Still thinking about getting a CRM system? Take a look at what you’re missing…

Arguing that a CRM solution can prove to be a great opportunity for a small or medium business, enabling it to respond and manage its countless customer transactions in a mutually beneficial way, would not be an exaggeration. More and more businesses are turning to CRM systems, as they continue to integrate new technologies that facilitate their cooperation with customers. Additionally, the availability of cloud-based and on-demand services has made CRM solutions even more cost-effective for small businesses. If you consider that businesses rely on their CRM systems not only to maintain but also to extend their clientele, you’ll realize that there is absolutely no reason to be reluctant. But, let us take a closer look at what you’re missing.

It has been established that using a CRM system will enable you to create a closer and more personal relationship with your customers, mainly because you’ll be able to better implement the social communication model. In particular, your team will be able to create a community site for customer forums, corporate blogs and many more. Besides, it has been proven that interaction with customers through social media is simplified and rendered even more effective with the aid of a CRM solution. As a result, you’ll be able to more accurately target your promotional activities aiming at specific teams and individuals that would be interested in a more personalized experience. The “social” face of CRM will also offer insight on the activity of a specific contact in social media, either this is a blog post, a Facebook profile or a tweet. Furthermore, this is a two-way street, as you can “crowdsource” ideas from customers, gathering direct feedback that will help you improve your products and services, and/or add new ones to your portfolio.

Another important benefit you’ll be missing if you don’t acquire a CRM solution is the mobile features that would allow your team to work remotely and respond promptly and directly to customers. These advantages are secured thanks to the fact that most CRM vendors are now offering mobile apps for smartphones on all popular platforms (iOS, Android, Windows). Thanks to these features, you can have all the necessary information on your customers and services readily available in real time. Additionally, your marketing team will be able to directly support the existing or potential customers. Besides, social media have changed customers’ expectations, who are now expecting continuous support, in real time, through blogs, chat windows and Twitter feeds – and CRM is leading the way in this area as well.

Finally, by deploying a CRM solution you also get measurable ROI data thanks to the more complete integration with business critical applications, including business intelligence, e-commerce, ERP and VoIP software. Each one of these applications offers realistic metrics that help you measure the success of your activities. Furthermore, when metrics are integrated with the CRM system, you can understand how successfully your business interacts with customers. Finally, the CRM solution will improve ROI through targeted marketing, cross-selling and up-selling to existing customers. Your sales team will be able to manage leads even more effectively and identify new customers quicker. With this data, you can make spot-on decisions regarding inventory, discount rates and current and future offerings.