize a company philosophy that puts the customer in the center of your operations. If every person in your business respects and puts the customer first, you are half way there. Next, you need to provide your staff with the tools necessary to track information that allows them to provide not just good service but great service!
A well executed CRM Strategy rewards your customer with personal attention to their needs no matter whom in your organization they speak to. CRM Software provides the organizational tools necessary for your staff to better manage customer relationships and the ability to share this information across your organization.
In its complete form, CRM Software provides a 360-degree view of your customer, integrating customer information at every touch point. Why do you need this? To increase profits by improving customer acquisition and retention while automating processes to be more efficient and effective. A sound CRM Strategy coupled with CRM Software will provide your business to be efficient, productive and responsive to the demands of your customers.
Contact Organizer Software versus CRM Software
Most people confuse CRM Software with a contact organizer - If you are one of them, don't feel too bad. Because of the tremendous success of CRM software, most contact management or contact organizers advertise themselves as "CRM" in one form or another just because they may have part of what a complete CRM software delivers.
There is a vast difference between Contact Organizer or Contact Manager Software and a CRM Software. Contact Managers are geared towards individuals with features limited to the needs of a single professional. For small and growing businesses, Contact Organizers will not be able to handle the needs of a team - workgroup features, speed, security, storage, limited features for sales automation, workflow, marketing automation, customer services, integration to other products and the list goes on and on. Some Contact Managers are available for small groups of users. However, why go with Contact Manager Software when you can achieve so much more with CRM Software at a price you can afford.
The key message here is, if you use Microsoft Outlook or other e-mail systems to do e-mail and track information about your contacts and schedules, that is NOT CRM. Yes, you are better off than not having any kind of an electronic system to track your customers but you are way behind in what you can do with CRM in place. A true CRM Software solution provides complete front office automation for Account and Contact Management, Sales, Marketing, Customer Service and Back-Office Integration.
Better Manage Your Business with CRM
Have you ever been frustrated because you can't find your agreements? Or don't know which of your employees last spoke to a client? Or which one of your sales brochure is the latest version? Or why don't your employees realize that "Bob" is your high valued customer that requires special attention? If this sounds familiar, you are in dire need of CRM. When implemented successfully, a CRM initiative will transform your muddled, messy, mis-managed and disorganized business into a lean, mean, tech-savvy machine!
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